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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 employers who hire and retain eligible unemployed jobseekers. The program supports ongoing employment in eligible Queensland regions, including standard employment, disability employment, and eligible apprenticeships or traineeships.
Funding
Up to $20K
Deadline
Rolling / Ongoing
Location
Queensland
Who Can Apply
• Employer must have hired an eligible employee on or before 2025-06-30
• Employer must not be a government entity, including local, state or Commonwealth government, 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
• Job must be mainly located in an eligible Queensland local government area or region
• Job must be ongoing paid full-time with at least 35 hours per week on average, or ongoing paid part-time with at least 20 hours per week on average
• For a person with disability, job may be between 8 and 20 hours per week where supported by a workplace assessment and approved benchmark
• 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 required minimum period before starting employment
• Eligible employee must not have worked for the employer in the 52 weeks before commencing
• At the time of the initial payment application, employee must have been employed for at least 4 weeks but not more than 12 weeks
• Eligible employee must not be currently, and must not have been, a full-time student within 4 weeks before commencing employment
• Employment must not displace any existing workers
• If the employee has a disability, they must be engaged in mainstream employment
• Apprentice and Trainee Boost applicants must meet Employer Support Payment criteria, have been unemployed for at least 4 weeks, and be undertaking a registered and eligible apprenticeship or traineeship
• Youth Boost applicants must meet Employer Support Payment criteria, have been unemployed for at least 4 weeks, and be aged over 15 and under 25 when employment commenced
Eligible employers must have hired an eligible employee on or before 30 June 2025. All employers are eligible except government entities, including local, state and Commonwealth governments, government owned corporations and statutory bodies. Employers must have a good workplace safety and industrial relations record and a genuine commitment to ongoing employment of the employee. Eligible jobs must be mainly located in eligible local government areas and be ongoing paid full-time, ongoing paid part-time, suitable disability employment with an approved benchmark, or a registered and eligible Queensland apprenticeship. Eligible employees must be permanent residents of Australia residing principally in Queensland, meet unemployment period requirements, not have worked for the employer in the previous 52 weeks, and satisfy additional conditions for youth, apprentice and trainee payments.
What's Funded
Hiring and retaining eligible unemployed jobseekers in ongoing full-time or part-time roles, disability-inclusive employment, and eligible Queensland apprenticeships or traineeships in eligible Queensland local government areas and regions.Expected Outcomes
Employers create and maintain ongoing jobs for eligible unemployed Queensland residents, including youth, people with disability, and apprentices or trainees, with sustained employment outcomes.Key Information
Applicant Types
companysole_traderpartnershiptrustnon_profitcooperativeindigenous_organisationother
Stage
any
Funding Purposes
employmenttraining
Keywords
employmentwage subsidyemployer incentivejobseekersQueenslandapprenticeshipstraineeshipsyouth 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 employers who hire and retain eligible unemployed jobseekers. The program supports ongoing employment in eligible Queensland regions, including standard employment, disability employment, and eligible apprenticeships or traineeships.
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.
3
Who is eligible for the Back to Work Employer Incentive Payments?
- Employer must have hired an eligible employee on or before 2025-06-30
- Employer must not be a government entity, including local, state or Commonwealth government, 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
- Job must be mainly located in an eligible Queensland local government area or region
- Job must be ongoing paid full-time with at least 35 hours per week on average, or ongoing paid part-time with at least 20 hours per week on average
- For a person with disability, job may be between 8 and 20 hours per week where supported by a workplace assessment and approved benchmark
- 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 required minimum period before starting employment
- Eligible employee must not have worked for the employer in the 52 weeks before commencing
- At the time of the initial payment application, employee must have been employed for at least 4 weeks but not more than 12 weeks
- Eligible employee must not be currently, and must not have been, a full-time student within 4 weeks before commencing employment
- Employment must not displace any existing workers
- If the employee has a disability, they must be engaged in mainstream employment
- Apprentice and Trainee Boost applicants must meet Employer Support Payment criteria, have been unemployed for at least 4 weeks, and be undertaking a registered and eligible apprenticeship or traineeship
- Youth Boost applicants must meet Employer Support Payment criteria, have been unemployed for at least 4 weeks, and be aged over 15 and under 25 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, disability-inclusive employment, and eligible Queensland apprenticeships or traineeships in eligible Queensland local government areas and 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.
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