What is the Points Based Activation System (PBAS)?
Workforce Australia is the new way for job seekers to access the government’s employment services.
Workforce Australia Services, delivered by APM Employment Services, provides you with an enhanced service to overcome barriers to finding a job and to be work-ready.
In order to keep receiving income support payments from Centrelink, you need to meet your mutual obligation requirements while you search for work.
From 4 July, 2022, your mutual obligations will be part of the new Workforce Australia Points Based Activation System (PBAS).
This system aims to give you more choice in the tasks and activities you carry out as part of your mutual obligation requirements.
Please speak to your APM employment consultant or the DSCC if you have any questions about your points total or the activities in your Job Plan.
How many points you can earn for each activity
Tasks and activities | Points value |
| Completing a job application (job search) | 5 points |
| Creating and updating the profile | 5 points (maximum of 5 points per month) |
| Online learning modules (2) (Short online modules to support resume writing, tailoring job applications, getting work experience) | 5 points (maximum of 5 points per month) |
| Paid work | 5 points for 5 hours (rounded up) |
| Participant sourced voluntary work (For example, fire reserves, school canteen) | 5 points for 5 hours (maximum of 10 points per month) |
| Driver’s licence hours | 10 points for 5 hours (rounded up) |
| Counselling (1) | 15 points (with flexibility to increase) |
| Drug and alcohol rehabilitation and/or interventions (1) | 15 points (with flexibility to increase) |
| Non-vocational assistance (1) (For example, cultural services, personal development courses) | 15 points (with flexibility to increase) |
| Provider workshops/ Informal activities (1) (For example, work preparation activities/job clubs) | 15 points (with flexibility to increase) |
| Self help and support groups (1) | 15 points (with flexibility to increase) |
| Defence Force Reserves | 15 points (with flexibility to increase) |
| Career Transition Assistance | 15 points per week |
| Work related licences and qualifications (For example, forklift licence/white card) | 20 points (with flexibility to increase) |
| Attending a job fair | 20 points (points can be claimed for one job fair per year) |
| Career coaching - Youth Advisory Sessions (2) | 20 points (limited to 3 sessions per year) |
| Other government programs (1) (For example, local, state or federal government programs with an employment focus, such as the Indigenous Skills and Employment program) | 20 points per week (contact hours over 15 hours per week) 15 points per week (contact hours up to 15 hours per week) |
| Non-government programs (1) (For example, approved Not for Profit organisations, work-focused programs or vocational interventions approved by the Department, such as the Woolworths Program, Job Ready Program) | 20 points per week (contact hours over 15 hours per week) 15 points per week (contact hours up to 15 hours per week) |
| Self-Employment Assistance Exploring Self-Employment workshop | 20 points per week |
| Education and training (3) | 20 points per week (contact hours over 15 hours per week) 15 points per week (contact hours up to 15 hours per week) |
| Employability Skills Training | 20 points per week (contact hours over 15 hours per week) 15 points per week (contact hours up to 15 hours per week) |
| Observational work experience (1) Provider sourced voluntary work (1) | 20 points per week (contact hours over 15 hours per week) 15 points per week (contact hours up to 15 hours per week) |
| Work for the Dole (1) | 20 points per week (contact hours over 15 hours per week) 15 points per week (contact hours up to 15 hours per week) |
| Adult Migrant English Program (4) | 25 points per week (contact hours over 15 hours per week) 15 points per week (contact hours up to 15 hours per week) |
| Skills for Education and Employment (4) | 25 points per week |
| Attending a job interview | 25 points |
| Driver’s licence attainment (1) | 25 points |
| Launch into Work (1) (4) | 25 points per week |
| Self-Employment Assistance Small Business Training (4) | 25 points per week |
| Local Jobs Program Workforce Specialist Projects | 25 points per week (high-intensity level) 20 points per week (medium-intensity level) 15 points per week (low-intensity level) |
| Starting a job | 50 points |
| Relocation for a job | 100 points |