More payroll tax relief for businesses

Published on 05 May 2020

The Victorian Government has announced additional payroll tax relief to support businesses and jobs as we face coronavirus (COVID-19).

To qualify for the Commonwealth Government’s JobKeeper payments, employers must pay a minimum of $1500 a fortnight to eligible employees.

Any additional payments that an employer makes to bridge the gap between their employee’s normal wage and the $1500 a fortnight required to qualify for JobKeeper payments are now exempt from payroll tax. For employees who have been stood down, the full $1500 payment is exempt.

The additional payments are not included in rateable remuneration for the purposes of calculating WorkCover Premiums. For more information, visit worksafe.vic.gov.au.

Eligibility requirements for JobKeeper payments are available on the Australian Taxation Office website.

Other support available to businesses

The Victorian Government has a range of other tax relief measures as part of its Economic Survival Package in response to coronavirus. 

Businesses across the state can access information on dealing with the impact of coronavirus by calling the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.