China Social Insurance: Enroll Foreign Staff
Procedure for employers and foreign employees to enroll, handle contribution shares, check local rates, and use bilateral exemptions.
No published figure yet. The authority does not publish this cost in a form we could verify and quote, so this guide covers the procedure only: what to bring, in what order, and where it goes wrong. We will add the figures the moment there is a source for them.
In order
- Confirm coverage — Treat the foreign employee as covered by the social insurance scheme for work performed in China.
- Identify applicable branches — Identify every applicable local branch, because the employer pays a share of each.
- Check local rates — Use the rates for the city where the employee works, because rates differ by city and a national figure does not exist.
- Review bilateral agreements — Check whether the employee’s nationality is covered by a bilateral agreement that can exempt part of the contribution.
- Prepare requested documents — Gather the identity, work-permit, employment, and local-form documents requested by the social insurance center.
- Submit enrollment — Submit the enrollment to the local social insurance center before the employee’s permit expires.
- Process contributions — Withhold the employee’s share through payroll and pay the employer’s share according to the local schedule.
- Maintain records — Retain enrollment and payment records, and update them when employment, work location, or exemption status changes.
Foreign employees working in China are covered by the social insurance scheme. Employers must enroll them and pay an employer share for each branch, while employees contribute through payroll. Rates are set locally rather than nationally, and bilateral agreements may exempt some nationals from part of the contribution.
Coverage
Foreign employees working in China are covered by the social insurance scheme. The employer handles enrollment, while the employee provides needed information and documents.
Branches and shares
The scheme has several branches. The employer pays a share of each applicable branch, and the employee also contributes a share.
Local rates
Rates differ by city. A national figure does not exist, so the applicable contribution must be checked locally for the city of employment.
Bilateral exemptions
Bilateral agreements can exempt some nationals from part of the contribution. Verify the employee’s nationality and agreement status before relying on an exemption.
Confirm before you act
Fees and processing times change. This page was checked on 2026-10-23; confirm the current rule with the authority named in each source above before you rely on a deadline.
Last checked 2026-10-23, next review 2027-04-21. Every figure above names its source and the date it was read. This page is a guide, not legal, tax or immigration advice — confirm with the authority before acting on a deadline.