The SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package saw several encouraging developments in the second half of 2020. The figure of 33,100 successful job seekers in August was an increase of 9,100 from end-July. The information and communications sector saw the highest number of job seekers in training and traineeship opportunities. For short-term placements, the healthcare sector was top for job seekers, while food services had the most long-term job placements.
The SGUnited Traineeships programme was introduced in the March 2020 Resilience Budget, to provide recent and new graduates industry relevant opportunities amid weaker hiring sentiments during the COVID-19 outbreak. The traineeship experience boosts recipients' skills and employability. Lasting nine months, the SGUnited Traineeships Programme offers an estimated training allowance of between S$1,100 and S$2,500. Some 80 per cent of the allowance is co-funded by the Government.
This salary support is capped at S$12,000 in total. Employers who hire Singaporean workers aged below 40 who have gone through eligible reskilling or training programmes will receive 20 per cent salary support for six months, capped at S$6,000. These programmes include initiatives like SGUnited Skills, SGUnited Traineeships and career transition programmes by Continuing Education and Training (CET) Centres, run by SkillsFuture Singapore.
Over 90 per cent of Singaporeans would have provided their bank account details to the Government for past payouts such as 2018's SG Bonus. The Solidarity Payment was credited in their bank accounts on April 14, 2020. The minority of Singaporeans who had not received previous Government payouts were given until April 23, 2020, to provide their bank account details via Form.SG or they could wait for cheques sent out from April 30, 2020.
The Care and Support Package, worth an estimated total of S$4.6 billion, aims to provide Singaporean families with assurance and support to help meet their household expenses during the economic uncertainty caused by COVID-19. The package also included cash payouts, grocery vouchers, a Workfare Special Payment and an additional GST Voucher – U-Save for those who need more support.
The industries listed in options 2 and 3 are classified under Tier 3. Tier 1 industries include the aviation and aerospace, as well as tourism, hospitality, conventions and exhibitions sectors. Under the JSS, eligible companies received co-funding of between 25 and 75 per cent of the first S$4,600 of gross monthly wages paid to each local employee until Aug 2020, and 10 to 50 per cent of the same from September 2020 to March 2021. During the latter period, Tier 2 companies receive 30 per cent while Tier 3 companies receive 10 per cent or were not deemed eligible for subsidies after December 2020.
Under the JSS eligible companies receive between 25 and 75 per cent co-funding of the first S$4,600 of each Singaporean or permanent resident's gross monthly wages. JSS was first announced in February's 2020 Budget and was originally set to expire in October, although Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mr Heng Swee Keat announced that the Government would extend the scheme for seven more months, until March 2021. This will encourage more employers to retain their workers despite the economic impact of COVID-19.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Sweet Keat announced in his Budget 2020 speech that quarterly Silver Support payouts would be increased by 20 per cent. For individuals in smaller flats, the cash payouts would increase from S$750 to S$900 per quarter. The enhanced Silver Support scheme is expected to benefit almost 250,000 Singaporeans aged 65 and above, up from 150,000 previously.
The emphasis on home-based learning has meant that low-income families require easy access to the Internet and digital devices, which the NEU PC Plus Programme provides. Students can apply for subsidised laptops and three years of free fibre broadband subscription online, by calling 6684 8858, or via their schools. Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, students who are under the Ministry of Education's Financial Assistance Scheme may also tap on the iNSPIRE Fund to co-pay their PC bundles.
The COVID-19 Recovery Grant targets low- and middle-income Singaporeans and PRs who have suffered more severe income loss. Eligible recipients will receive up to S$700 a month for three months. To receive the grant, they must demonstrate that they have tried to look for jobs or training opportunities, among other criteria. Those who are self-employed are also eligible. While the worker would also qualify for the COVID-19 Support Grant, the application had closed on Dec 31, 2020.