# Priority Hire > Priority Hire means a qualified claimant eligible for priority hiring and assigned to an entry-level position based on specific completion requirements **Term:** Priority Hire **Last updated:** 2026-07-29 ## Definition ## What Priority Hire Means in a Contract Priority Hire, in a contractual context, describes a claimant or candidate who has satisfied predetermined eligibility conditions and is therefore entitled to preferential placement into an entry-level role ahead of other applicants. This term typically arises in workforce development agreements, apprenticeship programs, or labor-related clauses within broader service or project contracts. The obligation to honor priority hiring status usually falls on the employer or contracting party operating the program. The concept exists to create measurable, enforceable commitments around hiring practices. Rather than a vague promise to consider certain applicants favorably, a Priority Hire clause spells out what qualifies someone for that status and what the hiring party must do once that status is established. This transforms a policy intention into a contractual duty. Because Priority Hire status often depends on completing a defined program or set of requirements, contracts frequently cross-reference other documentation, such as a