Employment services providers 001-02060000

Service Officers may refer job seekers to an employment services provider. Employment services provider is a generic term that covers a range of organisations, including Workforce Australia employment services providers, Workforce Australia - Transition to Work (TtW), Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) and Remote Australia Employment Services (RAES). This topic provides information on Services Australia role in the referral process.

Job seekers will select or be automatically allocated a provider including Workforce Australia Online for Individuals during their initial contact with the agency. If the job seeker is subject to RapidConnect and not referred to Workforce Australia Online, they must be referred to an available appointment within 2 days. If there are no available appointments, they can select from providers who have appointments available within 14 working days.

The Participation Interview is used to complete the Job Seeker Snapshot (when required) and refer job seekers to an employment Services provider.

Job seekers who do not have a preference for a provider are randomly allocated one from those in the local area. Job seekers can ask to exclude certain providers from the random allocation process.

Note: there is only one Remote Australia Employment Services (RAES) provider per remote area, job seekers in these areas will not have a choice of providers.

Most job seekers are referred to Workforce Australia Online for Individuals, with selection and referral being undertaken by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) during the Participation Interview. Selected job seekers do not require a referral to a Workforce Australia provider, but instead manage their obligations through the Online Services website.

It is the agency's role to give the customer unbiased information about providers to assist them with their choice of provider. The agency can give the following information to assist customers in choosing an employment services provider:

• the names of available providers
• provider locations
• provider appointment availability
• provider specialist services (if available)
• provider performance ratings. See the Resources page for a link to the Workforce Australia website containing further information on employment services and individual provider ratings

At the initial appointment with the provider, the job seeker and the provider discuss job search requirements and complete a vocational profile and a resume. In most circumstances, an employment services provider will negotiate a Job Plan with the job seeker at this appointment.

Workforce Australia provides job seekers a range of tailored services, according to their circumstances and needs. A job seeker registering for services will be referred to a provider who will deliver or broker all appropriate services available during the customer's period of registration.

The outcome of the Job Seeker Snapshot, or an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) if conducted, will determine the level of service the job seeker will receive from Workforce Australia.

Job seekers identified as eligible for TtW should not be referred to a Workforce Australia Services Provider.

When a job seeker lives in a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations designated remote area, they are referred to a Remote Australia Employment Services (RAES) provider.

There is only one RAES provider per remote area, job seekers in these areas do not have a choice of providers.

On 1 November 2025, a new specialist disability employment program, Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA), replaced the Disability Employment Services (DES) program. IEA helps create a more inclusive future where people with disability as well as those with injury or health condition can get support to prepare for, find and maintain work, and grow their career.

IEA provides two levels of support which is determined by the IEA provider, depending on the job seeker’s level of need:

• intensive support for people who are preparing to be ready to work
• flexible support for people who don’t need intensive services

Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) is funded by the Department of Social Services (DSS).

See Referring a job seeker to Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) for further information regarding the referral process.

The Workforce Australia - Transition to Work (TtW) Service is for young people 15 - 24 years of age who are not in education or employment and are at high risk of long term unemployment. Participants will be given pre-employment assistance by a TtW provider to prepare them for work, an apprenticeship, a traineeship, or further education. Eligibility is determined by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations ICT system.

TtW services are provided by employment service providers that operate separately to Workforce Australia Service Providers, Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) and Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES). A job seeker eligible for TtW must not be referred to a Workforce Australia Services Provider.

If the job seeker believes they can receive a better service elsewhere, they should talk to their current or proposed provider. Job seekers may be transferred by agreement if the losing and gaining providers agree to the transfer. A request for transfer may also be lodged electronically by a job seeker via their Personal Page on the Workforce Australia website, see the Resources page for a link.

If a job seeker advises Services Australia that they refuse to engage with their Workforce Australia provider due to a breakdown in relationship with their provider, the job seeker must be advised to contact the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Customer Service Line, See the Resources page for a link. This includes situations where the job seeker has been exited from their provider due to threatening, aggressive, or violent behaviour and there is a Job Seeker Incident Report (JSIR) recorded, and they wish to discuss the exit or referral to another provider.

RAES job seekers cannot generally transfer between providers unless they move to another region, however these job seekers may also be referred to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations National Customer Service Line (NCSL) where they have reported a breakdown in the relationship with their provider. See the Resources page for a link.

Once the participant commences IEA, they can use a Participant Initiated Transfer at any time.

Participants should contact the National Customer Service Line to help to make this change. They will not be asked to provide a reason for wanting to change IEA provider.