This proposal would amend the Additional Identified Skills Shortage Payment component in the 2019‐20 Budget measure Skills Package – delivering skills for today and tomorrow by increasing the number of apprenticeships supported by the measure by 70,000 over three years, with:

• 20,000 additional apprenticeships supported in 2021
• 20,000 additional apprenticeships supported in 2022
• 30,000 additional apprenticeships supported in 2023.  

Consistent with the 2019‐20 Budget measure, this payment would provide additional incentives to employers and apprentices in occupations experiencing national skills shortages, as follows.

• Eligible employers would be provided a payment of $2,000 12 months following the commencement of an apprenticeship, and a payment of $2,000 at the completion of an apprenticeship.
• Eligible apprentices would be provided a payment of $1,000 12 months following the commencement of an apprenticeship, and a payment of $1,000 at the completion of an apprenticeship.

These payments would be in addition to employer incentive payments of $1,500 upon commencement of an apprenticeship and $2,500 upon completion of an apprenticeship that are currently available under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Programme.    

The proposal would have effect from 1 January 2021.