Territory businesses urged to sign up for Welcome to the Territory financial incentives

Territory businesses are being urged to sign up to take advantage of the Welcome to the Territory financial incentives to help woo staff from other states to hard-to-fill roles

Territory businesses are being urged to sign up to take advantage of the Welcome to the Territory financial incentives to help woo staff from other states to hard-to-fill roles.

TERRITORY businesses are being urged to sign up to take advantage of the Welcome to the Territory financial incentives to help woo staff from other states to hard-to-fill roles.

Under the NT Government’s population strategy, $19 million has been allocated over seven years to attract an additional 1300 people per annum to the NT from interstate and to retain them for at least five years.

Eligible applicants can be paid cash payments of $3000 for singles, $5000 for couples and $8000 for families comprising two adult and two children. Two local spending benefit payments worth $625 each can also be accessed, the first six months after arrival in the NT, and the second payment after 18 months.

A retention bonus of $3000 for singles, $5000 for couples and $8000 for families comprising two adult and two children, will also be paid on their fifth year of living in the NT.

The incentives are targeted at a crucial gap in the NT workforce — early-career women aged 20 to 39 years and late career workers aged 55 to 65.

Ian Satchwell, the Executive Director of the Northern Territory Government’s Economic and Environmental Policy, said applications were being sought from staff in high priority occupations that had been developed in close consultation with industry.

Senior management as well as entry-level roles are included on the priority list across a range of industry sectors that include pastoralism and agriculture, finance, construction, engineering, aviation, human resources, IT and hospitality.

To be eligible, applicants must secure a job in the Territory for a minimum of 12 months and have not lived in the Territory during the two years preceding the date of application.

Jobs with the Northern Territory Public Sector and self-employed and entrepreneurs starting a new business are not eligible for the program.

Mr Satchwell said businesses needed to register for the program by visiting theterritory.com.au/incentive.

“Once Territory businesses are registered, they can promote the incentives to attract staff to roles that they are specifically advertising or promoting interstate,” Mr Satchwell said.

“We’re urging registered business to reference the grant scheme in their advertising material to encourage eligible jobseekers to apply for the grant.”

To help businesses understand how the program can help them, an information session will be held this Friday, November 23 from 7am to 8.30am at Cannon’s Kitchen, 52 Miles Road at Berrimah.

Businesses can find out more and register for this information session at eventbrite.com.au/e/business-information-session-welcome-to-the-territory-tickets-52655416769.

NT News general manager Greg Thomson said the population incentives was a positive step toward luring new Territory residents from interstate.

“Many Australians are simply not aware of the phenomenal jobs and career development prospects available in the Territory, not to mention our wonderful lifestyle opportunity,” Mr Thomson said.

“The availability of direct financial assistance through these grants could be the tipping point to help convince a job seeker and their family to uproot and make the move to the Territory.

“The list of hard-to-fill positions is well considered and there are a range of suitable vacancies within our own business where we will be targeting suitable applicants from interstate.”

In addition to this Friday’s information session, businesses can email [e-mail] or call 1800 193 111 for more information.