Employers can apply for employment incentives under the Employment Recruitment Incentives Programme (PenjanaKerjaya) handled by Social Security Organisation (Socso) at www.penjanakerjaya.perkeso.gov.my beginning today, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.

The incentive programme was announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) on June 5, offering financial incentives of between RM600 and RM1,000 to employers for each employee or apprentice employed for up to six months.

Saravanan said the registration of profiles for employers and jobseekers under PenjanaKerjaya had begun on June 15.

"Employers with job vacancies are urged to use the platform provided to obtain incentives for hiring local workers," he said in a statement today.

From June 15 to June 30, the MYFutureJobs portal at 'www.myfuturejobs.gov.my' recorded a daily average of 3,088 new registrations for job seekers and 2,692 job vacancies posted.

"This brings the cumulative total to 113,300 job seekers and nearly 95,400 active job vacancies recorded by MYFutureJobs," he said, adding that the government's initiative was aimed at increasing job opportunities and reducing unemployment.

According to Saravanan, the incentives include financial assistance for employers who hire school leavers, graduates, the unemployed, retired workers, as well as apprentices.

Under the MYApprentice scheme, he said employers were entitled to an incentive of RM600 per apprentice hired.

Meanwhile, under the HireMalaysia scheme, employers hiring unemployed workers under the age of 40 will receive an incentive of RM800 per worker, while those who hired employees between the ages of 40 and 60 or among the disabled would receive RM1,000 per worker.

Saravanan said employers would also benefit further by employing workers under the PenjanaKerjaya programme as these workers could be sent for skills training and development.

Among the courses provided were Industrial Revolution 4.0, cloud computing, cybersecurity, machine learning, logistics, manufacturing, construction, hospitality, and sales and marketing, he said.

Job seekers who have to relocate in order to accept a job offer under PenjanaKerjaya would be given mobility assistance of between RM600 and RM1,000, he added.

Those who require assistance or have any queries may visit any of SOCSO's 54 offices nationwide or call 1-300-22-8000 or 03-8091 5300.

-- BERNAMA