How to Handle Social Security and Housing Fund Contributions While Studying Abroad During Employment

Many working professionals earn a rare opportunity to study abroad through their own efforts, but in this situation, they may not know how to handle their social security and housing fund contributions.

Today, let’s talk about how people who study abroad while still employed should handle their social security and housing fund accounts.

First, the housing fund. There are generally two ways to handle it: either withdraw the full balance at once and close the account, or keep the account open and withdraw only part of the funds for use. The specific amount depends on the policies of the city. For example, in some cities, you can withdraw the full amount or part of the housing fund for rental purposes. There is no unified policy for this.

Next, social security. The policy here is more complicated, and different situations require different approaches.

Let’s start with the first case: social security contributions have not yet reached 15 years.

In this situation, if you choose to keep making contributions while studying abroad, there is naturally no problem. Even if you are studying overseas, you can still pay into China’s social security system. However, some people may worry: if I choose to stay abroad after leaving China, will all of these contributions be wasted?

In fact, once we confirm that we will stay abroad, we can choose to stop the insurance. After the normal approval process is completed, the individual portion of the pension insurance account can be refunded to us in a lump sum.

If we do not want to stop the insurance, we can also receive our pension abroad. In many places in China, social security benefits are not restricted by whether you are in China or overseas. Even if you are abroad, or even if you have acquired foreign citizenship, as long as you have met the statutory eligibility requirements, you can still enjoy the corresponding pension benefits in accordance with national regulations.

The second case is when contributions have been paid for 15 years or more.

In general, once contributions have been paid for 15 years, you can apply to retire and receive a pension. If you have not yet reached retirement age and have not retired, then you still need to continue paying social security. If you are paying social security on your own, you may choose to continue paying or stop paying.

In short, whether you are in China or abroad, social security is not something you really need to worry about. That said, it is safer to follow the local policy.

If you choose to terminate your coverage, you only need to go through the process in accordance with the relevant policies once you meet the requirements. Each city may have slightly different document requirements, so it is best to consult in advance and proceed according to the instructions.