There are more than 2,800 Singapore Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) courses that cover various industries, ranging from retail, to tourism, to manufacturing and workplace safety to health. WSQ also offers employability and soft skills like literacy, service mindset and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Please click here for the range of training courses.

Employers can approach any approved training providers, including Continuing Education & Training (CET) Centres, offering WSQ and/or ES WSQ courses.

For workers who are keen to go for training on their own initiative, they can approach any CET Centres offering WSQ and/or ES WSQ courses.

Please click here to find out more.

The higher funding support under WTS is based on the training commencement date. Employers will be eligible for the higher funding support under the scheme as long as the training commences on or after 1 July 2010.

Yes, the higher funding support under the Workfare Training Support (WTS) scheme is applicable for WSQ/ES in-house training.

Depending on the salary range of the worker, a course fee funding rate of $8 (for those earning $1,401 - $1,700 per month) or $8.50 per hour (for those earning up to $1,400 per month) will be given to companies who train their employees in-house under WSQ and their workers meet the eligibility criteria under this scheme.

For absentee payroll, the funding rates will be computed at either 90% or 95% of the hourly wage of the workers (depending on the salary range of the worker).

It is not necessary for your workers to attend training during working hours. Employers can choose to send their workers for training after working hours, depending on their business requirements and the course schedules of the training providers. However, employers who send their older low-wage workers for training after work hours must top up the absentee payroll by either 5% or 10% (with the Government funding the remaining 95% or 90% respectively). The total amount must be given to the worker, as per standard absentee payroll guidelines.

The WTS letter certifies your eligibility for the higher course fee funding support under the Workfare Training Support (WTS) scheme, when you register for WSQ and/or ES WSQ training courses at CET Centres.

To benefit from the higher course fee funding support, please bring your NRIC and the letter for identification when you sign up for WSQ and/or ES WSQ courses at the CET Centres.

Applicants interested in WSQ training programme will be screened for suitability by the CET Centre before enrolling them in the programme. Only if the trainee is assessed to be suitable and plans to be enrolled, will the CET Centre accord the enhanced course fee funding support to the trainee.

In place of the WTS Letter, you may produce either one of the following documents to verify your eligibility for higher course fee funding support:

a. Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) eligibility letter from CPFB; or

b. Pay slip from the current month or any of the preceding 3 months; or

c. IRAS Notice of Assessment for Personal Income Tax; or

d. Make an income declaration at SingPost [Acknowledgement receipt for CPF Income Declaration for Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) / Self Employment Persons (SEP)].

WTS is for employed Singaporeans only. Unemployed individuals can register for the "Workfare - Skill Up" programme, which provides them with a holistic approach to help attain literacy and workplace skills, with dedicated efforts to place trainees into jobs thereafter. They can approach the career centres located at the Community Development Councils (CDCs) in their districts or the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) to sign up for Workfare-Skill Up.

Workers without employers' support for training, can also benefit from course fee funding support at CET Centres. They will also be eligible for the Training Commitment Award when they complete training (if they meet the WIS criteria). However, as absentee payroll is meant to help employers defray the manpower costs incurred when they send workers for training, workers who sign up for training on their own do not qualify for absentee payroll.

For a self-employed person, you will enjoy the higher WTS course fee funding support if you produce the WTS letter issued by WDA or other income documentation as per below at the CET Centres when you sign up for WSQ and/or ES WSQ courses. The CET Centre(s) will advise you on the nett course fee you have to pay.

a. Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) eligibility letter from CPFB; or

b. IRAS Notice of Assessment for Personal Income Tax; or

Make an income declaration at SingPost [Acknowledgement receipt for CPF Income Declaration for Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) / Self Employment Persons (SEP)].

To qualify for the Training Commitment Award (TCA), the worker must fulfil the following criteria:

a. Be a Singapore citizen

b. Be a recipient of the Workfare Income Supplement scheme  

c. Have at least two Statements of Attainment (SOAs) for WSQ and/or ES WSQ courses which are obtained within a one-year rolling period, beginning 1 Jul 2010, and/or a full WSQ qualification from 1 Jul 2010 onwards.

The total TCA that a worker can receive in one year is $400.

The first Training Commitment Award payout, which is a one-off recognition of low-waged workers recent training efforts, recognises a maximum of two WSQ Statements of Attainment (SOAs) or one WSQ full qualification attained between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2010. Each recipient will receive $200.

For subsequent payouts, the WIS recipient must achieved at least two Statements of Attainment (SOAs) for WSQ and/or ES WSQ courses which are obtained within a one-year rolling period starting 1 Jul 2010, and/or a full WSQ qualification from 1 Jul 2010 onwards.

TCA will be paid together with the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS). All eligible recipients will receive a Workfare letter informing them of their TCA and WIS payment details.

TCA, which is paid in cash, will be credited to the recipients' bank accounts. If one does not have a bank account, he will receive a cheque by post. To receive the TCA cash payment in his bank account, he may change his payment mode by downloading and mailing the completed application form to

Workfare Section
Self-Employed Scheme & Workfare Department
CPF Building
79 Robinson Road
Singapore 068897

No, it will be paid to you automatically along with your Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) entitlement, as long as you fulfil the eligibility criteria for Training Commitment Award and WIS. There is no need to apply.

The Training Commitment Award (TCA) will be paid to you automatically, along with your Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) entitlement, provided you have fulfilled the eligibility criteria for both TCA and WIS.