The Mid-Career Pathways Programme (MCPP) is a Singapore Government programme run by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) and administered by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF). It lets Singapore-registered organisations host Singapore Citizens and PRs aged 40 and above on full-time attachments of four to six months. Trainees receive a monthly attachment allowance of S$1,800 to S$3,800, of which the Government funds 70% and the host pays 30%. In return, the host must have a real vacancy and commit to hiring the trainee for at least 12 months if their performance is satisfactory.
Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.
What is the Mid-Career Pathways Programme?
The MCPP is a structured way to “try before you hire” an experienced mid-career candidate who is moving into a new role or industry. The trainee joins on a full-time attachment rather than as an employee from day one, follows a development plan you set, and receives an approved monthly allowance. If the attachment goes well, you convert the trainee into a permanent role or a contract of at least 12 months.
The programme is listed on OurWorkforce, SWDA’s employer portal. SWDA was formed on 1 July 2026 from the merger of SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore, so older material may still refer to WSG. Our article on what the SWDA merger means for employer training grants explains the change.
The MCPP is different from the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs), under which you employ the person from the start and receive salary support while you retrain them. Our employer’s guide to the Career Conversion Programme explains how CCPs work, so you can compare the two.
Who can host trainees?
Host organisations must meet all of the following:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Registration | Registered or incorporated in Singapore. This includes SMEs, multinationals, trade associations and chambers, NGOs and non-profit organisations. |
| Attachment length | Offer attachments of four to six months. |
| Development plan | Provide a clear attachment description and development plan that gives the trainee meaningful development, subject to approval by the programme manager. |
| Co-funding | Pay 30% of the attachment allowance for the duration of the attachment. |
| Headcount | Have the headcount available, and commit to converting the trainee into full-time employment (permanent, or a contract of at least 12 months) by the end of the attachment if their performance is satisfactory. |
| Pay on conversion | Pay the same or a higher fixed monthly salary than the attachment allowance on conversion. Fixed monthly salary means basic salary and fixed monthly allowances, excluding employer CPF. |
Who can be a trainee?
The programme is open to all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents aged 40 and above. A host cannot take on:
- Its current employees, or immediate ex-employees (anyone whose last job, full-time or part-time, was with the company in the six months before joining the programme).
- Shareholders of the organisation or its related entities, including anyone who becomes an employee or shareholder during the programme.
- Anyone already offered an employment contract by the organisation, or whose offer was withdrawn.
- Relatives of the organisation’s owners, shareholders, or employees who can make or influence the hiring decision (such as hiring managers and HR officers).
These rules stop companies from moving people they would have hired anyway onto subsidised attachments. Check them before you approach a candidate you already know.
How much funding does the host receive?
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly attachment allowance paid to the trainee | S$1,800 to S$3,800, depending on the approved scope |
| Government funding | 70% of the monthly allowance (up to S$2,660 a month at S$3,800) |
| Host contribution | 30% of the monthly allowance (up to S$1,140 a month at S$3,800) |
| Early conversion | Subsidies continue for trainees converted early, if they have completed at least three months of the attachment |
The host pays the full allowance to the trainee every month. SBF then reimburses the Government’s 70% share quarterly. Claims cannot be made monthly.
What you cannot pay
Hosts must keep to the approved allowance. Bonuses, discretionary goodwill payments, extra allowances and overtime pay are not allowed, even if the host bears the cost itself. You may reimburse transport or meal expenses against receipts, but those costs are not covered by the 70% funding.
How do you apply?
- Submit the application. Apply through the link on SWDA’s MCPP page. SWDA estimates about 20 minutes for the interest submission.
- Prepare the application documents. Use SBF’s Attachment Details template and Development Plan template for each attachment you propose.
- Prepare verification documents. These include a recent CPF Records of Payment (ROP) 90 report dated within two months of application, and an ACRA BizFile profile dated within six months, plus documents confirming the contact person and senior management.
- Post the role on MyCareersFuture. After approval, you have up to three months to shortlist and select candidates from your MyCareersFuture posting and submit their documents to SBF.
