Staying ahead of regulatory updates is crucial for keeping your organization’s training plans aligned and fully funded. HRD Corp has rolled out major grant submission updates for 2026, introducing brand-new guidelines that fundamentally change how HR managers navigate and manage application processes.
To help your team maintain seamless compliance, we have broken down the key structural policy areas you need to know.
1. Grant Submission & Approval
Under the revised framework, employers are subject to a much tighter timeline discipline for training grant approvals. Training can no longer be scheduled immediately after receiving approval.
To be fully compliant and eligible for claims, employers must ensure that:
a. In-house Training
- In-house training programmes can be conducted 14 days after grant approval.
- The approved training programme must commence within 90 calendar days after the completion of the 14-day advance approval requirement
b. Public Training
- Between 15 June and 31 December 2026, training can start as early as three (3) days after grant approval.
- The approved training programme must commence within 90 calendar days after the completion of the 3-day advance approval requirement.
- From 1 January 2027, the requirement returns to the 14-day rule, aligning with in-house programmes.
2. Query Management
The previous practice of handling unlimited queries back-and-forth has been completely discontinued to speed up administrative control and processing.
Under the revised policy, the query process is heavily restricted:
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Strictly One Query: Each grant application is strictly limited to a maximum of one (1) query from HRD Corp.
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5-Day Response Deadline: Employers must completely address and respond to the query within five (5) calendar days from the date it was raised.
3. No More Grant Modifications or Appeals
Under the revised policy, employers will no longer be allowed to modify approved grants or submit appeals. Any changes to training details after approval are strictly prohibited, and case-by-case appeal considerations have been completely removed.
If any training details need to be changed after approval, employers must:
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Cancel the existing approved grant
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Submit a completely new application
The new application will necessitate a full re-submission process under the tighter discipline rules.
4. Revised Grant Verification Scope
Under the revised framework, case-by-case evaluations for a general variety of training cases have been removed in favor of broader process auditing.
The specific verification parameters are now strictly limited as follows:
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Verification Conducted On: Approved grants for physical training and Remote Online Training (ROT).
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Explicitly Excluded From Verification: E-learning, coaching and mentoring, and overseas training.
Employers must master these distinct verification parameters to ensure full grant compliance before training commencement.
Stay Ahead of HR Compliance
Don’t risk missing out on your training allocations due to outdated application habits. Ensure your HR department, finance teams, and line managers are completely aligned with these new structural framework updates before submitting your next application.
For the absolute latest official details, please visit the official HRD Corp website at www.hrdcorp.gov.my.
Final Thoughts
These revisions will require employers and training providers to plan training schedules much earlier and manage grant submissions more carefully to avoid compliance issues or rejected claims.
Businesses that regularly utilise HRD Corp levy-based training schemes should review their internal training approval processes.
At MYWave, Malaysia’s best HR and payroll consultancy, we continuously share the latest HR, payroll, and compliance updates to help Malaysian employers stay informed and operationally prepared. If your business requires support with HR processes, payroll management, or workforce administration, our team is ready to assist.
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