45 long term unemployed West Australians have found a paying job this month, with the help of the Australian Government’s new Wage Connect Subsidy.

35 000 new wage subsidies are being made available over the next four years to encourage employers to take on job seekers who have been unemployed for more than two years.

Minister for Employment Participation Kate Ellis said that the Wage Connect Subsidy was about giving employers the incentive to give an unemployed Australian a chance, when they might not otherwise have been given one.

“We know that having a decent job is about so much more than just collecting a fortnightly pay cheque,” Ms Ellis said.

“Having a job brings a sense of dignity, a sense of pride in being able to provide for yourself and your family and also a sense of connectedness with your community.

“There is no question that the new Wage Connect Subsidy will truly change the lives of the more than 500 people who have already found work because of it.”

Wage Connect helps employers to offset their initial training and labour costs and remove barriers that may have stopped them taking on staff in the past.

Wage subsidies of around $6000 are paid to employers who take on and retain people Part of the Building Australia’s Future Workforce initiative, the Wage Connect subsidy equates to the average rate of Newstart Allowance over 26 weeks.

Eligible employers will receive around $5 700 for each job placement, or around $220 each week (pre GST) to offset the costs of wages and training for new employees for the first six months they are in the job.

“I refuse to accept that it is simply some people’s lot in life to simply collect the dole every week and become trapped in a cycle of welfare dependency,” Ms Ellis said.

“We know that people who have been unemployed for a long period of time have difficulty finding full time employment because they often don’t have the necessary skills and work experience employers are looking for.

“Our Government is committed to ensuring that through initiatives like Wage Connect, the benefits of paid work are extended to more Australians, particularly disadvantaged job seekers.”

The Australian Government will invest almost $95 million over the next four years in the Wage Connect subsidy and $8.5 billion in broader employment services.

Employers who would like to learn more about Wage Connect can visit www.deewr.gov.au/wageconnectsubsidy or contact a local employment services provider on 13 17 15.