7,200 applied for Jobseeker Support but over half failed to meet eligibility criteria

Between April and August, over 7,200 Singaporeans applied for the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme, which provides up to $6,000 over six months to people who have lost their jobs.

- Tay Hong Yi

Almost 2,900 applications — or 40 per cent — were approved, but the remaining 60 per cent were rejected for failing to meet the eligibility criteria, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng said in a written parliamentary reply on Sept 23.

The top three reasons for unsuccessful applications were: applicants were not involuntarily unemployed; their past average monthly income exceeded $5,000; and they had not worked at least six months in the past 12 months, he added.

Dr Tan was responding to several questions regarding the scheme raised by MPs Edward Chia (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC), Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah (Jalan Besar GRC) and Elysa Chen (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC).

"We have held the line in these cases, as the (scheme) is meant to support those made unemployed involuntarily due to reasons such as retrenchment, cessation of business, dismissal or termination due to illness, injury or accident, rather than those who have chosen to leave," he said.