Objective:
To assist businesses in upskilling their employees to improve their productivity for recovery phase.
The training subsidy is based on minimum wage for 35hrs/weekly over an additional period of 3 months, available only to those businesses qualified for the wage subsidy. Employees have to be enrolled in an official training by the 1 July 2020 and to commence by 30 July 2020. If training has occurred prior to these dates, the payment will only be available from 1 July 2020, not prior.
All training courses must be endorsed or provided by an approved training entity and must run for a period of at least two months, at a minimum of 10 hours per week. Courses may include those provided through the Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute, University of the South Pacific, and other courses offered by recognised official organisations, such as those offered by online institutions.
Businesses will be required to submit copies of a certificate of completion for all employees for which they have received the training subsidy.
Eligibility:
- Registered Employer/Self-Employed/Sole-traders whose business and staff has been affected by the impact of Covid-19.
- Staff members are duly registered in an official training program before the 01 July 2020 and commence by 30 July 2020.
Application process:
- Employer to access their CINSF account and register their bank account number, confirm the number of staff on a training program and upload proof of registration.
- Once application reviewed, payment will be done directly to the Employer’s account.
- Employer to deduct PAYE and CINSF contributions and transfer net payments to Employees.
- Employer to submit a declaration of training subsidy through their CINSF account every fortnight to release next payment.
- Office support will be strictly limited. Support available on 29365 or email [email protected]
Conditions:
- Minimum wage of $7.60 for 35hrs weekly over three months. This is intended to kick in after expiration of the 3 months wage subsidy, so available as from 1st July 2020.
- Official training program : Courses by Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute, Courses by USP, Learning English for the workforce offered by INTAFF, courses offered by recognised official organisations.
- Duration of the Course must be at minimum 10 hours weekly over at least 2 months.
- Certificate of completion for each employee to be provided to MFEM at the end of the course
- Payments to be done at mid-month covering that monthly period.
- Businesses must be registered with CINSF and MFEM Revenue Management