How NEIS can help

New Business Assistance with NEIS (New Enterprise Incentive Scheme) can help you to start and develop your small business by providing:

• Accredited small business training
• Help to develop a business plan
• Personalised mentoring from a NEIS provider
• NEIS Allowance for up to 39 weeks and NEIS Rental Assistance for up to 26 weeks (if eligible)

How to participate

New Business Assistance with NEIS is delivered by a national network of NEIS providers. To access NEIS services, contact your local NEIS provider to discuss your eligibility.

Expanded eligibility

The Australian Government has expanded access to NEIS so that:

• serving members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with an identified transition date, and eligible family members of serving ADF personnel, will be eligible to access Exploring Being My Own Boss Workshops and NEIS Training
• people can access NEIS and start their own business if they are working 25 hours per week or less. This will enable people with part-time work, study or caring responsibilities to participate in the program on a part-time basis
• existing micro-business owners impacted by COVID-19 can access NEIS if they need help to keep their business running or refocus their operations to meet new areas of demand.

Eligibility criteria

To participate in New Business Assistance with NEIS you need to meet a range of eligibility criteria.

You’ll need to:

• Be at least 18 years of age when you start your NEIS business
• Be allowed to legally work in Australia
• Be available to work the required hours in your proposed NEIS business
• Have not received NEIS Assistance in the past year
• Not be an undischarged bankrupt.

Your NEIS provider will assess your business idea to ensure it meets the business eligibility criteria.

This means your proposed NEIS business:

• Will have an independent business structure
• Is lawful and capable of withstanding public scrutiny
• Has been assessed as commercially viable
• Will be established, located and operated solely within Australia
• Will be structured so you have and will maintain a controlling interest over the NEIS business while participating in New Business Assistance with NEIS
• Is either:
– Not operating on a commercial basis, or
– Is an existing micro-business affected by COVID-19.