The JobsOhio Relocation Incentive is designed to give businesses of all sizes a competitive edge in attracting the STEM and technical talent they need to grow. Whether you’re hiring experienced professionals or soon-to-be college graduates from outside Ohio, this incentive offers flexible funding that your company can apply toward relocation expenses or other needs associated with bringing new talent on board.
By lowering barriers to recruitment and strengthening your ability to compete for top candidates, JobsOhio is helping employers build the workforce that drives innovation and long-term success.
Here’s How AEDG Can Support You
Understanding incentive programs and maximizing available benefits can be complex. Many companies miss out on valuable resources simply because they don’t know where to start or lack the bandwidth to navigate application requirements.
That’s where the Allen Economic Development Group becomes your strategic partner.
AEDG can help your business:
- Assess your company’s eligibility for the program
- Guide you through the application process
- Connect you with resources to help new hires integrate into the community
- Identify additional local and regional incentives that may complement this program
- Provide ongoing support as you build your workforce in Allen County
Why This Program Matters for Allen County Businesses
One of the biggest challenges facing employers in Northwest Ohio is competing with larger metropolitan areas for top talent. The JobsOhio Relocation Incentive helps level that playing field. By offsetting the costs associated with recruiting and relocating specialized professionals, this program gives regional employers a powerful tool to compete with companies in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.
Tim Fitzpatrick, AEDG’s Business and Regional Workforce Development Director, said, “We know a lot of talent tends to head toward the Big 3 C cities, but this incentive gives us a real chance to bring some of that talent here. It’s about showing people the opportunities in our region and helping them see this is a great place to build both a career and a life.”
Allen County offers an exceptional quality of life, affordable cost of living, strong schools, and a welcoming business community. With the JobsOhio Relocation Incentive removing financial barriers, companies can more aggressively recruit the specialized talent they need while highlighting everything our region has to offer.
“Companies should seriously consider this financial incentive, as it provides employers with the opportunity to recruit new and specialized talent for their company or business, especially in those difficult-to-find STEM and technical fields,” says Jeff Sprague, Regional Growth Partnership’s VP of Talent Expansion. “This is great for NW Ohio-based companies to consider, as the incentive helps attract talent to live, work, and play in the Greater Lima Region.”
Who Can Benefit?
Eligible Employers must be Ohio-based businesses operating in one of JobsOhio’s targeted industries. This includes companies in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, technology, bioscience, and financial services. Eligible companies are typically structured as C-corporations, sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, or S-Corporations.
Eligible New Hires include full-time STEM or technical employees whose roles align with JobsOhio priority occupations. The program welcomes experienced talent, military-affiliated individuals, college graduates from out-of-state institutions, and recent graduates from Ohio colleges with residency outside Ohio. The key requirement is that these professionals relocate to Ohio from out of state and establish permanent residency here.
Understanding the Incentive Structure
The program offers attractive financial support based on your company’s relocation activity:
Establishing Your Baseline: To participate, employers provide the number of STEM and technical new hires who relocated to Ohio over the prior three calendar years. This creates an annual baseline relocation number that counts new hires entering full-time, W-2 positions who resided outside Ohio at hiring and relocated to the state. The figure includes those who did or did not receive relocation benefits from the company and whose roles align with JobsOhio priority occupations.
$15,000 Per Additional Hire: Once your baseline is established, employers receive $15,000 for every additional STEM and technical hire relocated to Ohio beyond that baseline.
First-Come, First-Served Funding: Companies can receive up to $225,000 in total incentive payments for 15 relocated new hires. Program funds are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with the maximum per applicant based on available program funds.
Exemption from Payroll Taxes: To encourage participation from employers of any size, dedicated program funds are exempt from federal FICA (revenue), state income tax ($15-18M revenue), and state/local unemployment taxes ($15M+ revenue).
Eligible Uses for Incentive Funds
JobsOhio intentionally keeps the program flexible. Incentive payments aren’t restricted to specific eligible costs, giving employers strategic freedom in how to leverage these funds. Examples of how employers may choose to use incentives include, but are not limited to:
- Relocation benefits offered to new out-of-state hires
- Signing bonuses offered to new out-of-state hires
- Recruitment and talent sourcing activities in out-of-state markets
- Recruitment marketing efforts
Partner with AEDG
If your company needs to expand its STEM or technical workforce with out-of-state talent, the JobsOhio Relocation Incentive represents a new opportunity. This program can make the difference between successfully recruiting that hard-to-find specialist and losing them to a competitor in a larger market.
Ready to start planning? Contact the Allen Economic Development Group today to discuss how the JobsOhio Relocation Incentive can support your company’s growth objectives. The talent your company needs is out there. Let’s work together to bring them home to Allen County.