HR Ministry to offer SMEs RM2,000 upfront for internships, faster approvals

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 6): The Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) plans to soon offer an upfront grant of RM2,000 and faster approval timelines to support structured internship placements for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Administered by Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp), SME Industrial Training Matching Grant (LiKES) provides financial assistance to employers taking in local trainees. TalentCorp has allocated RM30 million for the programme between 2024 and 2026.

“The process is fast — only 14 working days compared to 90 days previously,” Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Ramanan Ramakrishnan said during his first official visit to TalentCorp on Tuesday (Jan 6).

Under the revised structure, SMEs and start-ups hiring new interns will receive a one-time payment of RM2,000 per trainee, compared with the previous monthly reimbursement of RM250-RM300, which took up to 90 working days.

Under LiKES, he added that employers would initiate hiring the trainees, coordinate the training, and have the trainees return to the company after completion of the industrial training, ensuring certainty for both parties.

TalentCorp CEO Edward Ling noted that applications for the enhanced LiKES programme are not yet open, with the official launch to be announced once internal processes are finalised.

Launched in May 2024, LiKES was allocated RM30 million over three years and is expected to benefit around 25,000 trainees nationwide.

Kesuma said the programme continues to focus on strengthening entry-level employment pathways and structured industrial training placements for local trainees, particularly within MSMEs, as part of broader efforts to build Malaysia’s talent ecosystem.

Edited By Presenna Nambiar – The Edge Malaysia