Wage Subsidies

Financial incentives for businesses to hire new staff

Open, no fixed closing dateRounds and funding can end without much notice. Check the official page.

Wage subsidies of up to $10,000 when you hire an eligible job seeker into an ongoing role.

Who can apply

Australian businesses filling an ongoing position with a candidate referred through a Workforce Australia, ParentsNext or Transition to Work provider.

Program
Wage Subsidies
Provider
Australian Government
Level
Australian Government
Type
Grant or funding
Amount
Subsidies up to a maximum of $10,000.
Closing date
Open, no fixed closing date
Region
Australia-wide
Industries
Employment & training, Any industry
Last checked
22 Oct 2026

Read the official page Apply (official portal)

We can apply for this for you

Tell us about your business and we'll check it against every criterion for Wage Subsidies. If it's a fit, we write the application, build the budget, prepare the attachments and lodge it with your written authority where the funder allows. You approve it and sign the declarations. Nothing to pay unless you win.

Eligibility quick-check

  • Business structure: the listed criteria don't require a company. You'll usually need an active ABN, and often GST registration.
  • Staff: you need employees, or to be hiring, to qualify.
  • Location: open Australia-wide, including Victoria.

A quick guide from our reading of the official criteria, not a decision. The funder's guidelines are what count.

Check if I qualify

How to apply for Wage Subsidies

  1. Check every eligibility criterion in the official guidelines, not just the summary. One missed criterion usually means rejection.
  2. Confirm your ABN details (legal name, entity type, GST status) match the ABN Register exactly. Mismatches are a common reason applications fail.
  3. Gather evidence: quotes for the project, recent financials, and proof of any co-contribution or lease, depending on what the guidelines ask for.
  4. Write the answers to each assessment criterion with specific numbers (costs, jobs, sales, timelines), and build the budget in the funder's format.
  5. Lodge it through the official portal while the round is open. Keep a copy of the submitted application and the receipt.
  6. If you're successful, read the funding agreement before signing, keep every receipt, and diarise the report and acquittal dates.

Wage Subsidies: common questions

Who can apply for Wage Subsidies?

Australian businesses filling an ongoing position with a candidate referred through a Workforce Australia, ParentsNext or Transition to Work provider.

How much is Wage Subsidies worth?

Subsidies up to a maximum of $10,000.

When does Wage Subsidies close?

Open, no fixed closing date. Check the official page for the current round.

Can sole traders apply for Wage Subsidies?

The listed criteria don't require a company, so sole traders may be eligible if they meet everything else (for example ABN, location, trading history and industry). Check the guidelines.

Can someone apply for Wage Subsidies on my behalf?

Often, yes. Many funders let an authorised contact or adviser prepare and lodge an application for a business, but the business is the applicant and must sign the declarations. We prepare the whole application and lodge it with your written authority where the funder allows. Where it doesn't, you submit the finished application yourself.

How much does it cost to get help applying?

Freelance grant writers in Australia typically charge by the hour or a fixed fee per application, whether you win or not. With Vic Grants Weekly, there's nothing to pay unless you win: a success fee as a percentage of the grant, or a flat win-only fee (founding price from A$99) where the grant's rules don't allow percentage fees.

This is an independent plain-English summary, not official advice. Dates, amounts and eligibility can change. Check the official source and guidelines before you apply.

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