the Job Growth Incentive (JGI) was a program introduced by the Singapore government in response to the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The JGI encourages employers to expand their local workforce by providing wage subsidies for hiring new local employees.
Key features of the Job Growth Incentive included:
Eligibility: Eligible employers who hired additional local employees between September 2020 and September 2021, compared to their staff count as of August 2020. The employees hired had to be Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents.
Wage Subsidy: The JGI provided a subsidy for qualifying new local hires. For employees below 40, the subsidy covered up to 25% of their monthly wages for 12 months. For employees 40 and above, the subsidy covers up to 50% of their monthly wages for the same duration.
Payment: The wage subsidies were paid quarterly to eligible employers upon verifying the new hires’ employment status and fulfilment of other program requirements.
Extension: Initially set to end in September 2021, the JGI was extended for six months until March 2022 to provide continued support for job creation and retention efforts amid ongoing economic challenges.