Job providers receiving millions of dollars for positions found by jobseekers themselves

Service providers are allowed to claim outcome payments when clients have completed four, 12 and 26 weeks in employment, regardless of whether the client or provider found the job. Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Job providers are being paid millions of dollars in public money for work that jobseekers are finding themselves, with advocates saying there is “simply no reason” for the payments.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has paid providers more than $3.6m in the past five years for pre-existing employment, where someone on jobseeker found a job prior to starting with a provider, according to data provided to Guardian Australia by the department.