Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents who work, study or live on the Chinese mainland will be eligible for the national social insurance as of next month.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Friday approved a series of interim measures for social insurance system coverage of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents on the mainland. These measures will take effect on Jan 1.

Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents will be granted the same rights as their mainland counterparts, including application procedures and specific benefits.

The residents lawfully recruited and employed by enterprises, public institutions, social organizations, privately run non-enterprise entities and other organizations duly registered on the mainland will be able to receive basic old-age insurance for employees, basic medical insurance for employees, work injury insurance, unemployment insurance, and maternity insurance. Employers and others involved will pay social insurance contributions.

The self-employed are entitled to basic old-age insurance for employees and basic medical insurance for employees, after applying for a residence permit for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents.

Anyone who pays social insurance contributions for more than 15 years is entitled to receive a pension after reaching the statutory age. If it is less than 15 years, the worker can either make up the difference or pay contributions for five more years.

For a Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan resident who leaves the Chinese mainland before retirement, the social insurance individual account will be retained, and renewed on a cumulative basis when the person returns to work on the mainland.

Basic medical insurance for urban and rural residents also include university and college students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.