JobsOhio Re­location Incentive

To complete the JobsOhio Relocation Incentive application, the company representative who completes and submits the online form will need the following:

• Basic company details: Legal name, federal tax ID, business type, state of incorporation and Ohio location

• Industry and business description: Your primary industry, NAICS code, and a summary of your products/services

• Relocation history baseline: Number of out-of-state new hires relocated to Ohio over the past three years in JobsOhio priority occupations

• Legal, regulatory and financial standing: Attestation that your company is in good standing

• Key contacts: Name and contact information for the person completing the application and the person authorized to sign the legal agreement

It should take a company representative with all the gathered required information and data less than 30 minutes to complete.

The application must be completed in one session. Once you begin the application, you cannot save it and return to finish it later.

You’ll need to complete the application in one session– unfortunately, it’s not possible to save it and come back to it later. That’s why we recommend gathering all your information first!

All applications must be submitted through our online form –we’ve made the online process as simple as possible but in case you need assistance, please contact us at JORI@jobsohio.com.

A NAICS code is a 6-digit number that describes what your company does. NAICS codes are part of a national system used by government agencies that standardizes business classifications by industry.

JobsOhio requires your company’s primary NAICS code to confirm that your business operates within our ten targeted industry sectors:

1. Advanced Manufacturing

2. Aerospace and Aviation

3. Automotive

4. Energy and Chemicals

5. Financial Services and Insurtech

6. Food and Agribusiness

7. Healthcare

8. Logistics and Distribution

9. Military and Federal

10. Technology

To find your company’s NAICS code, consult the government’s official NAICS site online and search by keyword in the box on the left side of the page.

Or, you may find your company’s primary NAICS code on several tax forms, including Form 1120 (for C-Corps), Form 1120-S (for S-Corps), Form 1065 (for partnerships), Schedule C (for sole proprietors), and Form 990 (for nonprofits).

New hires meet eligibility requirements for the Relocation Incentive when they:

• Fill a STEM or technical position that aligns with JobsOhio priority occupations,

• Represent a new hire above your normal out-of-state hiring baseline (calculated from average out-of-state STEM or technical hires in JobsOhio priority occupations for the last three full calendar years),

• Commence working at your company; and,

• Intend to establish permanent residence in Ohio.

Yes.  In order to be eligible, the individual must be authorized to work in the United States, on a permanent basis, without a sponsorship.

No, eligibility requirements for the Relocation Incentive do not specify a minimum distance a new hire must move. New hires are eligible if they were previously non-Ohio residents and establish permanent residence in Ohio.

JobsOhio identified high-demand, yet under supplied, occupations vital for Ohio’s economic development and industry growth using a combination of quantitative and qualitative criteria. These include, but are not limited to, sectors with high employment, employers expressing high demand across regions, employment growth forecasts, and median wages.

We recognize job titles vary, so we focus on job function to determine if the role aligns with a JobsOhio priority occupation. To help you verify the most appropriate occupation for the job function the new hire performs, we recommend consulting the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET database, where you can find the closest matching occupation and corresponding SOC code by entering the job title or responsibilities.

Yes! Students attending Ohio institutions who are non-Ohio residents at the time of attendance qualify.

Ohio residents attending college outside Ohio do not qualify – we consider them in-state hires.

Yes. Transitioning service members qualify if they were stationed outside Ohio at the time of separation, regardless of their permanent residency. Service members stationed in Ohio with a residency outside Ohio are also eligible.

Only transitioning military members stationed in Ohio with Ohio residency at the time of separation do not qualify.

This approach reflects Ohio’s commitment to being the top state for military and federal missions, their workforce, families, and industry partners.

Yes. The JobsOhio Relocation Incentive allows retroactive eligibility within the calendar year of your application.

For example, if your company applies in September 2025, you may include all qualifying out-of-state hires made since January 1, 2025:

• Those hires count toward meeting your annual baseline (as established through the application process)

• Any eligible hires above that baseline may be submitted for an incentive payment once they’ve relocated and established Ohio residency.

No. Only new company hires are eligible for baseline calculations and incentive payments.

