What is Enhanced Training Support for SMEs?
Recognizing the challenges that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may face in sending their employees for training. The Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (ETSS funding) offers support to send their employees for training.
Grants are available for SMEs companies by sponsoring employees who are either a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, including:
Higher Course Fee Grant:
SMEs enjoy SkillsFuture Funding of up to 90% of the course fees when they sponsor their employees to attend courses supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)
Enhanced Absentee Payroll (AP) Funding:
SMEs may claim AP funding of 80% of basic hourly salary at a higher cap of $7.50 per hour, an increase over the normal cap of $4.50 per hour.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR ENHANCED TRAINING SUPPORT FOR SMES
Registered or incorporated in Singapore
At least 30% local shareholding by Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
Employment size of not more than 200 (at group level) or with annual sales turnover (at group level) of not more than $100 million
SME-SPONSORED TRAINEES:
Must be Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents.
Courses have to be fully paid for by the employer.
Trainee is not a full-time national serviceman.
Further Info: This scheme is intended for all organizations, including non-business entities not registered with ACRA e.g. VWOs, societies, etc. Only Ministries, statutory boards, and other government agencies are not eligible under Enhanced Training Support for SMEs Scheme. Sole proprietorships which meet all of the above criteria are also eligible.
SkillsFuture Funding for Employers
These include the following courses:
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- SSG-supported short courses offered by the Autonomous Universities;
- Part-time Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Specialist Diploma, part-time Industry Skills Certificates (ISC), part-time NITEC, part-time Higher NITEC, and SSG-supported short courses offered by the Polytechnics and ITE.
REVISIONS TO ABSENTEE PAYROLL FUNDING
From 1 January 2022, Absentee Payroll (AP) funding will be revised. The revised Absentee Payroll rate will be fixed at $4.50 per hour and there will be a $100,000 cap on the maximum Absentee Payroll funding each company can claim for each year.
Absentee Payroll funding under the Workfare Skills Support (WSS) Scheme, which is currently at 95% of hourly basic salary will remain unchanged. Claims under the WSS AP funding will not count towards the $100,000 cap per company.
Please also take note of SkillsFuture Funding Adjustment beginning Jan 2022.