Introduction

The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) launches the Love Upgrading Special Scheme 3 (Scheme) in January 2021 to support the unemployed or underemployed to upgrade their skills for self-enhancement and employment.

Service Target
  • Those unemployed1, underemployed2 or are required to take no-pay leave3 on or after 1 June 2019;
  • No restriction on industry and educational attainment. Applicants should be eligible employees of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)4; and
  • Applicants should meet the entry requirements of individual courses.
Application Arrangement Each eligible trainee may apply up to 4 training courses with no more than 2 full-time vocational skills courses5
Application Period 1 January to 30 June 2021
Training Period On or before 30 September 2021
Special Allowance Eligible trainees who have completed a course under the Scheme with attendance rate of 60% will be disbursed special allowance. The special allowance for full-time courses is $223 per day (on basis of 2 sessions a day, 4 hours per session) and that for part-time courses is $111.5 per day (on basis of 1 session a day, 4 hours per session). The maximum amount of allowance payable monthly to a trainee is $5,800.
Placement Follow-up Service Eligible trainees who have completed the full-time vocational skills courses will be provided with 3 to 6 months' placement follow-up service, including employment counseling, job referral, etc.
  1. From being employed / self-employed to unemployed, or become non-engaged (fail to engage in employment after finishing study or graduation).
  2. The amount of work / working hours / income from employment or self-employment in the month of course application is 80% or less than that in any one of the previous 3 months.
  3. Taking leave without pay for at least 4 days per month in any 1 month at employer's request.
  4. Applicants should be lawfully employable and not subject to conditions of stay, including permanent residents of the HKSAR and new arrivals.
  5. Including the courses applied in the period of 3 October 2019 to 31 December 2020 under the Love Upgrading Special Scheme, and courses offered through enterprise-based training under the Scheme.