Docufy

The ITF training plan window and how to claim reimbursement

The ITF training plan window runs between 1 January and 31 March each year. File within it and you can later claim back up to 50% of the training contribution paid of your contribution.

2 min readBy the Docufy editorial team

Quick answer

Employers submit their training plan between 1 January and 31 March to earn a small award under ITF's reimbursement scheme. The claim itself, worth up to 50% of the training contribution paid, must reach your ITF Area Office by 30 June after each training year. This is separate from the compliance certificate, and only open to employers whose contributions are up to date.

Training plan window
between 1 January and 31 March
Reimbursement claim deadline
30 June after each training year
Maximum reimbursement
up to 50% of the training contribution paid
Who can claim
employers up to date with contributions
On this page

Paying the ITF levy is only half the story for an employer that actually trains its staff. ITF runs a scheme that pays part of that contribution back, on its own separate calendar.

The training plan window

Employers are expected to submit a training plan between 1 January and 31 March for that year. This is what tells ITF what training you intend to run and where.

Filing inside this window is not just a formality. Under the current scheme, submitting within the first quarter earns a small additional award on top of whatever reimbursement your training itself qualifies for.

What the claim is worth

Once training has actually taken place and contributions are current, an employer can claim back up to 50% of the training contribution paid. The exact share depends on how much of the workforce was trained against the scheme's areas of emphasis.

Smaller employers, broadly those with 50 staff or fewer, sit on their own sliding scale rather than the standard one, so it is worth checking where your business falls before you estimate what to expect back.

The claim deadline

The claim itself is due by 30 June after each training year, sent to your ITF Area Office. The training year it covers runs from January to December, so the claim always follows the year it relates to, not the year it is filed in.

Missing this deadline does not affect your compliance certificate directly, but it does mean forfeiting money your business would otherwise have been able to claim back. Once the year closes, there is no later window to submit the same claim.

What you need to make a claim

  1. A training plan already filed for the relevant year.
  2. Records showing the training that actually took place: dates, staff involved, and the areas covered.
  3. Evidence that your ITF contributions for the period are paid and up to date.
  4. Any change notices, submitted within two weeks of a change to the original plan.

Keeping this separate from the certificate

It helps to think of these as two different relationships with ITF. Paying the levy and getting an ITF compliance certificate keeps you compliant. Filing a training plan and claiming reimbursement is a benefit on top, open only to employers who are already compliant.

Common mistakes

  • Treating the training plan as optional paperwork rather than the trigger for an early-filing award.
  • Training staff without keeping the records a claim will later need.
  • Assuming the claim deadline is flexible because it falls outside the tax or CAC calendar.
  • Mixing up the reimbursement scheme with the compliance certificate itself.

For the wider picture of ITF obligations, see who must pay the ITF levy and the ITF compliance certificate guide.

Questions people ask

When should I submit my ITF training plan?

Between 1 January and 31 March. Submitting within that window is what earns the early-filing award under the current scheme.

What happens if I file my training plan late?

You can miss the award tied to early filing. Changes to a plan already submitted must also be notified within two weeks, so keep any updates prompt too.

How much of my ITF contribution can I claim back?

Up to 50% of the training contribution paid, depending on how much of your workforce is actually trained under the scheme. Smaller employers have their own sliding scale.

Is the reimbursement claim the same thing as the compliance certificate?

No. They are separate processes. The ITF compliance certificate guide covers the certificate; this scheme only refunds part of a contribution you have already paid.

Sources

Last checked 27 Sep 2026. Fees and rules change; the agency that issues the document has the final word. See our editorial policy.

Keep reading

ITF compliance certificate guide (2026)

What did the ITF Amendment Act 2011 actually change?

Industrial Training Fund (Amendment) Act 2011 cut the staff threshold, raised fines and lowered the training reimbursement cap. Here is what changed, with sources.

2 min read

Is the ITF annual return Form 5 or Form 5A?

The ITF annual return goes by two names. ITF's page calls it Form 5A; the downloadable PDF is titled ITF Form 5. Here is which one you actually need.

3 min read

The ITF contribution rate and what payroll includes

The ITF contribution rate is 1% of total annual payroll, but employers often under-count payroll. Here is what ITF's own definition includes.

2 min read

How do you get the ITF compliance certificate?

How to get an ITF compliance certificate: pay your contribution, then the ITF Area Office where the employer is registered checks it before issuing the actual document.

2 min read

All articles on tenders and compliance