Zhuhai social security (pension) insurance now covers 30,702 Macao citizens residing in Zhuhai, an increase of 707 percent from late 2020, and a basic plan is held by 8,232 enterprise employees in the city, up 31 percent.

By the end of last month 1,762 Macao citizens were receiving Zhuhai monthly pensions, it was reported Sept 23 at the Bay Area Social Security Service work promotion meeting in Zhuhai. The session was held to further social security connection in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Macao resident shows Zhuhai social security card [File photo by Li Jianshu]

Macao residents working and living in Hengqin have participated in Zhuhai basic medical insurance since mid-2019. In January 2020, the scope was expanded to endowment insurance for Macao residents living and working in Zhuhai.

In 2020, Zhuhai Social Security Fund Management Center made agreements to provide cross-border social security services with the General Union of Neighborhood Associations of Macao, Macao Federation of Trade Unions, Macao Institution of People's Alliance, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (Macao), and Macao Branch of Bank of China. Guangdong Province promoted the Zhuhai-Macao cross-border social security cooperation pilot project so that Macao residents living in the two places could apply for social security nearby.

A Macao resident said he learned of cross-border social security from local media and then applied at the General Union of Neighborhood Associations of Macao service outlet in Fai Chi Kei. The Zhuhai Social Security Fund Management Center completed examination in fewer than two working days and he now claims a monthly pension of 667 yuan ($103).

In all, 238,000 Hong Kong and Macao residents were covered by Guangdong social security by the end of August, an increase of 27.6 percent from 2020. Of them, 25,400 were already benefiting from the social security program.