Through the subsidy, any business that engages an Australian Apprentice between 5 October 2020 and 31 March 2022 may be eligible for a subsidy of 50 per cent of wages earned (not charge rates to host employer) by the new or recommencing apprentice or trainee for a 12-month period from the date of commencement, to a maximum of $7,000 per quarter.

After 12 months of this support employers will be eligible to transition to the time-limited Completing Apprenticeship Commencements (CAC) wage subsidy for the second and third years of an apprenticeship. Under the CAC, eligible employers will receive a 10 per cent wage subsidy in the second year of an eligible apprenticeship, up to a maximum of $1,500 per quarter per apprentice, and a 5 per cent wage subsidy in the third year of their apprenticeship, to a maximum of $750 per quarter per apprentice.

The BAC and CAC are available to employers of any size, industry or geographic location.

Subsidies are processed as part of a Federal Government claim by PEER. Once the payment has been received by PEER it will be added to your account as a credit note (for PEER host employers). Subsidy processing is completed in arrears at the end of each quarter.