- Wait for SBF to approve the trainee. Only start the attachment after SBF approves the selected trainee.
- Pay the allowance monthly and claim quarterly from SBF.
- Convert the trainee. Update SBF and provide the employment contract before you submit the related claim.
Using MyCareersFuture also helps with your general hiring records. Our article on the Fair Consideration Framework explains when job advertising on MyCareersFuture is required for other hires.
Documents checklist
- Attachment Details form (SBF template)
- Development Plan (SBF template)
- CPF Records of Payment (ROP) 90, within two months of the application date
- ACRA BizFile, within six months of the application date
- Details of the company contact person and senior management
- Proof of available headcount for the role
- Later: the trainee’s documents for SBF approval, monthly allowance payment records, and the employment contract on conversion
Example: a distributor hiring an operations planner
Example: A medical supplies distributor wants an operations planner. It shortlists a 47-year-old Singapore Citizen who spent 20 years in hotel operations and wants to move into supply chain. SBF approves a six-month attachment with a monthly allowance of S$3,500.
| Per month | Over six months | |
|---|---|---|
| Allowance paid by the host to the trainee | S$3,500 | S$21,000 |
| Government share (70%), reimbursed quarterly by SBF | S$2,450 | S$14,700 |
| Host’s net cost (30%) | S$1,050 | S$6,300 |
After four months the trainee is performing well, so the company converts her early to a permanent role at S$3,800 a month. Because she completed at least three months, the company continues to receive the attachment allowance subsidy for her, and her salary meets the “same or higher” rule. The figures are illustrative; SBF and SWDA confirm the actual amounts.
Common reasons applications and claims fail
- No real vacancy. You must show available headcount and commit to hiring.
- An excluded trainee, such as a recent ex-employee, a shareholder or a relative of a decision-maker.
- A thin development plan. The programme manager approves attachments with meaningful development, not general labour.
- Paying more than the approved allowance, including overtime or bonuses.
- Converting at a lower salary than the allowance, or on a contract shorter than 12 months. If conversion requirements are not met, the final tranche of subsidy is withheld.
- Not converting a satisfactory trainee. Further funding for the host may be denied.
- Out-of-date documents, such as a CPF ROP 90 older than two months.
Frequently asked questions
Is the trainee our employee during the attachment?
The programme describes the trainee as being on a full-time attachment with an attachment allowance, and conversion to full-time employment happens at or before the end. SWDA’s MCPP page does not set out the CPF or employment law treatment of the attachment period, so check with SBF before you finalise your paperwork.
Can we host more than one trainee?
Yes, if you have the headcount to convert each of them and propose an attachment and development plan for each role.
Can a foreign-owned company host?
Yes, if it is registered or incorporated in Singapore. The trainee must be a Singapore Citizen or PR aged 40 or above.
What if the trainee is not suitable?
The hiring commitment applies if the trainee’s training and performance are assessed as satisfactory during the attachment. Keep clear records of objectives, feedback and progress against the development plan so that any decision is well documented.
Who do we contact about claims?
SBF handles claims. Its published contact for claim queries is [email protected].
Where the MCPP fits among other hiring grants
For an overview of hiring, training and enterprise schemes, see our directory of Singapore government grants for companies. If you are hiring your first staff, our first employee compliance checklist covers the paperwork that follows conversion. The official sources are SWDA’s Mid-Career Pathways Programme page on OurWorkforce and the MCPP factsheet for host organisations.
Information checked against official sources on 6 November 2026.
Free grant consultation: is the MCPP right for your company?
Raffles Corporate Services has in-house certified grant consultants who are experienced with Singapore grant applications and the full grant process, from checking eligibility and preparing the proposal and supporting documents to submitting claims and meeting the conditions after approval. We can arrange a free consultation to review your company and identify which grants, including the MCPP, may be applicable.
Email [email protected] or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133 to book a time. SWDA and its programme partner SBF decide every application, and no consultant can guarantee approval.
Rachel Sim, Raffles Corporate Services