Enhanced Training Support Package and Enhanced Absentee Payroll to mitigate COVID-19

The Enhanced Training Support Package (ETSP) is part of the Stabilisation and Support Package and supplementary Resilience Budget announced by DPM Heng Swee Keat. The ETSP will be time-limited to cover eligible courses  in selected sectors starting before 1 Jan 2021. This is to help selected  sectors tide over the economic impact of COVID-19, and to help them position themselves for subsequent recovery.

Companies in selected sectors that are directly and critically impacted by COVID-19 are eligible for enhanced Absentee Payroll at 90% of hourly basic salary, capped at $10 per hour, and enhanced Course Fee support at up to 90% of course fees. These sectors are:

1. Air Transport
2. Arts & Culture*
3. Food Services
4. Point-to-Point (Taxi and Private Hire) and Private Bus Companies
5. Retail
6. Tourism**

*Arts & Culture: includes Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

**Tourism: Includes Hotels & Accommodation Services, Attractions, MICE, Tour & Travel, Tourist Guides

From 1 May 2020, the enhanced absentee payroll rates will be further extended to cover all sectors. This will apply to all courses that are eligible for absentee payroll funding today, e.g. selected courses by SSG-appointed CET Centres or certifiable courses by other SSG-approved training providers.  Employers are advised to check with the training providers on the courses that are eligible for absentee payroll funding.

The ETSP will be time-limited to cover eligible courses starting before 1 Jan 2021.

The ETSP will be time-limited to cover eligible courses starting before 1 Jan 2021. Enterprises (both SMEs and non-SMEs) are eligible for funding under the ETSP if they send their employees for training which commence within the following periods:

Table 1: Eligibility for Enhanced Course Fee Subsidy and Enhanced Absentee Payroll

* Includes tourist guides who are self-employed persons. AP funding is not applicable to tourist guides.

The training will focus on priority and emerging skills that the sector requires. Examples of these courses include:

1. Training in deep domain skills such as:

Tourism	Foster Service Innovation, Quality Visitor Experience through Immersive Technology, Cultural Savviness & Diversity Service Inclusion and Understanding Visitors
Air Transport	Dangerous Goods Handling, Perishables Handling
Retail	Customer Experience Innovation, Productivity Management
Food Services	Culinary Arts, Process Innovation
Arts and Culture	Pedagogy for Performing Arts Instructors, Digital Media (art-making and outreach), Audience Engagement
Point-to-Point Transport	Safe Driving and Vehicle Maintenance, Understanding of Electric Vehicles

2. Training in emerging digital skills

Employers are advised to check with SSG-appointed training providers for the list of sector-specific training programmes which are eligible for the enhanced course fee funding under ETSP.

From 1 May 2020, the enhanced AP rates will apply to all courses that are eligible for AP funding today, e.g. selected courses by SSG-appointed CET Centres or selected certifiable courses by other SSG-approved training providers. Employers are advised to check with training providers on the courses that are eligible for AP funding.

Enterprises with registered business activities in the 6 sectors listed above can sign up for courses with the appointed training partners and apply for enhanced AP. These companies only need to pay the net course fees (i.e. course fees after the enhanced SSG subsidy) and the appointed training partners will disburse the enhanced AP to eligible companies once their employees have completed the training and passed the assessment.

Interested enterprises may approach the following CET Centres or training providers for more information.

Enterprises in all other sectors may follow the current process of applying for AP via the SkillsConnect system from May to June 2020 for courses completed before June 2020. From July 2020 onwards, enterprises can apply for AP via the new Training Grants System. 

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