Tan See Leng on 'paradigm shift' in SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme

The SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme marks a “paradigm shift” for the Government and reflects its commitment to always help and provide resources for those who step up and want to do more for themselves, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng. Replying to MPs’ questions in Parliament on Monday (Sep 9), he pointed out that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had said that a major reset is needed in charting Singapore's way forward. “This is a reset in the Government’s policies and just as importantly, a reset of Singaporeans’ views and attitudes. We will regularly review the scheme to ensure that we provide necessary support to the involuntarily unemployed,” said Dr Tan. Addressing questions on the design of the scheme, Dr Tan pointed out that it is targeted at lower- to middle-income workers earning up to S$5,000 per month before becoming involuntarily unemployed. This means that more than six in 10 residents who are involuntarily unemployed can benefit, he said. The threshold of property with an annual value of S$25,000 is aligned with other schemes and covers about 75 per cent of residential properties, including all HDB flats, he said.