1.1 Why did HRD Corp enhance the Allowable Cost Matrix (ACM)?

The terms and conditions of the ACM was enhanced to provide greater ease, convenience, and flexibility to HRD Corp Registered Employers in submitting their grants and claims applications. This will in turn enable them to utilise their levy more effectively, allowing for more employees to participate in training programmes.

1.2 Will the ACM enhancements affect approval given before 1st November 2024?

No. This enhancement is applicable to all NEW grant submitted on or after 1st November 2024. Any submission before 1st November 2024 will be processed based on existing terms and conditions.

1.3 Focus Area Courses and Industry-Specific Courses

1.3.1 What are Industry-Specific Courses?

Industry Specific Courses are training course designed to provide targeted training and skills development tailored to the needs of a particular industry. These courses focus on the specific knowledge, techniques, and tools relevant to a particular industry, to meet the current and future industry standards and requirements. Courses under this category are limited to a specific industry only.

1.3.2 How are courses evaluated and determined as a Focus Area or an Industry-Specific Course?

Courses will go through a verification process which will be reviewed and evaluated by the Industry Experts Committee (IEC). The evaluation is based on the criteria set by HRD Corp.

1.3.3 How is the course verification process conducted?

Training Providers may refer to the following course verification process flow:

1.3.5 What is the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for Focus Area and Industry Specific courses registration process?

The SLA is within ten (10) working days from the date of the submission to HRD Corp.

1.3.6 How will the training provider be notified on the completion of the course verification process?

Upon the successful completion of the verification process by HRD Corp, the Training Provider will receive an email notification on the status of the submitted application. The email will contain an acknowledgement letter for training courses that are acknowledged as Focus Area or Industry-Specific by the Industry Experts.

1.3.7 What would happen if a course submitted for verification is not acknowledged as a Focus Area/Industry Specific?

If a course submitted for verification is not acknowledged as a focus area/industry specific, the training provider will be notified of the unsuccessful verification. They will be advised to proceed to register the course as a General Course. Alternatively, the training provider may enhance the course content to meet the requirements of focus area/industry specific course and resubmit for verification as new application.

1.3.8 After receiving the Acknowledgement Letter, what should the Training Provider do next?

The Training Provider may proceed with course registration in the system under the Focus Area or Industry-Specific categories. The Training Provider is required to attach the Acknowledgement Letter in the submission for approval.

1.3.9 What would cause the applications for Focus Area or Industry-Specific courses to be queried by Industry Experts?

Industry Experts may query an application if the elements in the course content did not meet the evaluation criteria set by HRD Corp and need further improvement. The areas for improvement will be communicated to the Training Provider via email.

1.3.10 Is there a specific duration for the Training Provider to resubmit the application after being queried?

Training Providers may enhance/update the course template and resubmit by replying to the queried email within 30 days from the date of the query. Alternatively, the Training Provider may proceed to register their training programme as a General Course with HRD Corp.

1.3.11 Where can training providers find guidelines on the course verification process?

Training Providers may access the Course Verification guideline available on the HRD Corp Claimable Course page on the HRD Corp official website.

1.3.12 Is there a specific channel for Employers and Training Providers to seek clarification?

Employers and Training Providers may email their enquiries on the course verification process to tcqasupport@hrdcorp.gov.my.

2.1 If Company A would like to conduct an inhouse training for five (5) hours only, what is the claimable course fee under the new enhancement?

At present, Employers can claim their course fee based on four (4) hours as half day training and seven (7) hours as full day training. Full implementation of hourly bases fee will only be effective on 1st January 2025 onwards.

Based on the above, Company A may claim a course fee based on half day eligibility only i.e., four (4) training hours even though the training was conducted for 5 hours. Hence, the calculation of the eligibility is as follows:

RM1,500/hour/group x 4 hours = RM6,000/group

If the training is conducted for a maximum of seven (7) hours, then the Company A may claim the following:

RM1,500/hour/group x 7 hours = RM10,500/group/day

2.2 What is the course fee claimable if a training is conducted for longer than seven (7) hours in a day?

Scenario 1

Syarikat ABC Sdn Bhd is sending two (2) trainees to join a two-day public remote online training (ROT) programme on social media marketing. The total hours for the two-day programme are 18 hours (9 hours/day). The claimable course fee is calculated as below:

Hence, RM1,750 x 2 days x 2 pax = RM8,750

Scenario 2

Syarikat ABC Sdn. Bhd. is organising a three-day inhouse team building (face-to-face) training programme for 20 trainees (1 group).

Therefore, total course fee is:RM10, 500 x 2.5 days x 1 group = RM26,250

3.1 What is the maximum internal trainer’s allowance for inhouse training?

The maximum claimable internal trainer allowance (face to face/ROT) is RM1,400/day/group for a full day programme (i.e., 7 hours) and RM800/day/group for a half day programme (i.e., 4 hours).

3.2 What is the meal and trainee/trainer allowance under allowable cost matrix?

The new allowances under the new enhancement are:

3.2.1 For in-house/public training, please refer to the table below:

Scenario 1

Syarikat ABC Sdn. Bhd. (HQ) and their branches are conducting inhouse training at their HQ premise in Kuala Lumpur. The total number of trainees for this training are 42 pax (30 from HQ, 7 from Sabah branch and 5 from Selangor Branch (less than 100 KM from HQ).

Below are the claimable amount for trainees' allowances for HQ and branches:

1. Meal Allowance = 30 trainees x RM100 = RM3,000
   
2. Trainee Allowance (From Sabah) = 7 trainees x RM500 = RM3,500
   
3. Trainee Allowance (From Selangor) = 5 trainees x RM250 = RM1,250
   

Scenario 2

Syarikat ABC Sdn. Bhd a company based in Johor Bahru is sending two (2) staffs to attend a public training programme in Penang. It is a one-day programme. Since the distance to the training location is above 100KM and the trainees decided to travel 1 day earlier, below are the eligibilities:

1. Trainee Allowance: RM500/day/pax x 2 pax = RM1,000
   
2. Travel day Allowance: RM500/day/pax x 2 pax = RM1,000
   

(The Employer is required to indicate the Travel Day in the system should they wish to claim for it and HRD Corp may request supporting documents to confirm the said Travel Day)

The air fare to Pulau Pinang: As per charged, should they decide to go by flight.

4.1 What is the maximum number of trainees allowed in one (1) group?

The maximum number of trainees per group is 50 trainees for soft skills and 25 trainees for technical skills.

4.2 What is the minimum number of trainees allowed in one (1) group?

The minimum number of trainees per group is two (2) and the course fee will be prorated if less there are than five (5) trainees per group.

Scenario 1

Employer conducts one (1) full day of inhouse training using an external Training Provider for four (4) trainees.

Employer’s eligibility is as below:

1. RM10,500/5 trainees = RM2,100/trainee x 4 trainees = RM8,400/day/group
   

Scenario 2

Employer conducts half (0.5) day (4 hours) inhouse training using an external Training Provider for three (3) trainees. Employer’s eligibility is as below:

1. RM6,000/5 trainees = RM1,200/trainee x 3 trainees= RM3,600/day/group

Scenario 3

Employer A and Employer B conduct a full day inhouse training under Skim Latihan Bersama (SLB) where two (2) trainees from each company attend training in one group using an external training provider.

The total eligibility for both companies are as follows:

1. RM10,500/5 trainees = RM2,100/trainee x 4 trainees = RM8,400/day/group
   

The cost sharing between Employer A and Employer B are as follows: