Employers Need a Licence to Take On Apprentices; Fines for Mistreating Apprentices or Lying to Regulators
Education and Training Reform Amendment (Apprenticeships, Traineeships, Schools and Other Matters) Bill 2026
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
apprenticeships criminal penalties education employee rights employer licensing employment rights labor standards professional licensing regulatory compliance vocational training worker protection +6 more
Introduced by: Gabrielle Williams MP (ALP); Lizzie Blandthorn MLC (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
People without a current employer licence can be fined up to 120 penalty units (2026: $25,092), or 600 penalty units (2026: $125,460) for companies, for signing a training contract with an apprentice or trainee.
People whose employer licence was cancelled cannot apply for a new one while they are disqualified. Doing so carries a fine of up to 60 penalty units (2026: $12,546), or 300 penalty units (2026: $62,730) for companies.
Employers can be fined up to 60 penalty units (2026: $12,546), or 300 penalty units (2026: $62,730) for companies, for taking or threatening action against an apprentice or trainee who complains to the Workforce Inspectorate Victoria.
People without a current registration can be fined up to 60 penalty units (2026: $12,546), or 300 penalty units (2026: $62,730) for companies, for advertising themselves as a group training organisation.
Licence holders must follow all conditions on their employer licence. Failing to do so carries a fine of up to 120 penalty units (2026: $25,092), or 600 penalty units (2026: $125,460) for companies.
People and licence holders must tell the Workforce Inspectorate Victoria within 30 days if their provided information or documents change. Failure to do so carries a fine of up to 10 penalty units (2026: $2,091), or 50 penalty units (2026: $10,455) for companies.
Employers cannot stop an apprentice or trainee from doing their training course during their scheduled work hours. This carries a fine of up to 10 penalty units (2026: $2,091), or 50 penalty units (2026: $10,455) for companies.