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The upcoming SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) top-up of S$4,000 will not expire, and can be used to defray out-of-pocket fees for selected courses that have better employability outcomes.
To better support mid-career Singaporeans, aged 40 and above, Singapore has announced the introduction of the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme (SFLP).
First announced in the Budget 2024 speech, the SFLP will offer mid-career Singaporeans more support to defray course fees in the following forms.
First, Singaporeans aged 40 and above will receive a SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) top-up of S$4,000 from 1 May 2024. The credit will not expire and can be used to defray out-of-pocket fees for selected courses that have better employability outcomes.
Subsequent cohorts of Singaporeans will receive the top-up in the year they turn 40.
This is in addition to the existing Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (MCES), which offers subsidies of up to 90% of the course fee for MOE/SSG-funded programmes for Singaporeans aged 40 and above.
Similarly, the expiry date of the one-off SkillsFuture Credit top-up of $500, initially given to encourage mid-career reskilling and is due to expire on 31 December 2025, will be lifted. Individuals' SkillsFuture Credit balances will be merged with the top-up of $4,000.
The mid-career tier of SkillsFuture Credit can be used for a curated list of around 7,000 courses that have better employability outcomes, comprising:
- Full qualification programmes offered by the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), ranging from Nitec/Higher Nitec, diploma, undergraduate to postgraduate degree programmes, inclusive of the modules that can stack towards these full qualifications;
- MOE-subsidised full qualifications from the University of the Arts Singapore and the Arts Institutions;
- SSG's SkillsFuture Career Transition Programmes, which are train-and-place programmes to support mid-career individuals' transition into sectors with good employment opportunities;
- Courses that fulfil the training requirements for Progressive Wage Model sectors; and
- Workplace literacy and numeracy courses
Courses eligible for the additional tier of SkillsFuture Credit will be tagged accordingly on the MySkillsFuture portal from 1 May 2024.
Subsidies for full-time diplomas
Second, mid-career Singaporeans can also qualify for mid-career enhanced subsidies when taking another publicly-funded full-time diploma from AY2025 — even those who had previously received MOE subsidy or government sponsorship for a diploma or higher qualification. This includes diplomas at the polytechnics, Institute of Technical Education and Arts Institutions.
Training allowance
Lastly, Singaporeans aged 40 and above who take time off from work to pursue full-time, long-form training will be able to tap on a new SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance to partially address the loss of income starting early 2025.
The amount of training allowance, duration of support and eligible training programmes are outlined as follows:
| Quantum | 50% of average income over the latest available 12-month period of data, capped at $3,000 per month. The amount of support is calibrated to provide adequate coverage for the median mid-career worker. |
| Eligible training programmes | For selected full-time training courses, which are: i. SSG’s full-time SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme, ii. Full-time full qualification programmes up to the undergraduate-degree level offered by the IHLs, and iii. Full-time MOE-subsidised full qualification programmes up to the undergraduate-degree level offered by the University of the Arts Singapore and Arts Institutions. |
| Duration | Up to 24 months over one’s lifetime. The duration of support can cover more than one bout of full-time upgrading via the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme and at least half of the duration of the eligible full qualifications. |
More details, such as the starting date, will be released later this year.
Lead image / 123rf.com
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