If your company has not used its SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit yet, you are leaving $10,000 on the table. SFEC can cover AI training for your entire team — and when stacked with Absentee Payroll funding, your company could pay $0 out-of-pocket.
What Is SFEC?
The SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) is a one-off $10,000 credit given to eligible Singapore-registered businesses. It is designed to encourage companies to invest in workforce development — including skills training, job redesign, and enterprise transformation.
To qualify, your company must have at least 3 local employees (Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents contributing to CPF). Most SMEs in Singapore have already been auto-credited with the $10,000 — but many have not used it.
SFEC can be used to pay for course fees, absentee payroll top-ups, and other workforce development expenses. The credit is applied after other subsidies (like the SSG subsidy) have been deducted, which means it stretches further than you might expect.
Which AI Training Programmes Qualify?
At Vertical Institute, both corporate AI training programmes are SSG-funded and eligible for SFEC claims:
- Generative AI Training — 21 hours, WSQ-certified. Covers AI fundamentals, prompt engineering, content generation, and practical business applications. Base fee: $1,650 per participant (+GST).
- AI Workflow Automation Training — 21 hours, WSQ-certified. Covers automating business processes with AI, building custom workflows, and integrating AI tools into daily operations. Base fee: $1,300 per participant (+GST).
Both programmes are conducted as live instructor-led sessions (in-person or online synchronous). They are registered with SSG and appear on the SkillsFuture Biz Exchange portal for corporate claims.
Step-by-Step — How to Claim SFEC
The SFEC claim process is handled by the company, not the individual employee. Here is how it works:
- Log in to SkillsFuture Biz Exchange — Go to sfbx.skillsfuture.gov.sg and sign in with your company Corppass.
- Check your SFEC balance — The dashboard shows your available SFEC credit and expiry date.
- Register your staff for training — Contact Vertical Institute to enrol your team members in the chosen AI training programme.
- Submit the SFEC claim on the portal — After course completion, submit the claim on SFBX. You will need the course details and proof of completion.
- Credit is deducted automatically — The approved amount is deducted from your $10,000 SFEC balance. Any remaining balance can be used for future training.
Worked Example — 5 Staff, Generative AI Training
Here is what it looks like when a company sends 5 employees for Generative AI Training:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Full fee (5 pax × $1,798.50) | $8,992.50 |
| SSG subsidy (70%) | −$5,775.00 |
| Nett after subsidy | $3,217.50 |
| SFEC claim (from $10K balance) | −$3,217.50 |
| Remaining SFEC balance | $6,782.50 |
| Absentee Payroll (5 pax × 21 hrs × $4.50/hr) | +$472.50 back to company |
| Company pays | $0 + receives $472.50 |
That is 5 employees trained in AI, fully funded, with the company actually receiving money back through Absentee Payroll.
Can You Stack SFEC with Other Subsidies?
Yes — and you should. The typical stacking order for maximum savings is:
- SSG subsidy (automatic, up to 70% off) — Applied automatically when you register for an SSG-funded course. This reduces the base fee before any other credits are applied.
- SFEC (covers remaining course fees) — After the SSG subsidy, apply your SFEC balance to cover the nett fee. Most companies have more than enough SFEC to cover a team of 5–10 staff.
- Absentee Payroll (salary offset, paid back to company) — On top of the fee subsidies, your company can claim Absentee Payroll at $4.50 per training hour per employee. This is money paid back to the company to offset the salary cost of employees being away from work during training.
This three-layer stacking is how companies achieve $0 out-of-pocket — or even come out ahead — for AI training.
Common Mistakes Employers Make
- Not realising they have SFEC. Many companies were auto-credited and never checked. Log in to the SFBX portal with Corppass to see your balance.
- Claiming after the SFEC expiry date. SFEC has an expiry date that varies by company. If you miss it, the $10,000 is forfeited. Check your expiry on the SFBX dashboard.
- Forgetting to stack with Absentee Payroll. Many companies claim SFEC for course fees but forget to submit a separate claim for Absentee Payroll. That is free money left on the table.
- Sending staff for non-SSG-funded courses. Only courses registered with SSG qualify for SFEC. Non-approved courses, overseas programmes, and informal workshops are not eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if my company has SFEC?
Log in to the SkillsFuture Biz Exchange (sfbx.skillsfuture.gov.sg) with Corppass. Your SFEC balance is shown on the dashboard. Most Singapore-registered companies with 3 or more local employees have received the $10,000 credit.
Can SFEC be used for individual employees or only group training?
SFEC can be used for both. You can send one employee or your entire team. The credit is per company, not per person — so it is more cost-effective to train multiple staff. Sending 5 employees for a $1,798.50 course costs only $3,217.50 after the SSG subsidy, leaving you with $6,782.50 in remaining SFEC balance.
What happens if the training cost exceeds my SFEC balance?
You pay the difference out-of-pocket. However, with the SSG subsidy reducing fees by up to 70% first, most companies find that $10,000 in SFEC is more than enough for a team of 5 to 10 staff. For context, training 10 employees in Generative AI costs approximately $6,435 after the SSG subsidy — still within the $10,000 SFEC limit.
Can I combine SFEC with SkillsFuture Credit?
Not for the same person on the same course. SFEC is an employer scheme — the company claims it. SkillsFuture Credit is for self-sponsored individuals. If the company is paying for the training, use SFEC. If the individual is paying on their own, they should use their personal SkillsFuture Credit.
Is there a deadline to use SFEC?
Yes. SFEC has an expiry date that varies by company — check your specific deadline on the SFBX portal. Do not let it lapse. If your credit is expiring soon, AI training for your team is a practical and high-value way to use it before the deadline passes.
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