Financial Assistance

As an apprentice or trainee you are entitled to receive a wage, and may be eligible to receive further government assistance.

Wages, entitlements and other allowances

For information about Australia’s national workplace relations system, wages and employment conditions contact Fair Work on 13 13 94

Australian Government incentives

Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA)

You may be eligible to receive LAFHA for a period of up to three years of your apprenticeship or traineeship, including:

$77.17 per week for the first year
$38.85 per week for the second year; and
$25.00 per week for the third year of your training, paid monthly in arrears.

* Includes GST

Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY

Eligible apprentices/trainees can apply for additional financial assistance through Youth Allowance (aged 16-24), Austudy (aged 25+) or ABSTUDY (Indigenous Australians aged 15+). Assistance is means tested and managed by Centrelink. These allowances can not be claimed in conjunction with LAFHA, but you can switch to another source if your circumstances change.

Queensland Government Funding

Start-up assistance

A reimbursement of up to $300* is available to an apprentice who is employed in an identified skill shortage industry. This assistance is for the purchase of specialised equipment such as necessary tools and protective equipment (excluding uniforms), where a tools allowance is not traditionally provided by the employer.

Travel and accommodation allowances

Apprentices who have to travel more than 50kms (one-way) to attend courses in relation to their training program, may be eligible for a travel and accommodation allowance.

Assistance for apprentices/trainees with a disability

You and your employer may be eligible to receive financial assistance if you:

have a disability which impacts on your day to day work
cannot wholly address your disability through medication or self management
have not used this assistance programme before (some exceptions apply)
meet the normal eligibility guidelines for Australian Government assistance.

Financial Assistance includes:

Disabled New Apprentice Wage Support (DAAWS) – up to $104.30/wk
Workplace Modifications – up to $5,000
Tutorial Assistance – up to $5,500*
Mentor or Interpreter Assistance – up to $6,000*

For more detailed information on assistance for apprentices or trainees with a disability click here.

* Includes GST

Training Costs

The cost of training may be paid by DET or your employer on a fee-for-service basis, directly to your chosen training provider (SRTO).

In some instances (i.e. Certificate level III or higher), you may be required to pay a Tuition Fee and/or a Student Services fee to your SRTO. Discuss this with your SRTO to find out whether this applies to you.