Budget 2025 – Enhancements to Workfare Skills Support
Key Highlights of the Enhanced Workfare Skills Support (WSS) Scheme from the 2025 budget:
- Focus: The enhanced WSS aims to encourage lower-wage workers to pursue more substantive training programs.
- Monthly Training Allowance (TA): A new monthly TA will be provided to lower-wage workers aged 30 and above who enroll in selected long-form full-time or part-time training courses. This allowance is modeled after the TA offered under the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme.
- Part-Time Courses: A fixed allowance of $300 per month will be provided for selected part-time courses.
- Full-Time Courses: A more substantial allowance, equivalent to 50% of the individual’s average income over the latest available 12-month period, will be provided for selected full-time courses.
- Existing Hourly TA: The existing hourly TA of $6 per hour (capped at 180 training hours per WSS eligibility period) will remain in place to support the take-up of other courses and employer-led training.
- Eligibility & Caps:
- Individuals can receive up to 24 months of monthly TA between the ages of 30 and 39.
- They can also receive up to 24 months of monthly TA from age 40. This cap is shared between WSS and the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme.
- The cap for each age period is shared between both full-time and part-time training.
- Implementation: These enhancements to the WSS scheme will be effective from early 2026.
- Base Tier Remains: The existing base tier of WSS will continue to support the take-up of other courses and employer-led training initiatives.
