Mainland China has bilateral social insurance agreements with a number of countries. If your home country is one of them, you may be exempted from or credited for certain contributions — but the detail is decided per country and per agreement.
What an agreement does
A bilateral social insurance agreement between mainland China and another country is meant to stop the same worker being made to contribute twice at once. It typically covers the employee schemes — pension, medical, work injury, unemployment and maternity — and sets out which country's system applies to a posted or cross-border worker.
Countries with agreements
Agreements are in force with a number of countries, including Germany, the Republic of Korea, Denmark, Finland, Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Japan, Serbia, Luxembourg, Austria, Italy, Australia and Belgium, among others. The list has grown over time and changes, so treat any named country as an example rather than a guarantee that the agreement covers your specific employment type.
What you may be exempted from
For a worker posted from an agreement country to mainland China, the home-country certificate of coverage often exempts them from contributing to the corresponding schemes in China for a defined period. The exact schemes and the maximum period differ by agreement.
How to use it
The mechanism is a certificate of coverage issued by the relevant authority in the home country. Present it to the Chinese social insurance bureau where enrolment would otherwise happen. Without that certificate, the exemption generally does not apply automatically.
Check before you assume
Whether an agreement covers you depends on your nationality, your employer's location, the type of work and the period abroad. The current list of agreements and the precise scope are published by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Confirm the position that applies to your case with your local social insurance bureau before you rely on it.