Health insurance in China.
If you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
The rules
What China asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Foreign workers join social insurance
The national measures cover a non-Chinese national who holds an employment permit and works lawfully in China.
Source: enghunan.gov.cn - 5 kinds of insurance
Covered foreigners join basic old-age pension, basic medical, work injury, unemployment and maternity insurance.
Source: enghunan.gov.cn - Your employer registers you
The employer must complete social insurance registration within 30 days of processing your employment permit.
Source: enghunan.gov.cn - Staff sent by an overseas employer
Foreigners sent by an overseas employer to work at its branch or representative office in China are also covered by the measures.
Source: enghunan.gov.cn - Leaving China
If you leave before pension age, your social insurance account is kept and resumes if you return to work. You can also ask in writing to close it and get the balance as a lump sum.
Source: enghunan.gov.cn - Healthcare is not free
The UK government says healthcare in China is not free and can be very expensive. It tells visitors to have cover for treatment, evacuation and repatriation.
Source: gov.uk
Foreigners with an employment permit join the public social insurance system through their employer, which includes basic medical insurance. The measures cover the worker. Check separately how a spouse or children would be covered.
Source: enghunan.gov.cnLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Social insurance is tied to your job. If you work remotely, you are not employed locally, or your family is not on a permit, you may need a private plan. International plans can also cover care at private hospitals and evacuation.
- Local plans
Plans sold in China. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in China.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in China and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What to look for
Choosing a plan in China.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Private hospitals
Social insurance is the public scheme. If you want private or international hospitals, check the plan covers them.
- Family cover
The measures speak about the worker who holds the permit. Check what covers your spouse and children.
- Evacuation and repatriation
Check the plan covers medical evacuation and repatriation, not only local treatment.
- Medicines you rely on
The UK government warns that some medicines are not available in China and others may not be brought in. Check how the plan handles a substitute or a refill abroad.
Step by step
Getting covered in China.
- 01Get your employment permit. The national measures only cover foreigners who hold an employment permit, a Foreign Expert Certificate, a press card or a Permanent Residence Permit.
- 02Make sure your employer registers you. It must do this within 30 days of processing your permit. If you were sent by an overseas employer, the branch or office in China does it for you.
- 03Check your social security number. It is your 3 letter country code, a 0, then your passport number, such as DEU0G0123456 for a German passport. It stays the same for life in China.
- 04Ask if your home country has an agreement. If your country signed a social insurance agreement with China, that agreement decides your social insurance. Ask your employer which rules apply to you.
- 05Cover your family and evacuation. Social insurance is for the permit holder. A private plan fills the gap for a spouse and children, and for evacuation, which the UK government says to have.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Assuming social insurance covers your family. Check each person.
- 02Not asking your employer for proof that they registered you within 30 days.
- 03Dropping all other cover on the day you leave China. Your account stays open, but it does not pay for care abroad.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Questions
People also ask.
Do foreigners have to join social insurance in China?+
The national measures cover foreigners who hold an employment permit and work lawfully in China. Your employer registers you within 30 days of processing the permit.
What does China social insurance cover?+
It has 5 parts: basic old-age pension, basic medical, work injury, unemployment and maternity.
Do I still need private health insurance in China?+
Often yes. Social insurance depends on your job and does not name family members. The UK government also warns that healthcare in China is not free and can be very expensive.
What happens to my China social insurance when I leave?+
If you leave before pension age, the account is kept and resumes if you return. You can also ask in writing to close it and take the balance as a lump sum.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.