YES Programme 2026: How to Apply for a 12-Month Paid Job

Quick answer: The Youth Employment Service (YES) gives unemployed young South Africans a 12-month paid work experience at a sponsoring company. You don't apply to YES itself, because YES says it doesn't recruit. You register for free on SAYouth.mobi, keep your profile up to date, and apply for YES posts there or on employers' careers pages. YES says the pay must be at least the national minimum wage. From March 2026 that works out to R5,241 a month before tax.

What is the YES programme?

YES is a non-profit youth employment initiative led by the private sector. It gets no government funding. Businesses pay for 12-month jobs for unemployed young people. In return, they can move up one or two levels on their B-BBEE scorecard, under the YES Practice Note gazetted in October 2018. YES's own website reports more than 240,000 12-month jobs created since it started. Retailers, banks, carmakers and tech companies are among its sponsors.

For a young person, the point is simple. YES targets the "no experience, no job" trap by giving you a real job title, a supervisor, a payslip and a reference letter to put on your CV.

Who qualifies for YES?

YES's youth FAQ lists these criteria for B-BBEE YES posts, which are most of them:

You are Black, as defined in the B-BBEE codes (this includes African, Coloured and Indian South Africans)
You are 18 to 34 years old
You are a South African citizen
You are unemployed when you register

Some points that people often miss:

No minimum qualification. YES says the programme is open to unemployed youth "regardless of the level of education". Individual employers can still set their own requirements for a specific role.
Non-B-BBEE programmes exist, and those are open to all races and ages.
Rural youth can take part. YES says young people in rural areas shouldn't need to move to a city.
You can only do YES once. If you left before finishing eight months, you may be able to apply again.

How to apply for the YES programme (step by step)

Go to SAYouth.mobi on your phone or computer. The site is zero-rated, so it doesn't use your data.
Log in or join. If you have registered with Harambee or Tshepo 1 Million before, you already have an account, so log in with those details. If not, tap Join the Network. Registration takes about four minutes. You can use your ID number, and you can still register without one.
Complete your profile. Add your location, contact details, education and any volunteering. Opportunities are matched to your profile, so a full, accurate profile gets better recommendations.
Search and apply. Use Search to filter by type of opportunity and location. Open a post with Read more, then tap Apply now. A confirmation message appears, and the post shows under Applications.
Log in every day. New posts go up daily. An employer can also cap the number of applicants, so a post may close before its closing date.
Watch employer careers pages too. Companies that host YES youth often recruit through their own hiring process. Others use YES-vetted implementation partners that recruit for them. Look for "YES" in job titles on company careers sites and on the entry-level jobs on Jobsiz.
Keep your phone on and your details current. If you change your number, call SA Youth on 0800 72 72 72 to reset your login. Otherwise you could miss a call about an interview.

New to SA Youth? Our SAYouth.mobi registration guide walks through each screen.

What YES pays and what you get

A YES post is a job, not a bursary or a learnership. According to the YES onboarding toolkit (January 2026), the employer must give you:

A 12-month employment contract
A monthly salary at or above the national minimum wage. The minimum wage has been R30.23 an hour since 1 March 2026, which YES puts at R5,241 a month before tax. YES notes that deductions can include UIF. See our minimum wage 2026 guide.
A supervisor whose feedback goes into your final reference letter
Normal worker protections. YES says every placement must comply with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

YES itself adds:

Free online learning on the data-free YES One app, covering work readiness, money and time management, entrepreneurship, and digital and AI skills. You can earn up to three learning certificates.
A monthly check-in call to confirm you are getting a quality work experience. Answer it, because it is part of the programme.
Free one-on-one counselling through YES Mindful Matters
In month 12: a completion certificate, an editable CV and a reference letter

What happens after the 12 months?

The employer decides whether to keep you on, so a permanent job isn't guaranteed. YES describes three common next steps:

Absorption: you get a permanent role at the same company if it has the need and you have performed well.
A new job or further study: you move on with a year of experience and a reference.
Your own business: YES points alumni to entrepreneurship modules and to the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

Because YES is an employment contract with UIF deductions, you may be able to claim unemployment benefits if the contract ends and you don't find work right away. Our UIF claim guide explains how.

YES vs learnership vs internship

YES programme: a 12-month job with a salary of at least the minimum wage. No formal qualification is needed. The aim is work experience and a reference.
Learnership: a structured programme that leads to a registered qualification. It combines classroom learning with workplace training and pays a learner allowance. See how to apply for learnerships and learnership allowance amounts.
Graduate internship: usually for people with a diploma or degree, and usually pays a stipend. Browse internships in South Africa.

You can apply for all three at the same time. Many young people do, because every option gets far more applicants than it has places.

How to avoid YES job scams

Registering is free. SA Youth says none of its staff or partners will ever ask you for money.
Nobody can "sell" you a YES place. YES doesn't recruit directly. Anyone who asks for a fee, "admin costs" or airtime to secure a post is running a scam.
Check the employer. Apply only through SAYouth.mobi or the company's official careers page, not through WhatsApp forwards. Our recruitment scam warning shows how these scams work.
If your salary isn't paid, raise it with HR and your supervisor first. If that doesn't fix it, email youth@yes4youth.co.za.

Tips to stand out

Fill in every profile field, including volunteering, church, sports or community work.
Set your location carefully. Many YES posts are local.
Apply as soon as a post appears, because popular posts can fill before their closing date.
Prepare a one-page CV with our South African CV format guide, and practise the most common interview questions.
Have certified copies of your ID and matric certificate (if you have one) ready to send.

Frequently asked questions

Is the YES programme a learnership?

No. YES is a 12-month employment contract with a monthly salary. It doesn't lead to a registered qualification the way a learnership does, although you can earn short learning certificates on the YES One app.

How much does the YES programme pay in 2026?

YES says employers must pay at least the national minimum wage. From March 2026 that is R5,241 a month before tax, based on R30.23 an hour. Some employers pay more.

Can I join YES without matric?

Yes. YES says it is open to unemployed youth aged 18 to 34 regardless of education level. Individual employers may still ask for matric or other requirements for a particular role.

How do I contact YES?

For problems during a placement, email youth@yes4youth.co.za. For help registering or applying on SAYouth.mobi, call 0800 72 72 72 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 16:30) or email support@sayouth.org.za.

Can I do the YES programme twice?

Usually not. YES allows one placement per person. If you left before completing eight months, you may be able to reapply.

Sources

Ready to start? Register on SAYouth.mobi today, then browse jobs in South Africa on Jobsiz and jobs you can get with matric and no experience while you wait.

By the Jobsiz Editorial Team · Updated 26 October 2026. This guide is for information only. Always confirm the details on an official YES or SA Youth channel before you apply.

YES Programme South Africa: How to Apply for a 12-Month Paid Job (2026)