NTUC will continue to work with tripartite partners to champion workers' interests.
NTUC welcomes the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme despite the “disagreements” with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) during early negotiations, said NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng.
“We had deep discussions with MOM, and we didn’t see eye-to-eye. It took us 10 years,” said Mr Ng.
At an unveiling of the scheme details at an NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability) career coaching event on 27 August 2024, Mr Ng said he appreciated the Government’s willingness to reset its approach and design a new policy.
Mr Ng said: "I’m glad we have landed on this point today. It is a first step in a changed world."
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme at the National Day Rally 2024.
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Patrick Tay said the scheme marks the first step in the right direction to provide financial support to involuntary unemployed persons.
Mr Tay said: “The SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme reflects my repeated calls in and out of Parliament for the past decade for some form of unemployment support to help workers.”
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng attended the event to announce the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme details. He called it a paradigm shift for the Government.
“For the first time, we will be giving temporary financial support to involuntarily unemployed persons,” Dr Tan said.
Workforce Singapore will implement the temporary financial support, which provides up to $6,000 over a period of up to six months, in April 2025 for Singapore citizens aged 21 and above.
The SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme will be launched for permanent residents aged 21 and above in the first quarter of 2026.
The Government have set aside $200 million a year for the scheme.
The scheme targets those who face financial pressures and may rush into jobs that do not fit them well. It will be open to lower- and middle-income workers earning up to an average of $5,000 a month in the last 12 months.
The individual must also reside in a property with an Annual Value of $25,000 or less.
The Government expects some 60,000 individuals to be eligible for the scheme at its launch, supporting more than 60 per cent of involuntarily unemployed persons.
To disincentivise continued unemployment, individuals must demonstrate active job search participation, such as job applications and career coaching.
The Government will release more details of how it will monitor and assess individuals’ active job searches closer to April 2025.
The quantum of the monthly payouts will be higher at the start. Dr Tan said this provides greater peace of mind immediately after individuals have lost their jobs.
Jobseekers can receive up to $1,500 in the first month.
The quantum will be reduced from the second month onwards to incentivise job seekers to start work earlier if they find a good-fitting job.
The monthly payouts will stop once the individual finds a job.
There is a one-month waiting period between the onset of involuntary unemployment and the commencement of the payouts.
Individuals must also be employed for at least six months in the 12 months before the scheme application.
However, Dr Tan acknowledged that when the scheme is launched in April 2025, some individuals might not qualify as they have been unemployed for more than six months.
Dr Tan said: “When the scheme is launched, we will provide a one-off concession and onboard those who become involuntarily unemployed from 1 April 2024, if they are still unemployed at the point of application.
"This will allow workers in this segment the opportunity to still benefit from this scheme.”
Dr Tan emphasised that the total payout of up to $6,000 should not be viewed in isolation.
“The scheme is not a social assistance scheme, and the quantum is sized to provide added assurance during your job search efforts,” he said.
Dr Tan added that the scheme will be complemented by other financial assistance schemes provided to workers, like the SkillsFuture Level-up Programme and social assistance from ComCare.
Mr Ng iterated to all workers the importance of upskilling and reskilling, especially with technological advancements such as artificial intelligence.
He also encouraged union members to tap NTUC’s Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP) to pursue upskilling courses.
All NTUC members can utilise UTAP’s $250 to offset their course fees, while those 40 and above will have $500.
