Employment Fund and wage subsidies

jobactive providers continue to use the Employment Fund to purchase goods or services that will help eligible individuals to address their difficulties in finding and keeping a job.

In 2018–19, jobactive providers spent $225.4 million helping individual job seekers prepare for work. The highest levels of expenditure were on wage subsidies, accredited training, professional services, work-related licensing, and clothing and presentation.

The Employment Fund is also used to provide targeted support for Indigenous Australians as part of the Closing the Gap Employment Services measures, and for mature-age people as part of the Career Transition Assistance Trial. From 2 January 2019, some wage subsidies are also funded from the Employment Fund.

Wage subsidies provide a financial incentive of up to $10,000 (GST inclusive) to help employers hire new staff in ongoing roles. The 2018–19 Budget announced that wage subsidies would continue to be available through the Employment Fund from 2 January 2019. Since that time, wage subsidies have assisted 46,814 people into employment.

Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job

Relocation assistance helps with the financial costs of relocating to start a new job. Over the last financial year, relocation assistance helped 450 people and their families relocate to take up full-time ongoing employment.