What is the Jobs Victoria Fund?
The Jobs Victoria Fund is a program providing $250 million in wage subsidies to assist Victorian businesses to employ at least 10,000 people who are looking for work.
Objectives
For unemployed Victorians, the Fund facilitates:
- employment opportunities for people most affected by the pandemic, particularly women
- employment opportunities for people who already face significant barriers to employment
- steady and secure employment pathways
For employers, the Fund will:
- support businesses to recover and grow
- address skill shortages
- contribute to corporate social responsibility goals.
Funding
Employers can apply to the Jobs Victoria Fund for 12-month wage subsidies to meet the costs of taking on new, eligible employees.
Two levels of wage subsidies are available. A level 1 wage subsidy of up to $20,000 per employee and a level 2 wage subsidy of up to $10,000 per employee (all wage
subsidies are exclusive of GST).
The wage subsidy amount available depends on each employee and whether the job is full-time or part-time. (refer to the guidelines for more info)
If the employee identifies with multiple groups, the higher wage subsidy applies.
Employers seeking a wage subsidy for more than three employees must provide at least 60 per cent of the roles for which subsidies are being sought to women.
Eligibility
To qualify for the subsidy, you must employ someone from at least one of the priority groups outlined below. These groups are being supported because the pandemic has particularly impacted their employment.
The Jobs Victoria Fund financially supports these priority jobseekers into work:
- women aged over 45 years
- jobseekers who are long-term unemployed (unemployed for six months or more)
- jobseekers registered with a Jobs Victoria partner
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
- people with disability
- people seeking asylum/refugees
- newly arrived migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds
- young people aged under 25
- people over 45 years
- veterans
- people previously employed under the Working for Victoria initiative.
If you are an employer interested in applying to the Jobs Victoria Fund, you must hire employees from these priority groups before you apply to the Fund. If you meet all the eligibility criteria and supply the necessary information, you will receive funding, subject to availability of funds and conditions.
You can apply for a wage subsidy for up to 20 full time equivalent employees.
Timing
Applications open on an ongoing basis.
