The Back to Work program is designed to give businesses the confidence to employ Queenslanders who have experienced a period of unemployment.

Back to Work program

Support payments are available to eligible employers who hire a previously unemployed Queenslander who has experienced a minimum period of unemployment directly prior to commencing work with them.

The program is available throughout regional Queensland and in some areas of South East Queensland (SEQ).

Youth Boost payments are available to eligible employers who meet all the program eligibility criteria.

The program is not a wage subsidy. The decision to employ someone is at the discretion of the employer and must be a business decision that is independent of the availabilty of the Back to Work support payment.

Back to Work Employer Support Payments and Youth Boost Payments are offered in the following regions:

• Central Queensland 
• Far North Queensland 
• Mackay/Whitsunday 
• North Queensland 
• North West Queensland 
• South West Queensland 
• Wide Bay Burnett

Youth Boost Payments ($20,000)

For a jobseeker (aged between 15 -24 years) previously unemployed for a minimum of four weeks

Payments are made directly to the eligible employer, in three parts:

• Initial payment of $6,000 after four weeks of continuous employment and approval of the initial payment application.
• Second payment of $7,000 after 26 weeks of continuous employment with the same employer and approval of the second payment claim.
• Final payment of $7,000 after 52 weeks of continuous employment with the same employer and approval of the final payment claim.

Employer Support ($15,000) 

Payments of up to $15,000 are available to businesses who employ a jobseeker who identifies as belonging to one of the following groups:

• First Nations peoples; 
• people with disability; 
• culturally and linguistically diverse people

and was previously unemployed for a minimum of eight weeks; or

• Jobseekers who are long term unemployed (52- weeks or more).

Payments are made directly to the eligible business, in three instalments:

• Initial payment of $4500* after four weeks of continuous employment and approval of the initial payment application. 
• Second payment of $5250* after 26 weeks of continuous employment with the same employing business and approval of the second payment claim.
• Final payment of $5250* on completion of 52 weeks of continuous employment with the same employing business and approval of the final payment claim.

Who can apply?

All employers are eligible except for government entities (local, State and Australian Governments and entities including government-owned corporations and statutory bodies).

To be eligible for funding, businesses must:

• be compliant with workplace health and safety, industrial relations, and taxation legislation; and 
• demonstrate a genuine commitment to ongoing employment of the employee.

Where matters of public interest involving the business and its office holders are identified, the Back to Work program reserves the right to determine the business as ineligible for funding.

Eligible jobs:

Eligible jobs must have commenced on or after 1 July 2021, be predominantly located in the areas of Queensland listed on page one of these guidelines and at the time the application is submitted either be:

• ongoing paid full-time (at least 35 hours per week on average); or 
• ongoing paid part-time (at least 20 hours per week on average); or
• for a person with a disability who has a workplace assessment to work between 8 and 20 hours per week, ongoing paid part-time with hours consistent with their approved benchmark, on average.

See guidelines for more information on Eligibility Criteria.

• Phone: 13 74 68
• Email: backtowork@treasury.qld.gov.au
• Website: backtowork.initiatives.qld.gov.au/contact-us