Sign up an apprentice or trainee
Whether you're ready to sign up your apprentice now or need a bit more help to get started, you're in the right place.
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What pay and other financial support is available?
Apprenticeships and traineeships offer a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable experience, earn a good income, and gain a nationally recognised qualification. They also come with plenty of perks to help you get ahead and to support you through your education and training. You'll earn a fair wage, receive superannuation and you may be eligible for government support payments and incentives.
Below you'll find all the information you need to know about apprenticeship pay rates, conditions, and the various government apprenticeship support payments available to Australian apprentices and trainees.
Apprenticeship and traineeship pay rates and conditions
As an Australian apprentice or trainee, you're entitled to wages and conditions under an applicable award, enterprise agreement or the national minimum wage and National Employment Standards.
Your award or agreement covers the following:
- Base rates of pay (including piecework rates)
- Types of employment (full-time, part-time, casual)
- Overtime and penalty rates
- Work arrangements (e.g. rosters, changes to working hours)
- Annualised wage or salary arrangements
- Allowances (e.g. travel allowances)
- Leave entitlements, leave loading and procedures for taking leave
- Superannuation contributions
- Processes for consultation, representation, and dispute resolution
- Specific arrangements for outworkers
- Industry-specific redundancy schemes.
Apprenticeship pay rates
Your pay as an apprentice depends on factors such as age, the industry, and the specific trade.
What should be on your payslip?
Every time you get paid, your pay slip should include:
- Your name and employer’s name
- Pay period and date of payment
- Gross pay (before tax) and net pay (after tax)
- Hours worked and hourly rate (if paid hourly)
- Any extra payments like casual loading, bonuses, or penalty rates
- Deductions like tax or other payments taken out of your pay
- Superannuation details – how much your employer is contributing and which fund it’s going to.
This helps you check your pay is correct and understand where your money is going.
Fair Work Ombudsman
The Fair Work Ombudsman ensure employers in Australia follow the laws that make all workplaces equal and fair and have some helpful resources.
Pay and Conditions Tool
Use the Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) to help you calculate base pay rates for various roles.
Record My Hours app
This app makes it easy to track your hours, add rosters, set reminders, and to take photos of important documents.
Building and construction industry
Fair Work Ombudsman website has information about entitlements for Apprentices in the building and
Government incentives and financial support for apprentices and trainees
Starting an apprenticeship is exciting, but the early years can be financially challenging. The Australian government offers a range of support payments and incentives for Australian apprentices, so you can focus on your education and training without worrying about the cost of living.
This payment provides up to two years of financial support for those in priority occupations per the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List.
- Full-time apprentices: $1,750 at 6 and 12 months and $750 at 18 and 24 months.
- Part-time apprentices: $875 at 6 and 12 months and $375 at 18 and 24 months.
You could receive up to $25,983 (from 1 July 2025) to help with living and learning costs during your apprenticeship. A 20% discount applies to the amount borrowed when you complete your training.
- Payments are flexible, and you decide how much to borrow up to the lifetime limit of $25,983.
- You will need to repay the loan through the tax system once your annual income reaches the compulsory payment threshold – $67,000 for the 2025-26 tax year.
If you need to move away from your parental or guardian's home for the first time to start or continue your apprenticeship or traineeship, you may be eligible for LAFHA. This weekly, tax-free allowance is designed to help with the extra costs of living away from home and gradually reduces as you progress through your training:
- First year of training: $120 per week
- Second year of training: $90 per week
- Third year of training: $45 per week
As an apprentice, you may be entitled to a Low Income Health Care Card, which can help save on medical costs and other essential services, including:
- Discounts on prescription medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
- Bulk billing for doctor visits (at the provider's discretion)
- Reduced costs on utilities, public transport, and other services (varies by state)
Apprentices who work in occupations identified as a New Energy or Housing Construction Apprenticeship on the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List may be eligible for the Key Apprenticeship Program Payment. This payment offers up to $10,000 for a full-time apprenticeship and up to $5,000 for a part-time apprenticeship. To be eligible, employers must provide apprentices with meaningful exposure, experience and work in the New Energy and Housing Construction sectors.
State financial assistance
In addition to federal support, your state may offer further financial assistance. Download your relevant state factsheet to check your financial entitlements.
How to check eligibility and apply for financial support
Each support payment or incentive has specific eligibility requirements. Contact us at 1300 363 831 to find out which ones apply to you.
Incentive claims are now all online via the Apprenticeships Data Management System (ADMS) Portal. If you don't have ADMS access, visit the government's website for setup instructions or contact our team for help.
Get help with incentives and payments
We're here to help you get the support you need to succeed in your apprenticeship. Our team of experts can help you understand the different financial incentives and support payments available and guide you through the application process.