What’s New

The Back to Work program now provides both financial and non-financial support to Queensland employers and disadvantaged jobseekers. The revitalised Back to Work program now focuses on intensive support for jobseekers, employers and their employees.

A range of incentive payments and wrap around supports are available to employers who hire an eligible unemployed Queenslander from a targeted group who has experienced a minimum period of unemployment directly prior to commencing work with them. In addition, a range of intensive support is also available for jobseekers and businesses to ensure they have what they need to succeed.

Who does this program support? 

Employers

About Back to Work Incentive Payments

The Back to Work program is designed to give businesses the confidence to employ Queenslanders who have experienced a period of unemployment and help workers facing disadvantage in the labour market. Incentive payments and other supports are available to employers who hire an eligible previously unemployed Queenslander from a targeted group who has experienced a minimum period of unemployment directly prior to commencing work with them.

The revitalised Back to Work program now focuses on intensive support for jobseekers, employers and their employees. The program is available throughout regional Queensland and in some parts of South East Queensland (SEQ).

Back to Work Incentive Payments are available to eligible employers who employ a previously unemployed Queenslander from an eligible group (may also be referred to as cohort).

Eligible employees for a Back to Work Employer Incentive payment include:

• a young person aged 15-24
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person
• a person with disability
• a long-term unemployed person (previously unemployed for 52 weeks or longer).

Employers will have access to two support payments:

• Youth Boost ($20,000): To hire a job seeker aged 15-24 who was previously unemployed for a minimum of eight weeks.
• Back to Work Support Payment: To hire a job seeker from the identified targeted groups previously unemployed for a minimum of eight weeks.*

*Other eligibility criteria applies.

Learn more here.

Who does this program support? 

Back to Work supported employers and Back to Work supported employees

About Small Business Support Pool

Under the revitalised Back to Work program, there is a stronger focus on supporting employers to keep or retain their employees on a long-term and ongoing basis. The Small Business Support Pool recognises that small businesses often require more support than medium and larger businesses.

The Small Business Support Pool is aimed at providing financial support to employers, who are small businesses, who need assistance in retaining employees supported through the Back to Work Incentive Payments. Access to the Small Business Support Pool is available to employers who have been approved for a Back to Work Incentive Payment.

Learn more here.

Developed in partnership with TAFE Queensland, Back to Work’s Small Business Short Courses equip you with additional skills as a business owner/operator and manager.

These courses will provide additional skills and build confidence for small business employers to encourage retention of their employees. Designed to be completed at your pace, the courses are free and open to everyone. Course participants will be awarded digital badges to recognise their learning outcomes.

These courses are now open for enrolment.

Who does this program support? 

Job seekers and employers

Back to Work Employer Officers and Back to Work Jobseeker Officers work in collaboration with employers, service providers and community representatives to assist in building regional employment solutions that meet both current and emerging needs.

The Back to Work program also works in partnership with TAFE Queensland where Jobseeker Officers work with jobseekers including providing career advice to help find a suitable job, helping jobseekers determine their individual skills and identifying services and support, such as training, that may be of assistance.

Learn more here.

The Growing Workforce Participation Fund (the Fund) aims to develop partnerships with industry to build longevity and sustainability in the workforce by empowering industry and employers to support jobseekers from identified groups who experience greater disadvantage in the labour market. 

The Fund will: 

• provide new, innovative solutions to industry specific employment concerns 
• facilitate industry-led solutions to employment shortages and retention challenges 
• provide greater industry-specific support for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. 

Learn more at Growing Workforce Participation Fund.

The application cap on employers has been reset to zero from 1 July 2021. This means an eligible employer may make a further four applications under the revitalised Back to Work program. This will be subject to program eligibility.

The Back to Work program has teams based throughout Queensland who can provide local support to employers and jobseekers.

Back to Work Employer Officers work with employers who are considering employing local jobseekers. They provide guidance on how to apply for the Back to Work program and advice on employee retention tools and options available including other available government assistance.

Back to Work Jobseeker Officers work with jobseekers or those at risk of losing their jobs, providing independent advice and access to services, tools and support that may be of assistance.

You can find your local Back to Work team here.

The revitalised Back to Work program will develop partnerships with industries who are experiencing skills shortages and limited labour supply to increase employment participation from disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

The purpose of these partnerships will be to trial new, innovative approaches aimed at creating improved job matching, industry specific pre-employment pathways and the development of support tools and resources for both jobseekers and employers.

Further information will be available on the Back to Work website soon.

Under the revitalised Back to Work program, employers will have access to two support payments:

• Youth Boost ($20,000): For a job seeker (aged between 15-24 years) previously unemployed for a minimum of eight weeks
• Back to Work Support Payment ($15,000): For a job seeker from the identified cohorts previously unemployed for a minimum of eight weeks.*

* Other eligibility criteria apply.

The revitalised Back to Work program will include targeted Back to Work Incentive Payments for employers who employ young people, long term unemployed people (unemployed for 52 weeks or more), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people with disability into their business.

Employers are no longer able to make an initial application under the previous Back to Work program which closed on 30 June 2021.  Applicants are able to submit an application through the revitalised Back to Work program if that employee commenced from 1 July 2021.  Eligibility criteria applies.

Applicants can continue to make their 26 week or 52 week claims through QGrants as they become due. It is only initial applications for employees who commenced employment up to and including 30 June 2021 that has closed.

The application cap has been reset from zero from 1 July 2021. This means an eligible employer may make a further four applications under the revitalised Back to Work program. This will be subject to program eligibility.

If you have employed someone from 1 July 2021, your application will be assessed under the Back to Work Guidelines for Employer Incentives 2021-22

Please be aware that the eligibility criteria for this program is different from the previous Back to Work program and all applicants interested in applying must read the Guidelines prior to making an application.

In addition to targeted Back to Work Incentive Payments, a new range of intensive support for employers will be available. Learn more about the Small Business Support Pool here.

Further information and updates on the additional supports for employers will be provided on this website.

The Back to Work program also has teams based throughout Queensland who can provide local support to employers and job seekers. Find your local Back to Work team here.

The previous Back to Work program provided employer support payments, the revitalised Back to Work program provides more intensive support to employers and job seekers who experience disadvantage in the labour market.

Further information coming 2023.