Are NSW ECEC services now competing with VIC's up to $50,000 relocation incentives?

If the sizzle of "up to $50,000" relocation incentive were to be purely relied upon, then yes, NSW's early childhood education and care services would be at risk of losing early childhood teachers (ECTs) to Victoria.

However, it is worth unpacking what the Victorian Government is offering through its 2022-2023 Early Childhood Teacher Incentives Program:

1. $9,000 for eligible ECTs currently working outside the Victorian early childhood education (ECEC) sector to take up a teaching role at any Victorian ECEC sector delivering or planning to deliver a Victorian funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten in 2023.
2. Instead of $9,000, up to $21,000 is offered to eligible ECTs if the Victorian ECEC service is listed in a Tier 2 location.
   • This up to $21,000 amount is paid as $6,000 upon contract, $3,000 at the 6 month milestone, then $4,000 at the end of the first, second and third years.
3. Instead of $9,000, up to $50,000 is offered to eligible ECTs if the Victorian ECEC service is listed in a Tier 3 location.
   
   • This up to $50,000 amount is paid as $10,000 upon contract, $10,000 at the 6 month milestone, then $10,000 at the end of the first, second and third years.

The closest relocation incentive available from the NSW Government is its Regional Skills Relocation Grants of up to $10,000. However, it is only for regional NSW-based businesses and appear to have restrictions of what such funding can be used for.

Moreover, the recent NSW Government's announcement of $286m worth of proposed employer supplements for staff retention remain largely without detail, other than the $11m already earmarked for 439 scholarships for (ie up to $25,000 per scholarship to be paid over 4 years (averaging $6,250 per year)).

Given the severe labour shortages that began even before the COVID pandemic, ACA NSW has written to the NSW Government seeking clarification on what it intends to do to ensure that NSW-based ECEC services are not disadvantaged by other Australian states/territories' financial incentives.

For any further information/clarification, members can contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.

PUBLISHED: 21 JULY 2022