The Andrews Labor Government today opened applications for the Jobs Victoria Fund, a wage subsidy program that supports businesses to hire people whose employment has been most affected by the pandemic.
As part of the landmark Jobs Victoria initiative, Victorian small and medium-sized businesses, sole traders, local councils, social enterprises, universities and not-for-profits are invited to apply for a share of $250 million in wage subsidies to create new jobs for at least 10,000 people.
The Fund will help Victorian businesses and organisations to rebuild and grow by providing a wage subsidy of up to $20,000 per eligible employee to meet the costs of taking on new workers for the first 12 months of their employment.
The Jobs Victoria Fund recognises that women's employment has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with $150 million of the fund dedicated to supporting women back into work, including $50 million supporting women over the age of 45.
The Fund also focuses on people looking for work who are young, those who have been unemployed for six months or more, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, refugees and asylum seekers, and people living with a disability.
A $619.4 million Budget boost for Jobs Victoria will also support a quadrupling of the service's job search and support workforce, with the first of 450 new Advocates, Mentors and Career Counsellors already on the ground.
Jobs Victoria Advocates will work in the community to help people who have lost their jobs due to the effects of the pandemic and the long-term unemployed access employment services, training opportunities and other support.
Employers looking for more information on the Jobs Victoria Fund can call the Jobs Victoria hotline on 1300 208 575. They can also register on the Jobs Victoria online hub to post jobs and recruit skilled and qualified people looking for work in their local area.
For more information, eligibility criteria, or to apply for the Jobs Victoria Fund go to jobs.vic.gov.au/fund.
As stated by Minister for Employment Jaala Pulford
"This fund is new and different, and it needs to be to help those people who face extra barriers to finding secure and rewarding work."
"Wage subsidies will help thousands of women, and older women especially, get back on their feet and into jobs. Other priority groups like young people and the long-term unemployed will also be a focus."
"We urge businesses looking to put on new workers to investigate what support is available to them."
