Cancel your training contract
You may need to cancel your apprenticeship or traineeship because:
- the workload is too high
- you've been dismissed
- you aren't getting along with your supervisor or employer
- you can't meet your training obligations.
Sometimes, cancelling your apprenticeship or traineeship may feel like your only option, but it should be your last resort.
Alternatives to cancelling
Rather than cancelling, save yourself time and money with options such as:
- changing your qualification or working hours (e.g. from full-time to part-time)
- changing employers, temporarily or permanently
- pausing your training
- extending your training.
Find out more about making changes to your apprenticeship or traineeship.
Who to talk to
Before you cancel, discuss your situation with:
- your employer, if possible
- your Apprentice Connect Australia Provider
- us, at Apprenticeships Info.
How to cancel
You can cancel anytime during your probation; you just have to put it down in writing.
Follow these steps:
- Notify your employer in writing.
- Notify them of the end date, making sure that this date occurs before probation ends.
- Notify your Apprentice Connect Australia Provider, or us, within 7 days of the apprenticeship or traineeship ending.
Follow these steps:
- If you haven't finished your probation, see process above.
- You and your employer agree on an end date.
- Notify your Apprentice Connect Australia Provider, using Form ATF-034 Cancel a registered training contract – by all parties (PDF).
You will have a 7-day 'cooling-off period', after the application has been received by the Apprentice Connect Australia Provider or us, to allow for either you or your employer to change your mind, or 'withdraw consent'. This can be done in writing.
If neither you nor your employer can meet your training commitments and you are still employed, either party can apply to us to cancel the training contract.
Follow these steps:
- Nominate an end date – this must be more than 7 days after we have received you application to cancel.
- Complete and send Form ATF-050 Cancel a registered training contract by one party to us.
- Wait for us to approve the cancellation.
When we cancel the training contract
We may cancel the training contract if you:
- have been unemployed for at least 21 days following your termination, and any application you have made for unfair dismissal has been finalised
- or
- can't fulfil the responsibilities set out in your training contract due to changes in your situation.
We may cancel the training contract if your employer:
- has stopped operating
- has stopped operating the part of the business where you worked
- has relocated and it is now impractical for you to travel there for work
- has been declared a 'prohibited employer'
- can't fulfil their responsibilities due to changes in their situation
- has failed to meet their responsibilities.
We may also cancel a training contract if:
- the school has withdrawn their support for your (school-based) apprenticeship or traineeship
- the training organisation stops training you and no replacement has been found
- the training contract contains false and misleading information
- the training contract was registered by mistake.
Loss of job or employer has closed down
If you've lost your job or your employer closes down, and you haven't signed an application to cancel, transfer or complete your training contract, you must report this to us.