•  Transfers do not count. Moves from one of your company’s facilities outside Ohio to an Ohio location are not considered new hires.

• Employees moving from an affiliated company or subsidiary into your Ohio operations are also ineligible.

An eligible hire must be a new addition to your organization’s workforce—someone who was not previously employed by your company or any of its affiliates before relocating to Ohio.

Great question! The baseline is simply your company’s typical pattern of out-of-state hiring within JobsOhio priority occupations. Above that baseline, JobsOhio will award $15,000 for every out-of-state STEM or technical hire your company relocates, which advances JobsOhio’s mission to grow Ohio’s STEM and technical workforce. 

How baseline factors into your application:

• Review your company’s out-of-state STEM and technical hiring within JobsOhio priority occupations over the prior three full calendar years.

• Supply this information in your company’s application.

• The average of the three-year total – for out-of-state STEM or technical hires in JobsOhio priority occupations – establishes your company’s baseline, which JobsOhio will use to determine Relocation Incentive awards.

Why we require a baseline:

• We designed the JobsOhio Relocation Incentive to encourage additional hiring, not to reward past practices.

• By setting a baseline, JobsOhio can apply incentives only to out-of-state hires above a company’s historical norm.

• This approach helps accomplish the program’s goal to expand Ohio’s STEM and technical talent pool, rather than incentivizing current business practices.

The JobsOhio Relocation Incentive application is always-on, but incentive payments are awarded in the order that disbursement requests are received—not the date you apply.

 Here’s how it works:

• Apply anytime. Companies can submit an application whenever they are ready.

• Enter an agreement. Once approved, you’ll enter a legal agreement with JobsOhio.

• Request a disbursement. You may request incentive payment only after a qualifying hire has:

  1. Started full-time work, and

  2. Established permanent Ohio residency.

JobsOhio is committed to transparency  thus at a minimum JobsOhio will as part of the Relocation Incentive Agreement notify Companies within 30 days of funds being 90% depleted from the pertinent business size bucket and/or from the overall program.

JobsOhio aims to respond to requests within a reasonable timeframe.  To the extent the Company’s disbursement request and supporting materials are sufficient this process should generally take around 30 days.

There are no strings attached – be creative – the funds are a company’s to use as the company sees fit! JobsOhio does not restrict Incentive award funds to specific purposes or expenditures.

Employers may choose to direct the funds to a range of purposes, including investments that help expand out-of-state hiring within JobsOhio priority occupations above their baselines such as relocation benefits or signing bonuses for new out-of-state hires, recruitment marketing efforts, or recruitment and talent sourcing activities in out-of-state markets, among others.

The maximum total award amount a single company can receive is $225,000 over the life of the program. JobsOhio will disburse approved incentive payments until the program funds are depleted.

We want to keep it simple for employers to help us grow Ohio’s labor pool. That means, no, we do not require a minimum retention period. You may submit your Incentive disbursement request as soon as a new hire relocates, establishes Ohio residency, and starts work.

Why we keep it simple:

• After doing the work to recruit them it is in the best interest of the employer to retain the talent they hired from out of state.

• According to Census data, a significant majority of job changers in recent years have stayed in the same state, so we can expect the people who relocate to Ohio to remain here.

• Minimal barriers for employers. We want employers to put funds to work quickly for out-of-state hiring where they make the biggest impact for your company – signing bonuses, onboarding, or additional recruiting – without extra monitoring or paperwork.

• Focus on results. Our goal to grow Ohio’s STEM and technical talent pool relies on hiring, not reporting. Staying lean can only expand opportunities to attract and retain talent.

To help communicate the benefits of living and working in Ohio, we encourage you to review this relocation guide resource and share it with your recruiting team and prospective candidates.

And find top candidates with Find Your Ohio our national talent attraction program that connects impressive, out-of-state candidates with exciting roles at Ohio companies. The user-friendly database allows you to search for candidates based on your unique criteria, download resumes, and keep track of those you contact and interview, all in one location.

Do you still have questions? We’re here to help! Email us at jori@jobsohio.com, and we’ll get you the answers you need.