Government support and funding

Apprenticeship Boost

If you’re an employer taking on apprentices, you may be eligible for the Apprenticeship Boost.

Apprenticeship Boost is a payment made to employers to help you keep and take on new apprentices. The payment is made directly to employers.

Employers can get $500 a month, per apprentice, not including GST. If you're GST registered, you'll be paid the amount plus GST.

Changes to Apprenticeship Boost in 2025

The Government is making changes to Apprenticeship Boost. From 1 January 2025, it will only be available for employers of first-year apprentices in targeted sectors with skills shortages.

Most of the sectors that Primary ITO has Apprenticeships in are part of this scheme. Work and Income manages this scheme. Learn more about the changes to the Apprenticeship Boost.

Work and Income also has information about other apprenticeship programmes, such as Mana in Mahi, Group Training Schemes, and the Regional Apprenticeships Initiative.

Learn more about Work and Income’s apprenticeship support programmes.

Fees Free

Fees Free tertiary education and training is a policy introduced in 2018 to expand participation in tertiary education and reduce student debt in New Zealand. It is targeted towards first-time learners.

The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.

If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. If you are eligible, you will need to apply for your entitlement through IRD from 2026 onwards.

For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.