Transfer your training contract

During your apprenticeship or traineeship, you can switch employers for reasons such as:

• your employer doesn't have enough work for you
• your employer doesn't have enough training opportunities for you
• you, or your employer, move too far away from each other
• you can't resolve workplace issues.

To change employers, temporarily or permanently, you have to transfer your training contract.

But before you do anything, contact your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) provider, to discuss the situation and talk about your options.

Probation

When you switch employers, no new probationary period applies, but your normal employment probation period (3–6 months) does.

You are considered a new employee when you transfer to your new workplace.

School-based apprentices and trainees

When you permanently transfer to a new employer, you will need your school's support of the new arrangement and you will need to renegotiate your timetable to show that your work and training still has a significant impact on your school timetable.

Read more about timetable requirements for school-based apprentices and trainees.

Work break between employers

If you are unemployed for a while between old and new employers, you may have to cancel the old training contract and sign a new one, rather than simply transferring it.

Contact us at Apprenticeships Info, or your AASN provider, to clarify whether you need to cancel your current training contract and sign a new one (recommencement of your apprenticeship or traineeship).

If you have to recommence, you can apply for credit for time already served.

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Temporary transfer

Your training contract can be temporarily transferred to another employer if the transfer:

• is for 1 year or less
• and
• ends before the 'nominal completion date' (end date) of the training contract.

You don't need approval from us to transfer temporarily.

Steps to transfer your training contract temporarily

1. You and your employer (old and new) must all agree in writing using Form ATF-038 Temporary transfer of a registered training contract (PDF).
2. Send a signed copy of the form to us, or your AASN provider, within 7 days after the transfer start date.
3. Notify your training organisation, within 7 days after the transfer start date. They will work with you and your new employer on a new training plan within 28 days after the transfer start date.

Permanent transfer

A permanent transfer allows the training contract to remain active while you move from one employer to another, but it must be approved by us.

Steps to transfer your training contract permanently

1. If both existing and new employers agree to the permanent transfer, you all need to complete Form ATF-039 Permanent transfer application by all parties and proposed new employer (PDF) and submit it to your AASN provider.
2. If your existing employer does not agree, or is unable to consent, to your permanent transfer, you and your new employer will need to complete Form ATF-039 Permanent transfer application by all parties and proposed new employer (PDF) and submit it to us (or your AASN provider).
3. If you and your new employer want to use a different training organisation, the change of training organisation must be submitted at the same time as the transfer form.
4. Wait for us to make our decision. This may take up to 28 days after we receive your application.
5. We will contact you about our decision:
   • if approved, you must notify your training organisation, who will work with you and your new employer on a new training plan within 28 days of the date the transfer was approved
   • if we don't approve the transfer and you have already left your existing employer, contact us or your AASN provider to discuss the situation and your options.