The Minister of Labor, Dr. Khaled Al-Bakkar, announced on Sunday the completion of the restructuring of the National Employment Program after the Project Management Unit fulfilled all technical and procedural requirements related to the restructuring. The implementation of the accompanying procedures will begin tomorrow.

Al-Bakkar confirmed that the restructuring was based on a comprehensive evaluation conducted with beneficiary groups, including private sector establishments, as well as employed and resigned individuals. Data was collected through surveys, specialized visits, and direct meetings with stakeholders, which helped build a clear and practical vision for developing the program.

He stated that the program duration was extended until July 31, 2028, adding 31 months to increase Jordanian employment, reduce operational costs on the private sector, complete planned activities, achieve developmental goals, and support the employment of new youth categories.

To allow workers in the program to further develop the skills required to meet labor market needs and thus increase their productivity and job sustainability, the wage support period for all establishments was extended from 6 to 9 months.

The minister explained that one result of the restructuring was expanding the target age group from 18-40 years to 18-45 years, along with improving benefits provided to private sector establishments and workers.

He added that the wage support amount was increased from 130 to 145 Jordanian dinars per month for 9 months. The program also provides transportation allowances of 10 dinars monthly for males and 15 dinars for females, to encourage work and increase women’s economic participation for 9 months. Additionally, the program increased its contribution to social security subscriptions for workers from 10 to 12 dinars monthly for 9 months.

Al-Bakkar noted that the restructuring raised the transportation allowance for beneficiaries of the National Aid Fund from 10 to 30 dinars as an incentive to reach workplaces and ensure continuity.

He emphasized that, out of the ministry’s keenness to support unemployed persons with disabilities and encourage employers to hire them, the wage support period for them was increased to 12 months through special support different from that of other workers.

The program also allocated new support lasting 12 months instead of 9 for youth who graduated from the Vocational Training Corporation and hold a profession or the “BTEC” system, an international vocational and technical education system focusing on practical and applied skills aimed at preparing graduates with advanced technical and technological skills for the labor market.

The minister pointed out that all current program beneficiaries will receive the new support. Those who previously benefited from the wage support program but did not complete the support period and moved to another establishment are allowed to complete the remaining support period at the new establishment, provided the total months do not exceed the approved support duration.

Regarding new program features, Al-Bakkar said a “Job Seekers Capacity Building” axis was added, giving registered job seekers on the national employment platform (Sajjil) the opportunity to enhance their skills in CV writing, job interviews, and using technology for job searching, ensuring accurate data and seriousness in obtaining job opportunities.

He confirmed that the restructuring allows training companies to communicate with private sector establishments to assess their staffing needs, train job seekers, and employ them through the National Employment Program platform. A mechanism was established for accepting training companies and granting them financial rights based on each trainee employed.

The minister explained that the program provides support to self-employed individuals (entrepreneurs) to grow their businesses and increase earning capacity through guidance and on-the-job training. This support is crucial for business continuity, especially in the early months of the project, noting that many programs provide support to startups through grants and pre-launch training.

Al-Bakkar added that emerging entrepreneurial project owners are allowed to register for the “Training and Guidance” axis, which offers on-the-job training and guidance to owners of small, micro, and medium enterprises to support their growth and expansion. Training covers areas such as product marketing, accounting, manufacturing, and more. Additionally, a number of workers are allocated to benefit from wage support after completing the training and guidance period.

The minister called on private sector establishments and owners of small, micro, and medium enterprises to benefit from the program’s advantages through the national employment platform “Sajjil” https://sajjil.gov.jo/ .