Nursing and midwifery graduate sign-on bonus

Your questions answered

• Claiming the sign on bonus

  How do I claim my Sign-on Bonus?

  • You will receive an email from ‘Nursing Sign-on Bonus Program’ which has an @vic.gov.au domain. This is the email address of the Department of Government Services (DGS), a program administrator for the Sign-on Bonus, supporting the Department of Health (the department). The email will invite you to login to the Sign-on Bonus Program portal. In the portal, you will be asked to confirm your details and sign a grant agreement to claim your payment.
  • There will be a four-week window to sign a grant agreement and submit your claim once claims open.
  • If you do not submit a claim after receiving an invitation to claim, you will receive another invitation to claim in the following payment round. If you fail to submit a claim in two consecutive payment rounds, you will be removed from the Sign-on Bonus program meaning that you will no longer be eligible to claim the Bonus.
  • You will receive the first instalment of the Bonus after you commence your graduate program. There are two rounds of payments each year – April/May and September/October. The September/October round will capture mid-year intake graduates and any graduates who missed the first round.
  • For the second instalment, after a minimum two years of consecutive employment at a Victorian public health service, you will be sent another email that will direct you to the Program portal.

  I did not receive my email invitation to claim my Sign-on Bonus. What do I do now?

  • Check your spam/junk inbox.
  • See this page for further information including eligibility criteria.
  • Contact your employer to confirm your eligibility. Your employer is responsible for submitting a list of eligible graduates to DGS to provide access to the Program portal.

• Eligibility

  Are nurses commencing their career in a mental health nursing graduate program eligible for the Sign-on Bonus?

  Yes, if you meet the other eligibility criteria then you are eligible for the Sign-on

  Are postgraduate midwifery graduates eligible for the Sign-on Bonus?

  • You are eligible if you participate in a graduate program and meet other eligibility criteria.

  Can I have a ‘gap-year’ after I complete my nursing and/or midwifery course?

  • You must commence your graduate program in the same calendar year or the calendar year immediately following your course completion to be eligible for the Sign-on Bonus.

  I completed all academic and clinical requirements of my course in December 2021, but my results were released in January 2022 and my graduation ceremony was also in January 2022. Am I eligible for the Sign-on Bonus?

  • Even though your results were released in 2022 and your graduation ceremony was in 2022, you completed the course requirements in 2021 meaning that you are not eligible for the Sign-on Bonus. We recommend that you choose the ‘opt out’ pathway if you have been nominated in error.

  I was supposed to complete my nursing/midwifery course in 2022, however, I increased my course load to finish earlier than originally planned. As my course was scheduled to be completed in 2022, am I eligible for the Sign-on Bonus?

  • As you have completed your course material in 2021 you are not eligible for the Sign-on Bonus. We recommend that you choose the pathway.

  I was scheduled to finish my course in 2021, however, due to unforeseen circumstances my final clinical placement was delayed, and I ended up completing the clinical requirements of my course in 2022. Does this mean that I am eligible for the Sign-on Bonus.

  • As you completed your course requirements in 2022 you are eligible for the Sign-on Bonus.

  I studied and completed my nursing/midwifery course in Victoria, however, I am an Australian Temporary resident. Am I eligible for the Sign-on Bonus?

  • Temporary residents are not eligible for the Sign-on Bonus. We recommend that you choose the ‘opt out’ pathway if you were nominated in error.

  I am a permanent resident of Australia. Am I eligible for the Sign-on Bonus?

  • If you are an Australian permanent resident at the time that you can be nominated by your health service during your graduate year then you may be eligible for the Sign-on Bonus. If you receive Australian permanent residency after the second nomination round during your graduate year then you have missed the eligibility cut-off.

  I am a New Zealand citizen/permanent resident and completed my nursing training outside of Australia. Am I eligible for the Sign-on Bonus?

  • You must have graduated from an eligible Australian qualification in 2022, 2023 or 2024. We recommend that you choose the ‘opt out’ pathway for the Sign-on Bonus if you have been nominated in error.

