Singapore extends the "Workforce Retention Grant" (AWRG) for aviation sector by six months, ending at March 2022 !

Employers in the aviation sector will get six more months of "Aviation Workforce Retention Grant" (AWRG) for their workers to help them tide over the continuing Covid-19 pandemic.

• Apart from wage support, aviation companies will also continue to receive training support as part of the Enhanced Training Support Package.
• CAAS will provide more information to eligible companies in due course.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said Monday ,

 The Government will extend the Aviation Workforce Retention Grant (AWRG) by six months to help aviation companies preserve core capabilities and position for recovery.  

 According to CAAS, Eligible companies will receive: 

• 30% support of the first $4,600 of gross monthly wages paid to each local employee from October to December 2021; and 

• 10% support of the first $4,600 of gross monthly wages paid to each local employee from January to March 2022. 

CAAS believes that, the grant is expected to benefit over 100 companies in the aviation sector and will cost the Government about S$130 million.

CAAS concluded , COVID-19 has decimated air travel, and at September 2021, total passenger traffic at Changi Airport is 3.6 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels. Consequently, aviation companies have reduced manpower in response to adjust to the decreased air travel activity.

 Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said: “The aviation sector is seeing some green shoots of growth with the successful launch of the Vaccinated Travel Lane to Germany and Brunei and plans to extend it to other countries and regions.

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.”  

The AWRG was introduced in Budget 2021 as part of the OneAviation Support Package to provide targeted support for the aviation sector and safeguard Singapore’s position as an aviation hub. 

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

Workers can also make use of the Singapore OneAviation Reskilling grant to undergo competency and reskilling training and enhance productivity.