In a statement, the ministry said the government had agreed to allocate RM50 million for the pilot project involving 1,000 employers, which will run from June until August.

“The selected company will receive incentives of up to RM200 per month for each entry-level employee and up to RM300 per month for each non-entry-level employee.

“Entry-level employees are those in their first year of service with the company, while non-entry-level employees must have held a position in the company for more than a year. Employers can start claiming the incentives from June 2024,” it said in a statement.

The ministry added that companies need to provide documentation confirming that their employees have attended and completed at least 21 hours of upskilling or training programmes.

For now, the pilot project will involve five sectors: construction, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, repairs for cars and motorcycles, information and communication, as well as professional, scientific and technical activities.

In November, economy minister Rafizi Ramli tabled a white paper detailing the government’s progressive wage policy, targeting workers who earn less than RM5,000 per month.

He said the programme looked to solve various issues, including employees seeking better opportunities despite having received training on the company’s dime.