  Can I apply for both the Sign-on Bonus and the Undergraduate (Entry-To-Practice) Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Program?

  • No, you cannot receive multiple scholarships/bonuses from the department. You can either receive the Sign-on Bonus or the Undergraduate (Entry-To-Practice) Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship.

• Payment and employment status

  Why did I not receive the Sign-on Bonus payment in my first pay?

  • The Sign-on Bonus is paid separately from your salary. Depending on when you commence your graduate program, you will be paid via a claims process in April/May or October/November.

  I transitioned to casual employment after receiving my first Sign-on Bonus payment. Am I still eligible to receive the second payment?

  • Yes, if you are employed by a Victorian public health service so long as you meet the eligibility criteria for the second payment. Agency staff, not directly employed by the Victorian public health service are not eligible for the Sign-on bonus.

  I am working below 0.8 FTE. Will I receive the full payment?

  • All eligible employees will receive the full payment. The FTE requirement has been removed from the eligibility criteria to provide the full benefit to nurses and midwives who have committed to working in Victoria’s public health system.

• Leave and interruptions

  I am on parental (maternity/paternity) leave. Will this affect my ability to claim the second payment?

  • Paid and unpaid parental leave is not considered an interruption to your two-year commitment and will not affect your ability to claim the second payment. However, parental leave must not exceed one year, and you must return to work before receiving the second Sign-on Bonus payment.

  I am on WorkCover leave. Will this affect my ability to claim the second payment?

  • WorkCover leave is not considered an interruption to your two-year commitment, however, you must return to work before being eligible to receive the second payment and your WorkCover leave must not exceed one year.

  I have needed to take an extended period of time off work. Will this affect my ability to claim the second Sign-on Bonus payment?

  • There may be special circumstances that interrupt your ability to continuously serve your two-year commitment. If you need to take extended unpaid leave, you need to discuss your circumstances with your employer who will determine whether the circumstances represent a valid reason to interrupt the two-year commitment. You must take leave with the intention of returning to work, remain employed with your health service during the period of leave and return to work within one year to remain eligible for the second payment.

• Employment changes

  What happens to the second payment if I move out of Victoria's public health system after my graduate year?

  • To be eligible for the second $2,500 payment you must be employed within Victoria's public health system in an eligible nursing or midwifery role at the time you reach your two-year commitment. If you are not employed in an eligible role at the time your two-year commitment is completed you will not be eligible for the second payment. You can change employers across the two-year period, however, all employers must be within Victoria’s public health system.

  I have changed public health services from where I commenced my graduate program, what do I need to do to receive the second payment?

  • You will need to log into the Program portal and submit a ‘Change of employer’ amendment request and include the start and end dates with your new and previous employers.
  • The gap(s) between finishing at one Victorian public health service and commencing at another Victorian public health service must not exceed 28 days in total across the two-year commitment.

  I could not complete my graduate year program, but I have remained working as a nurse/midwife in Victoria’s public health system, am I eligible for the second payment?

  • Yes, if you meet the eligibility criteria.

  Can I claim the Sign-on Bonus at multiple employers?

  • You can only claim the Sign-on Bonus once. If you change employers after the first payment, you can still claim the second half of the payment if you meet eligibility criteria. You cannot claim multiple Sign-on Bonuses from multiple employers.

• Taxation and other

  Are the payments taxed?

  • Tax is not deducted from the payments. The department recommends that recipients seek independent tax advice regarding your Sign-on Bonus payment/s.

  I am ineligible but was nominated in error. I received an invitational email and submitted a claim. Do I need to return the Sign-on Bonus?

  • You must confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria during the claims process. If you are ineligible for the Sign-on Bonus but proceeded to submit a claim, you will be required to return the funding to the State of Victoria.

  Who can I contact regarding the Sign-on Bonus?

  • You can contact the Department of Health via email nmw@health.vic.gov.au.