Open NowBusiness
Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments
Department of Trade, Employment and Training · Australia
Queensland's Back to Work program offers financial support payments of up to $20,000 to eligible non-government employers who hire and retain eligible unemployed jobseekers. Support is available for eligible jobs located in specified Queensland regions and local government areas.
Funding
Up to $20K
Deadline
Rolling / Ongoing
Duration
up to 4 years
Location
Queensland
Who Can Apply
• Applicant must be an eligible employer and not a government entity, including local, State or Commonwealth governments, government owned corporations, or statutory bodies.
• Employer must have a good workplace safety and industrial relations record.
• Employer must demonstrate a genuine commitment to ongoing employment of the employee.
• Employer must have hired an eligible employee on or before 2025-06-30.
• The job must be mainly located in an eligible Queensland region or local government area.
• The job must be ongoing paid full-time averaging at least 35 hours per week, or ongoing paid part-time averaging at least 20 hours per week.
• For a person with disability, the job may be between 8 and 20 hours per week where supported by a workplace assessment and approved benchmark.
• The job may also be a registered and eligible Queensland full-time or part-time apprenticeship.
• Eligible employee must be a permanent resident of Australia and principally reside in Queensland.
• Eligible employee must have been unemployed for the minimum required period before commencing employment.
• Eligible employee must not have worked for the employer in the 52 weeks before commencing employment.
• At the time of the initial payment application, the employee must have been employed for at least 4 weeks but not more than 12 weeks.
• Eligible employee must not currently be, and must not have been, a full-time student within 4 weeks before commencing employment.
• Eligible employee must not have displaced any existing workers.
• If the employee has a disability, they must be engaged in mainstream employment.
• For Apprentice and Trainee Boost, the employee must meet employer support payment criteria, have been unemployed for at least 4 weeks, and be undertaking a registered eligible apprenticeship or traineeship.
• For Youth Boost, the employee must meet employer support payment criteria, have been unemployed for at least 4 weeks, and be aged over 15 and under 25 years when employment commenced.
Eligible employers must be non-government employers with a good workplace safety and industrial relations record and a genuine commitment to ongoing employment. The employee must be hired on or before 30 June 2025 into an eligible job mainly located in specified Queensland regions or local government areas. Eligible jobs must be ongoing paid full-time, ongoing paid part-time, disability-adjusted part-time roles, or registered eligible Queensland apprenticeships. Eligible employees must be permanent residents of Australia residing principally in Queensland, meet unemployment duration requirements for the relevant payment, not have worked for the employer in the previous 52 weeks, and satisfy additional conditions relating to student status, displacement of workers, and timing of the application. Additional criteria apply for apprentice and trainee boost payments and youth boost payments.
What's Funded
Hiring and retaining eligible unemployed jobseekers in ongoing full-time or part-time roles, including eligible apprenticeships and traineeships, in specified Queensland regions.Expected Outcomes
Employment of eligible Queensland jobseekers, sustained retention in ongoing jobs, and increased employer participation in hiring unemployed people, including youth, apprentices, trainees, and people with disability.Key Information
Applicant Types
companysole_traderpartnershiptrustnon_profitcooperativeindigenous_organisationother
Stage
any
Funding Purposes
employmenttraining
Keywords
employmentwage subsidyjobseekersQueenslandemployer incentiveapprenticeshipstraineeshipsyouth employment
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What is the Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments?
The Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments is a business grant offered by Department of Trade, Employment and Training in Australia, providing Up to $20K in funding. Queensland's Back to Work program offers financial support payments of up to $20,000 to eligible non-government employers who hire and retain eligible unemployed jobseekers. Support is available for eligible jobs located in specified Queensland regions and local government areas.
2
How much funding does the Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments provide?
The Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments provides Up to $20K in funding. The typical project duration is up to 4 years.
3
Who is eligible for the Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments?
- Applicant must be an eligible employer and not a government entity, including local, State or Commonwealth governments, government owned corporations, or statutory bodies.
- Employer must have a good workplace safety and industrial relations record.
- Employer must demonstrate a genuine commitment to ongoing employment of the employee.
- Employer must have hired an eligible employee on or before 2025-06-30.
- The job must be mainly located in an eligible Queensland region or local government area.
- The job must be ongoing paid full-time averaging at least 35 hours per week, or ongoing paid part-time averaging at least 20 hours per week.
- For a person with disability, the job may be between 8 and 20 hours per week where supported by a workplace assessment and approved benchmark.
- The job may also be a registered and eligible Queensland full-time or part-time apprenticeship.
- Eligible employee must be a permanent resident of Australia and principally reside in Queensland.
- Eligible employee must have been unemployed for the minimum required period before commencing employment.
- Eligible employee must not have worked for the employer in the 52 weeks before commencing employment.
- At the time of the initial payment application, the employee must have been employed for at least 4 weeks but not more than 12 weeks.
- Eligible employee must not currently be, and must not have been, a full-time student within 4 weeks before commencing employment.
- Eligible employee must not have displaced any existing workers.
- If the employee has a disability, they must be engaged in mainstream employment.
- For Apprentice and Trainee Boost, the employee must meet employer support payment criteria, have been unemployed for at least 4 weeks, and be undertaking a registered eligible apprenticeship or traineeship.
- For Youth Boost, the employee must meet employer support payment criteria, have been unemployed for at least 4 weeks, and be aged over 15 and under 25 years when employment commenced.
4
When does the Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments close?
Applications close on 30 June 2025. This is a rolling program — new rounds may open.
5
What activities are funded?
Hiring and retaining eligible unemployed jobseekers in ongoing full-time or part-time roles, including eligible apprenticeships and traineeships, in specified Queensland regions.
6
How do I apply for the Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments?
Start by checking your eligibility using the free Beta Docs eligibility checker. If eligible, Beta Docs' AI-powered platform can help you draft, review, and refine your application to maximise your chances of success.
Need help applying?
Beta Docs has helped founders secure $160M+ in competitive grants. Our AI platform drafts compliance-perfect applications — and our expert reviewers make sure you stand out.