3 Key Changes In The HRD Corp Allowable Cost Matrix For Claimable Courses
On October 21, 2024, HRD Corp shared an important circular outlining updates to their Allowable Cost Matrix.

While it covers various HRD Corp training schemes, we’d like to highlight changes affecting HRD Corp Claimable Courses, Skim Bantuan Latihan (SBL), and Skim Latihan Bersama (SLB).
As these are HRD Corp’s most popular programmes, this is where companies will feel the greatest impact on their training budgets and HRD fund usage.
Here’s how we’ll break it down:
- changes to course fees
- changes to number of pax
- changes to allowances
- claims for e-learning programmes
- when the changes will be implemented, and
- implications for employers
Let’s begin.
Course fee changes
Course Type | Training Type | Previous Terms | New Terms |
---|---|---|---|
General | In-house (Face-to-Face) | Max RM6,000 / day / group | Max RM10,500 / day / group (full day = 7 hours) Max RM6,000 / half day / group (half day = 4 hours) |
In-house (Remote Online) | Max RM700 / day / pax | Max RM700 / day / pax | |
Public (Face-to-Face) | Max RM1,300 / pax / day | Max RM1,750 / day / pax Max RM1,000 / half day / group (half day = 4 hours) | |
Public (Remote Online) | Max RM700 / pax / day | Max RM1,750 / day / pax Max RM1,000 / half day / group (half day = 4 hours) | |
E-learning | Max RM700 / pax / day | Max RM875 / day / pax (RM125 / hour / pax) | |
Internal Trainer Allowance | Face-to-Face | Max RM1,000 / day / group | Max RM1,400/day/group (full day = 7 training hours) Max RM800 / day / pax (half day = 4 training hours) |
Remote Online | |||
Focus Area Courses* | In-house (Face-to-Face) | Max RM8,000 / day / group | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance |
In-house (Remote Online) | Max RM8,000 / day / group | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance | |
Public (Face-to-Face) | Max RM3,000/pax/day | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance | |
Public (Remote Online) | Max RM2,000 / day / pax | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance | |
Industry Specific Courses | In-house (Face-to-Face) | Max RM28,000 / day / group | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance |
In-house (Remote Online) | Max RM28,000 / day / group | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance | |
Public (Face-to-Face) | Max RM6,000 / pax / day | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance | |
Public (Remote Online) | Max RM3,000 / day / pax | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance | |
Professional Certification Courses | In-house | As per charged | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance |
In-house (Remote Online) | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance | ||
Public (Face-to-Face) | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance | ||
Public (Remote Online) | As per charged, to be quoted on a per pax basis and prorated according to attendance |
Maximum number of participants
Item | Current Terms | New Terms |
Soft Skills | Max 35 trainees per group with one (1) trainer | Max 50 trainees per group with one (1) trainer |
Technical Skills | Max 25 trainees per group with one (1) trainer | No change |
Allowances
Item | Current Terms | New Terms |
Trainee & Trainer Allowance | < 100 km: Max RM150 / day / pax >= 100 km: Max RM400 / day / pax | < 100 km: Max RM250 / day / pax >= 100 km: Max RM500 / day / pax |
Meals | Max RM50 / day / pax | Max RM100 / day / pax |
Overseas | Max RM1,000 / day / pax | Max RM1,500 / day / pax |
e-Tris claims for e-learning programmes
Financial assistance for e-learning programs are based on training hours as follows.
Training Hours | Number to enter in e-Tris | Assistance per Pax |
1 | 0.1 | RM125 |
2 | 0.2 | RM250 |
3 | 0.3 | RM375 |
4 | 0.5 | RM500 |
5 | 0.7 | RM625 |
6 | 0.8 | RM750 |
7 | 1.0 | RM875 |
Some additional notes:
- Financial assistance apply only to e-learning training of up to seven hours.
- Programs above seven hours should indicate additional time as either a half day (4 hours/0.5) or a full day (7 hours/1.0).
- Each e-learning session must be at least one hour long and include at least one complete module.
All other terms and conditions for e-learning remain unchanged.
Implementation date
Updates to HRD Corp Claimable Courses, SBL, and SLB listed above will take effect on November 1, 2024, except for the hourly claims, which will take effect starting January 2025.
It will apply to all new applications submitted for training dates after the effective date.
3 takeaways for Malaysian employers
With these imminent changes to the Allowable Cost Matrix, what can Malaysian employers do to optimise benefits and mitigate costs?

Here are three strategies for your consideration:
1. Submit grant claims before changes take effect
Prioritise submitting applications for training sessions before the new terms take effect on November 1, 2024 to secure training sessions under the lower fee structure,
Those still undecided about what training programmes to apply for, time to choose!
2. Prepare for changes in allowances and participant numbers
The increase in participant limits for soft skills training allows more employees to simultaneously engage in professional development.
At the same time, the increase in various types of allowances also means employers should be prepared for the higher upfront costs, especially for training sessions that span multiple days.
3. Maximise e-learning claims
Consider implementing more online training options to benefit from the updated guidelines which provide enhanced financial assistance for e-learning programmes.
This is especially beneficial for organisations with diverse employee who need a cost-effective delivery method.
Let MISHU help with your employee training

With multiple HRD Corp Certified Courses under SBL-Khas, MISHU’s team of dedicated trainers and coaches are ready to help you provide targeted corporate training for every level of talent in your organisation, from executives to C-suites.