How to apply for JobKeeper & Key Dates

Key JobKeeper dates to know

The ATO has released a list of "need to knows" and guides on applying for JobKeeper payments, see here

20 April: enrolments for JobKeeper are open

30 April: deadline for enrolling and paying your employees to claim April JobKeeper payments

4 May: from this date, you should identify your eligible employees. You have until the end of May to enrol and identify your employees.

Monthly: reconfirm your employees' eligibility and update if changes are made.

How to apply for JobKeeper as an employer

Step 1: Enrol

Enrol for JobKeeper payments by using your myGovID to login to the Business Portal. Once logged in, select ‘Manage employees’ and fill in the JobKeeper enrolment form. The required fields you’ll need to fill in include:

a) Nominate the expected fall in your turnover. This needs to be at least 30%, or at least 50% if your turnover is more than $1 billion. If you’re a charity, school or university, you’ll need to be expecting at least a 15% fall in turnover.

b) The month your turnover fell (or is expected to fall)

c) The number of employees expected to be eligible for JobKeeper payments. If you’re business is a partnership, trust or company do not include the eligible business participant. Eligible business participants for trusts, partnerships or companies are detailed in the next field.

d) Contact and bank details

Step 2: Identify eligible employees

Either the employer or a registered tax or BAS agent should identify each employee that is eligible and being nominated for the JobKeeper payment.

While you only need to do this step once, you’ll need to maintain the list of employees and their details on a monthly basis and advise employees of any changes.

The ATO has released detailed instructions on determining eligibility. 

Step 3: Reconfirm monthly

Each month, you or your registered tax or BAS agent need to make a declaration reconfirming the eligibility of your business and the nominated eligible employees. You can do this through the Business Portal, where you need to:

a) review your eligible employees each JobKeeper fortnight and update your list if there are any changes

b) provide your current and projected GST turnover (this is not to retest eligibility, but to see how your business is fairing)

c) re-confirm your contact and bank details for payment.

You can also read the ATO’s full guide to applying for JobKeeper scheme, for employers using STP and employers who don’t use STP.