Internship Placement Matching Grant for SMEs and Start-Ups (LiKES)
Paid, Structured and Quality Internships under ILHAM KESUMA
LiKES by TalentCorp is a strategic internship placement matching grant designed for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups in Malaysia. With an allocation of RM30 million over three years, this initiative aims to empower SMEs and start-ups by providing financial support to nurture local talent through meaningful, structured, and paid student internship programmes.
Eligible employers can benefit from the LiKES grant through reimbursement for the minimum monthly allowance provided to hired interns. For 2025, RM10 million has been allocated to support up to 10 interns per approved company, ensuring businesses can access and cultivate a pipeline of future-ready talent.
Through the LiKES Programme, eligible employers can receive a matching grant reimbursement for the minimum monthly allowance provided to hired interns, subject to the Terms and Conditions of the programme.
The reimbursement rate is determined by the educational qualifications of the hired intern. The details are as follows:
HOW DOES IT WORK?
| Tiering | Minimum monthly allowance requirement | Reimbursement by TalentCorp |
Tier 1 For interns pursuing Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 1 to Level 3, Diploma, Malaysian Skills Diploma (DKM) | RM500.00 | Reimbursement of up to RM250.00 per month for a maximum period of twelve (12) months. (Reimbursement is capped at RM3,000.00 per intern per year if the monthly allowance is RM500.00) |
Tier 2 For interns pursuing Malaysian Advanced Skills Diploma (DLKM), Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, or Professional Certificate | RM600.000 | Reimbursement of up to RM300.00 per month for a maximum period of twelve (12) months. (Reimbursement is capped at RM3,600.00 per intern per year if the month allowance is RM600.00 or higher) |
Eligible employers can claim reimbursements at the specified rate for up to ten (10) interns per organisation. To qualify, each internship must have a minimum duration of 2.5 months (70 days).
The incentives and benefits provided under the LiKES Programme are applicable exclusively to interns hired within the Approved Allocation and during the designated Endorsement Period.
For added clarity, interns hired before the start of the Endorsement Period but continuing their internship during this timeframe are also eligible for the programme’s incentives and benefits. However, coverage is limited to a maximum of twelve (12) months.
For a detailed breakdown of this structure, please refer to the illustration provided below.
| Confirmation of registration: | 02.11.2024 |
| Submission of Supporting Documents: | 28.12.2024 |
| Issuance of Endorsement Email: | 01.01.2025 |
| Endorsement Period: | 01.01.2025 until 31.12.2025 |
| Approved Allocation: | Up to a maximum of three (3) interns (6 months internship period for each intern) |
| Hiring Date: | Intern 1 - (6 months) (02.02.2025 until 01.08.2025) Intern 2 - (6 months) (05.10.2025 until 04.04.2026) Intern 3 - (6 months) (02.01.2026 until 01.07.2026) |
| Notes: | 1. The eligible employer is only entitled to claim reimbursement for Intern 1 and Intern 2 only as per the provision of this Terms. 2. The eligible employer is not entitled to claim reimbursement for Intern 3 as the hiring is made after the expiry of the Endorsement Period. |
| Confirmation of registration: | 02.01.2025 |
| Submission of Supporting Documents: | 14.01.2025 |
| Issuance of Endorsement Email: | 28.01.2025 |
| Endorsement Period: | 28.01.2025 until 27.01.2026 |
| Approved Allocation: | Up to a maximum of four (4) interns (6 months internship period for each intern) |
| Hiring Date: | Intern 1 - (8 months) (20.12.2024 until 20.07.2025) Intern 2 - (6 months) (02.02.2025 until 01.08.2025) Intern 3 - (6 months) (05.10.2025 until 04.04.2026) Intern 4 - (6 months) (20.02.2026 until 19.07.2026) |
| Notes: | 1. The eligible employer is entitled to claim reimbursement per the provision of this Term since the validity period up to 12 months. 2. The eligible employer is also entitled to claim reimbursement for Intern 2 and Intern 3 as per the provision of this Terms. 3. The eligible employers is not entitled to claim reimbursement for Intern 4 as the hiring is made after the expiry of the Endorsement Period. |
Eligible employers are required to provide TalentCorp with the necessary details of the hired interns, as specified under the Approved Allocation, along with any supporting documents requested by TalentCorp. These documents are to be submitted for record-keeping and benefit claim purposes. All required information must be furnished within three (3) months following the completion of the interns’ respective internship periods.
HOW MUCH GRANT WILL THE EMPLOYER RECEIVE?
TalentCorp will reimburse maximum RM250.00 per intern per month if the employer pays RM500.00, and maximum RM300.00 if the employer pays RM600.00 or above.
For more information and application steps, please visit TalentCorp.
