16 February 2024 — This paper reviews international, Canadian, and Australian evidence on the effectiveness of wage subsidies in helping unemployed job seekers find sustainable employment. The key question asked is “what works and for whom?” There is evidence indicating that wage subsidy programs can be effective, but only if appropriately targeted.
Read the report, “Wage Subsidies: What Works and For Whom?”
Malcolm Cook is an economist with extensive experience in labor market policy and analysis. Malcolm was a Lecturer in Economics at the University of New England and Southern Cross University and has authored over a dozen refereed publications on labor statistics, Australian economic history, economic policy, and health economics. After leaving academia Malcolm worked as an employment policy adviser in the Australian Public Service, contributing to the development of Australia’s employment services model, including Job Network, Job Services Australia, jobactive and the Remote Jobs and Communities Program. He now works with Angus Knight researching labor market trends and advising on employment policies.
