Singapore employers have one of the most generous workforce development funding regimes in the region — but it operates through several overlapping schemes administered by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG). This guide separates the employer-side schemes from the individual ones, so HR and L&D teams know exactly what is on the table.
SkillsFuture vs. SkillsFuture Credit
SkillsFuture is the umbrella national movement. SkillsFuture Credit is one specific instrument within it — a S$500 credit (plus periodic top-ups) granted to every Singapore citizen aged 25 and above to spend on approved courses. The credit is held by the individual, not the employer. Employers cannot directly spend an employee's SkillsFuture Credit, but they can run training where employees use their credit to offset their share of fees.
Employer-funded schemes
- SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) — S$10,000 credit per qualifying employer (90% subsidy on eligible workforce transformation costs incl. training)
- Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (ETSS) — up to 90% subsidy on SSG-funded course fees for SME employees
- Absentee Payroll (AP) funding — reimbursement of basic monthly salary for SME employees attending eligible training during working hours
- Mid-Career Pathways Programme — for hiring and training mid-career workers (40+)
- Career Conversion Programme (CCP) — salary support during reskilling for hires moving into new sectors or roles
What counts as SSG-approved training
SSG-approved courses are listed on the MySkillsFuture portal under the "Course Directory". Approval is course-level (each individual course is assessed), not provider-level — though a provider can be an "Approved Training Organisation" (ATO) which streamlines new-course submissions. When sourcing training, verify the specific course you want to run is listed under "Funded Courses" before committing — provider accreditation alone does not guarantee subsidy eligibility for a given course.
How the subsidy stack works in practice
For an SME employer enrolling a Singapore Citizen employee in a SkillsFuture-funded course, the funding stack typically looks like: SSG course-fee subsidy (covers a base percentage) + Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (raises subsidy to up to 90%) + Absentee Payroll (reimburses basic salary at 80% capped at S$4.50 per training hour). Net employer outlay is often 10–20% of the headline course fee plus the AP-uncovered salary portion.
Eligibility rules to check before enrolling
- Employee must be a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident for full subsidy access (some schemes are Citizen-only)
- Employer must be SME-classified for ETSS and SFEC (group revenue and headcount tests apply)
- Course must be on the SSG-funded list at the time of enrolment
- AP funding requires the training to be conducted during normal working hours
How to find an Approved Training Organisation
The MySkillsFuture portal at myskillsfuture.gov.sg/content/portal/en/career/job-search/training-providers.html lists every ATO. FindTraining indexes a subset of these providers — search the Singapore directory at findtraining.com/sg to filter by category, delivery method, and contact options. Always cross-check the official portal for the latest accreditation status before contracting.
How FindTraining helps
FindTraining indexes Singapore training providers with their delivery methods and contact details. Browse at findtraining.com/sg, narrow by category, and reach out via the providers' contact details. We do not handle SkillsFuture claims directly — those go through the MySkillsFuture portal — but we cut the discovery time on the front of the process.