5th October 2026 - 5 min read
If you lose your job from 1 October 2026, the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) will now pay you more to retrain, relocate or go back to work early. Amendments to the Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800) took effect on 1 October and cover more than seven million contributors. Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan announced the changes on 19 September, and we covered them at the time.
PERKESO says the new rates apply to job loss from 1 October 2026 only. If you were retrenched in September, you’re still on the old rates, even if you apply this month.
| Benefit | Job lost before 1 October 2026 | Job lost from 1 October 2026 |
| Job Search Allowance (EMP) | 80%, 50%, 40%, 40%, 30% and 30% of your assumed monthly wage | No change |
| Early Re-employment Allowance (EBSA) | 25% of your unpaid Job Search Allowance | 50% of your unpaid Job Search Allowance |
| Training Fee (FL) | Up to RM4,000 | Up to RM7,000 |
| Training Allowance (EL) | RM10 to RM20 a day | RM30 a day |
| Mobility Assistance Allowance (EBM) | Not available | RM1,000 one-off |
The monthly Job Search Allowance hasn’t changed. You’ll still get it for three to six months, depending on how many months of contributions you’ve paid, and it goes down in steps over that time. The extra money is only paid once you find work, sign up for training or move for a job.
PERKESO works out your allowance from your assumed monthly wage, which is based on the wage your EIS contributions are paid on. Contributions stop at a wage of RM6,000 a month, so if you earn RM8,000, your allowance won’t be worked out on RM8,000.
The Early Re-employment Allowance (EBSA) is a lump sum PERKESO pays when you start a new job while you’re still receiving the Job Search Allowance. It’s worked out on the allowance you were entitled to but haven’t been paid yet.
Say PERKESO puts your assumed monthly wage at RM3,000 and you qualify for the full six months. Your Job Search Allowance would be RM2,400 in the first month, RM1,500 in the second, RM1,200 in the third and fourth, and RM900 in the fifth and sixth. That’s RM8,100 in total.
Your lump sum depends on when you start your new job.
| You start your new job after | Old rate (25%) | New rate (50%) |
| Month 1 (RM5,700 unpaid) | RM1,425 | RM2,850 |
| Month 2 (RM4,200 unpaid) | RM1,050 | RM2,100 |
| Month 4 (RM1,800 unpaid) | RM450 | RM900 |
If you take a job after two months, you’d collect RM3,900 in Job Search Allowance plus RM2,100, so RM6,000 from PERKESO, compared with RM4,950 under the old rate.
To claim, you’ll need your offer letter and proof that you’ve reported for duty, such as a punch card record, according to PERKESO’s FAQ.
PERKESO’s new Mobility Assistance Allowance (EBM) is for contributors who have lost their jobs, are receiving EIS benefits and then find work more than 100km from where they live, according to its 1 October statement.
To claim it, PERKESO lists your offer letter or employment contract, plus confirmation of your job placement from your new employer. RM1,000 is less than one month’s rent for a studio in KL, which our KL cost of living guide puts at RM1,200 to RM2,500 a month. It still helps with the cost of moving from, say, Ipoh to the Klang Valley for work.
PERKESO covers the fees for a skills course if your Employment Services Officer refers you to one.
You’ll also get RM30 for every day you attend. On a 20-day course, that’s RM600, compared with RM200 to RM400 under the old rate, which PERKESO says depended on your previous assumed salary. You have to attend every required session to be paid.
If your Employment Services Officer refers you to a skills course, PERKESO will now pay up to RM7,000 in fees, up from RM4,000.
You’ll also get RM30 for every day you attend. Previously, this was RM10 to RM20 a day, depending on your salary. On a 20-day course, that’s RM600 instead of RM200 to RM400. You have to attend every required session to get it.
You can apply for these benefits through the LINDUNG KERJAYA portal or at any PERKESO counter. You’ll need to apply within 60 days of losing your job, and you’ll also need to register with MYFutureJobs.
Your job loss has to be one PERKESO covers, such as retrenchment or your company closing down. Resigning voluntarily or reaching the end of a fixed-term contract doesn’t count, although some resignations do, such as one over sexual harassment at work. PERKESO’s FAQ has the full list.
If you lost your job in September, your 60 days are already running. If it was on 30 September, apply before the end of November, and don’t wait until the last week. Starting a new job before your allowance runs out still gets you 25% of what’s left.
Check your payslip for an EIS (or SIP) deduction. That means you’re covered. If the deduction is missing, ask your HR department why.
PERKESO won’t replace your full salary. The Job Search Allowance falls to 30% of your assumed wage by month five, so with an assumed monthly wage of RM3,000, you’d get RM900 a month by then. You’ll still need savings to cover three to six months of bills while you look.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for the latest money tips and updates.
Christina writes about personal finance with an eye for making the complicated feel straightforward. She is drawn to the everyday money decisions people face and genuinely enjoys finding the clearest way to explain them. Between articles, she is probably napping, on a hiking trail, or terrorising her sister’s cats.
Comments (0)