Singapore could introduce unemployment support as early as Budget 2023

Proposed in 2021 by tripartite partners, such a scheme might be restricted to older or lower-income workers

Tessa Oh

Published Mon, Jan 30, 2023 · 05:50 AM

BUDGET 2023 - to be delivered in Parliament on Feb 14 - could include unemployment support for retrenched workers, though this may only cover a fixed period of joblessness and be for vulnerable workers, said economists.

In 2021, “unemployment income support” was one of nine recommendations by a taskforce formed by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) to better support professionals, managers and executives (PMEs).

After NTUC reiterated its call for this last November, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said the government is “looking very carefully” at how to structure such a scheme.

Such comments suggest some form of unemployment support is in the works, and could be announced as early a…