Aviation sector to get additional S$130m in wage support for the next 6 months

THE aviation sector will get an additional S$130 million in wage support from the government for the next six months, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) in a statement on Monday.

The Aviation Workforce Retention Grant will offer eligible companies 30 per cent support of the first S$4,600 of gross monthly wages paid to each local employee from October to December 2021, and 10 per cent support of the first S$4,600 of gross monthly wages paid to each local employee from January to March 2022.

CAAS expects the grant will benefit more than 100 companies in the sector.

Companies in the hard-hit aviation sector had reduced manpower to adjust to the decreased air travel activity, with total passenger traffic movements at Changi Airport at 3.6 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels as at September, CAAS said.

Noting that the aviation sector has seen some growth after the launch of the Vaccinated Travel Lane, director-general of CAAS Han Kok Juan said: "The extension of the Aviation Workforce Retention Grant will help aviation companies tide over this difficult time and retain and rebuild core capabilities to position for recovery."

On top of the wage support, companies in the sector will continue to receive training support through the Enhanced Training Support Package and also receive cost relief as part of the OneAviation Support Package.

The grant was first introduced in the Budget this year as part of the S$870 million OneAviation Support Package, and had offered wage support to companies in the sector from April to September.

CAAS said it will provide more information to eligible companies in due course.

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