Workfare skills support (WSS)
The Workfare Skills Support scheme is introduced as a complementary initiative to the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS). While WIS encourages older low-wage workers to stay in the workforce by providing supplemental income and supporting their retirement savings, WSS aims to enhance this support by fostering skill development through training, thereby improving employability for better job opportunities.
Together, they make up Workfare, a key pillar of Singapore’s social security landscape to provide support for low-wage workers, giving them optimal opportunities for advancement.
Eligible individuals may receive:
- Training allowance for selected courses that individuals had paid for themselves
- Cash reward for completing training
To qualify, individuals must meet the following criteria (which includes, but not limited to):
- Be a Singapore Citizen; and
- Aged 30 years and above (13 years and above for Persons With Disabilities); and
- Earn a average monthly gross income of not more than $2,500.
- For the full list of criteria for WSS, please visit Workfare’s website
There are 3 funding components under WSS:
- Training Commitment Award (TCA)
- Training Allowance (TA)
- Absentee Payroll (AP) – Applicable to Corporate Registrations only
- WSQ Statement of Attainment (SOA)
- Academic CET Modular Certificate or Post Diploma Certificate
- Certifiable Courses supported by SSG
2. $800 per WSQ or Academic CET Full Qualification attained.
Training Allowance (TA):
- Self-sponsoring trainees are eligible for Training Allowance (TA) at $6 per training hour;
- Have taken courses eligible for Training Allowance (TA) after 1 July 2020;
- Complete and pass the course;
- Have paid for his/her own training; and
- Not barred from receiving SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) / Workforce Singapore (WSG) / Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) grants.
- Training Allowance (TA) is paid via PayNow linked to NRIC.
Absentee Payroll (AP)
- Sponsoring employers are eligible for Absentee Payroll (AP) at up to 95% of trainee’s basic hourly salary, capped at $13 per hour.
- Employers may apply and claim for the grants through the Enterprise Portal for Jobs and Skills here.
Important Note:
- All WSQ courses from Apro Training Centre are supported under the WSS scheme
- Courses must start within your WSS eligibility period as stated in the Workfare eService or your WSS eligibility letter.
- Total Training Allowance (TA) is capped at 180 training hours per WSS eligibility year.
- No application is required. Individuals will be notified of their TCA payment via SMS and/or letter from CPF Board.
- From January 2023, you may check your WSS eligibility by logging in to the Workfare eService with your SingPass. Please note that you do not need a WSS letter for course enrolment with Training Providers.

SkillsFuture Credit
All Singaporeans aged 25 years and above will receive a $500 opening credit that is claimable for a wide range of SkillsFuture Credit-eligible courses.

Union Training Assistance Programme(UTAP)
NTUC members enjoy 50% unfunded course fee support for up to $250 each year when you sign up for courses supported under UTAP. NTUC members aged 40 and above can enjoy higher funding support up to $500 per individual each year, capped at 50% of unfunded course fees, for courses attended between 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2022. Terms and conditions apply. Visit UTAP website for more information.