The Solidarity Budget was announced on\nApril 6 to help Singapore tide through the four-week \u201ccircuit breaker\u201d\ndistancing measures starting from April 7 2020. This third round comes after\nthe $6.4 billion Unity Budget was announced in February, and the $48.4 billion\nResilience Budget last month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are 6 main measures announced\nduring the third tranche of Covid-19 support schemes to help Singapore tide\nthrough the circuit-breaker period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Jobs Support Scheme will be\nfurther enhanced to include a wage subsidy of 75% for all firms for the first\n$4,600 of wages paid in April this year. This enhancement applies to local\nemployees only. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Previously scheduled for May, the\nfirst payout for this scheme will be brought forward to April. Firms on Giro\nand Paynow will start receiving their payouts in mid-April. The rest will\nreceive it via cheque near end-April. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This salary limit of $4,600 is based\non the nation\u2019s median wage level of full-time employed residents. Deputy Prime\nMinister Heng Swee Keat notes that while firms\u2019 operations will be reduced in\nthe coming weeks, employers should still retain and continue paying their\nworkers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Previously, the Jobs Support Scheme stated\nsubsidises of 25% for all local\nemployees; 50% for food service firms and 75% for aviation and tourism sectors.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read Also: <\/em><\/strong>5 Ways To Show Appreciation For Your Team Who Are Working Remotely<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n To ease labour costs in the four\nweeks of circuit breaker measures, the Solidarity Budget announced a waiver of\nforeign worker levies in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For each work permit or S pass\nholder, a foreign worker levy rebate of $750 will also be provided. Employers\ncan receive these rebates from April 21. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On April 7, a bill will be\nintroduced to ensure property owners pass on the 100% property tax rebate for\nnon-residential properties to their tenants. These rebates were announced\nduring the Resilience Budget and work out to about one month of rent for most\nproperties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This new bill will also allow\nbusinesses and individuals to defer certain contractual obligations, e.g.\npaying rent, repaying loans or completing work, for a certain period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rental waiver for industrial, office and agricultural tenants of government agencies will also be raised to a month, up from the half-month waiver announced during the Resilience Budget. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also :<\/em> 4 Key Things You Need To Know About The COVID-19 Temporary Bill <\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Financing support for enterprises\nwill be further enhanced so that businesses can continue to have access to\ncredit despite the uncertainty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This applies to the Temporary\u00a0Bridging Loan Programme,<\/a> the Enterprise Financing Scheme (SME Working\u00a0Capital Loan)<\/a>, and the Enterprise Financing Scheme (Trade Loan).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government\u2019s risk share will be\nraised to 90% \u2013 up from 80% previously \u2013 for loans initiated from April 8 this\nyear till March 31 next year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also : <\/em><\/strong>Singapore Budget 2020: How The Enterprise Financing Scheme (EFS) Can Help SMEs In Singapore During This Difficult Period<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Previously, the Self-Employed Person\nIncome Relief Scheme excluded those living in properties with an annual value\nof more than $13,000 and those who earned any income as employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This income relief scheme will\ndisburse $9,000 in cash over nine months to those who are eligible. In the\nSolidarity budget, this scheme was broadened to include those who also earn a\nsmall income from employment work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Those who live in some condominiums\nor other private properties may also be eligible, as the annual value threshold\nwill be raised from $13,000 to $21,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n About 100,000 will automatically be\neligible for the scheme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n#2 April\u2019s Foreign Worker Levy Waived, With $750 Rebate Per Work Permit Or S Pass Holder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#3 Law To Ensure Property Tax\nRebates Are Passed On To Tenants<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#4 Government Risk Share Of Loans Raised From 80% To 90%<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#5 Income Relief For Self-Employed People With Some Employment Income Or Higher Property Annual Value <\/h3>\n\n\n\n