China (CN)
China is one of the world's largest economies and most important expat destinations, combining global business hubs such as Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou with deep history, fast infrastructure, and a highly digital daily-life ecosystem.
Social Security in China
Benefits, contributions, and how the system works for expats.
Foreigners legally employed in China are generally covered by Chinese social insurance under national rules, though city implementation and treaty exemptions matter. Contributions are payroll-based and local. The most important expat point is that "China social security" is not one uniform national payslip line: the city of enrollment, contribution base, housing fund treatment, treaty certificate, employer entity, and payroll provider can change both net salary and later refund or benefit access.
Social security number / card
Shebao hao / shebao ka
Employer registers you with the local social insurance bureau after work permit and employment setup. Some cities issue or activate a social security card; others rely more heavily on medical insurance e-codes, Alipay/WeChat city services, or manual passport lookup at counters. Ask HR for proof of enrollment, not just a verbal confirmation that deductions started.
- Pension insurance
- Medical insurance
- Unemployment insurance
- Work injury insurance
- Maternity insurance
- Hospital settlement
- Benefit records
- Housing fund checks where linked
- Talent points or local service applications
- Departure refunds or contribution certificates
Benefits & Support Payments
Pension insurance
Yanglao baoxian
Old-age pension system with employer and employee contributions.
Enrolled employees meeting contribution and retirement rules.
Through employer and social insurance bureau.
Medical insurance
Yiliao baoxian
Public medical reimbursement and personal medical account in some cities.
Enrolled employees.
Employer registration and hospital/insurance-card settlement.
Unemployment insurance
Shiye baoxian
Unemployment support for eligible contributors.
Rules for foreign nationals vary and practical access can be limited.
Local social insurance bureau.
Work injury insurance
Gongshang baoxian
Coverage for recognised workplace injuries.
Employees injured in covered work situations.
Employer files work-injury recognition.
Maternity insurance
Shengyu baoxian
Maternity medical reimbursement and maternity allowance.
Eligible enrolled employees meeting local contribution period.
Employer/social insurance claim.
Housing provident fund
Zhufang gongjijin
Payroll savings account for housing costs, mortgages, and sometimes rent withdrawal.
Foreigner enrollment varies by city and employer.
Employer registration with local housing fund centre.
Serious illness / supplementary medical reimbursement
Dabing baoxian / buchong yiliao
Many cities add a supplementary layer for high medical costs above basic insurance thresholds.
Employees enrolled in local medical insurance.
Usually settled through hospital insurance systems or claimed through the local medical insurance bureau.
Personal medical account
Yibao geren zhanghu
In some cities, part of medical contributions is credited to a personal account usable for outpatient costs, pharmacy purchases, or family medical expenses under local rules.
Employees enrolled in urban employee medical insurance where personal accounts apply.
Activated through social security card, medical insurance e-code, Alipay, or WeChat city services depending location.
Occupational annuity / enterprise annuity
Qiye nianjin
Voluntary employer pension-style plan offered by some state-owned, financial, technology, and multinational employers.
Only employees of participating companies.
Through employer HR and plan administrator.
Commercial supplementary health benefit
Shangye buchong yiliao baoxian
Employer-purchased commercial insurance layered on top of social medical insurance.
Employees and sometimes dependants under company plan.
Through insurer app, HR, direct billing hospital, or reimbursement claim.
Public service points / talent points benefits
Jifen luohu / rencai zhengce
Some cities use points or talent recognition for residence services, school access, housing subsidies, or local benefits.
High-skilled workers, taxpayers, graduates, or recognised talent under local rules.
Employer or applicant files through city talent-service portals.
Medical insurance e-code
Yibao dianzi pingzheng
Digital credential used in some cities for hospital registration, pharmacy settlement, and medical insurance account access.
People enrolled in local medical insurance and able to complete real-name verification.
Activate through national/local medical insurance app, Alipay, or WeChat city services where foreign passports are supported.
Residence-linked local services
Juzhuzheng / chengshi fuwu
Some non-cash city services depend on residence records, work permit, social insurance, tax payment, or talent status.
City-specific.
Through city service portals, employer HR, or district service centres.
Contribution Overview
Contribution rates and caps are set locally each year, usually with a floor and ceiling based on the city average wage. Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Chengdu, and other cities publish separate notices. The employee deduction on a high expat salary can change sharply when annual bases are updated, and housing fund participation can move net pay by thousands of RMB per month. Ask payroll for a line-by-line estimate before signing an offer and again each July. The estimate should show gross salary, taxable benefits, IIT, pension, medical, unemployment, housing fund, employer contributions, and whether any treaty exemption or expat allowance treatment has been applied.
International Social Security Agreements
China has social security agreements with countries including Germany, South Korea, Denmark, Canada, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, Serbia, Luxembourg, and others in varying force/status. Agreements usually exempt specific contribution types for limited periods, not the entire Chinese social security package. The exemption is not automatic: the home-country certificate of coverage normally must be obtained, translated if needed, and filed with the Chinese employer/local bureau before payroll can stop contributions. If the certificate arrives late, ask whether exemption can apply only prospectively or whether payroll can correct prior months.
Ask payroll for monthly contribution bases, exact city of enrollment, whether dependants are covered by anything, whether housing fund is included, and what happens on departure. Keep annual contribution screenshots and stamped records because they can be needed for pension refunds, tax filings, mortgage applications, school applications, talent points, permanent-residence evidence, and outbound remittances. If your contract says "net salary", confirm whether social insurance and housing fund are borne by the employer or deducted before the net guarantee is calculated. If you change employer, city, passport number, or legal name, verify that old and new records remain linked before you lose access to the old HR team.
Social Security
Unlock the complete Social Security guide for China — including every detail, document, tip and link you need.
Become a SupporterSupport the guide on Ko-fi · Unlocks every premium section, everywhere