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If you employ apprentices to work in the NSW coal industry, you may be eligible for incentive payments under the Skills Incentive Scheme.

The scheme aims to:

  • contribute to growing the coal industry and overall NSW skills base
  • encourage employers to hire apprentices
  • encourage and reward employers for contributing to injury prevention and mine safety
  • improve workers compensation outcomes over time, because trained workers are less likely to be injured at work.

Policyholders who comply with the criteria will receive $2,000 per eligible apprentice at the end of a policy period after we have received your actual wage declarations. However, total SIS payments to policyholders will be capped at 30 per cent of the insurance premium payable for the relevant period.

To be eligible for the Skills Incentive Scheme you must:

  1. have a current CMI workers compensation policy
  2. be up-to-date with all policy premium payments
  3. employ an eligible apprentice that works in the NSW coal industry and is covered under your CMI workers compensation policy
  4. have entered into an approved State Training Services or NSW Department of Education and Communities Training (NSW DET) contract with the apprentice. The apprentice must be in a registered trade and be identified in the training contract. A copy of the each apprentice’s contract is to be provided to CMI.
  5. complete an actual wage declaration form and return it to CMI before 31 August for the policy period.

From the 2019-20 policy year an additional requirement has been added to the eligibility criteria for policyholders. This will ensure Skills Incentive Scheme payments can be made to eligible employers no later than October each year.

A policyholder must meet the following criteria for a Skills Incentive Scheme payment to be made:

  • Hold a current CMI workers compensation policy
  • Policy premium payments are up to date
  • Employ apprentices who are in an approved training contract and are working in the NSW coal industry
  • Have entered into an approved State Training Services or NSW Department of Education and Communities Training (NSW DET) contract with the apprentice. The apprentice must be in a registered trade and be identified in the training contract
  • Provide a copy of each eligible apprentice’s contract to CMI with a completed 2019-20 annual wages declaration before 31 August 2019.