Managing the JobMaker Hiring Credit Scheme

The JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme is a Government wage subsidy paid directly to eligible employers to help accelerate growth in the employment of young people during the COVID-19 economic recovery. The scheme is an incentive for businesses to employ additional job seekers aged 16 to 35 years.

Eligible employers can access the payment for up to 12 months for each eligible additional employee they hire between 7 October 2020 and 6 October 2021. They will be able to claim up to $200 a week for each additional eligible employee they hire aged 16 to 29 years, and up to $100 a week for those aged 30 to 35 years.

Employers will need to register before making a claim for JobMaker Hiring Credit payments. You do not need to be registered before you hire eligible employees.

You can register at any time before the end of the claim period.

Effect on other government payments (including JobKeeper)

You cannot receive JobMaker Hiring Credits if you also receive a JobKeeper payment for a fortnight which started during the JobMaker period.

Employers who are receiving JobKeeper payments and would like to claim for the first JobMaker period, must not claim JobKeeper payments for the JobKeeper fortnight starting on or after 12 October 2020.

You may currently be claiming other Australian Government wage subsidies such as the:

• Supporting Apprentices and Trainees Wage subsidy
• Australian Apprentice Wage subsidy
• Boosting the Apprenticeship Commencements Wage subsidy
• Restart, Youth Bonus, Youth, Parents or Long-term Unemployed Wage Subsidies.

If you claim JobMaker Hiring Credits, you cannot also receive these other wage subsidies for an employee.

Important dates

7 October 2020: JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme started

You may be able to claim payments relating to employees hired up until 6 October 2021.

7 October 2020 and 6 October 2021: Employee start date cut-off 

You may be able to claim for employees hired between these dates. Employees hired on or after 7 October 2021 are not eligible employees.

6 December 2020: Registration date

You can register through ATO online services, the Business Portal or your registered tax or BAS agent. You only need to register once and you must register before you claim. See here for more information.

1 February 2021: Claims for the first quarterly payment will open

You can claim JobMaker Hiring Credit payments from 1 February 2021 as long as you have registered and met the other eligibility requirements (including reporting through Single Touch Payroll).

30 April 2021: First claim period closes

You can only claim JobMaker Hiring Credit for the first JobMaker period until the end of 30 April 2021. You must claim by the end of the claim period to receive JobMaker Hiring Credit for that period.

6 October 2021: Last day to claim

The last day you are able to claim for employees. In this case you are able to claim for payment to 6 October 2022.

6 October 2022: The JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme will end.

JobMaker claim periods

You must meet the STP reporting obligations for each JobMaker period you are claiming for. Your STP reporting is due three days before the end of the relevant JobMaker claim period.

Should you have any questions, feel free to email us at kylie@accountplan.com.au

Source: YourPayroll