Time spent in Hengqin counts as time in Macau for residents

[Photo; Xinhua]

The local government has proposed amending draft legislation to count the time Macau residents spend in the zone as time spent in Macau, in a bid to address their living, employment, and entrepreneurship needs in the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

The current government plans to include Macau residents living in the cooperation zone, or working or studying there, under statutory exceptions.

“When processing entitlements under the dual-tier social security system, the period during which Macau residents are located in the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin may also be considered time spent in Macau,” announced Secretary for Administration and Justice Wong Sio Chak yesterday.

However, he was quick to clarify that such consideration will not be extended to other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area for now.

“The in-depth cooperation zone is a deeply integrated area designed to address the living, employment, and entrepreneurial needs of Macau residents within this region, providing welfare safeguards. From this perspective, other Greater Bay Area cities currently have no related plans. Although certain aspects may be addressed, the legal provisions remain applicable only to the in-depth cooperation zone,” he stated in response to a media question during yesterday’s Executive Council press conference.

According to the press conference, the bill proposes to approve relevant applications on a case-by-case basis through current humanitarian or other appropriately justified criteria. Additionally, by implementing a unified two-tier social security system, the scope of accepted medical documentation required for applying for social security sickness benefits will be expanded to include the in-depth cooperation zone.

Chan Pou Wan, president of the Social Security Fund (FSS), presiding over the press conference with the Secretary, stated, “Previously, the approval process took a long time. After the update, applications from relevant individuals will be reviewed by the Social Security Fund Administrative Committee, replacing the Secretary’s prior approval, resulting in a faster administrative process.”

The relevant draft legislation has been finalized and will be submitted to the Legislative Assembly (AL) for deliberation and amendment, as announced by the Secretary.

Meanwhile, the Executive Council has completed discussions on proposed amendments to the draft legislation regarding the non-mandatory Central Provident Fund (CPF) system. During the press conference, it was noted that among last year’s relevant applications, 39 Macau residents residing in the in-depth cooperation zone applied for voluntary contributions under the registration system, while 2,341 residents from the same zone applied for non-mandatory Central Provident Fund contributions.

As outlined, the number of Central Provident Fund withdrawals will increase from one to two, primarily to facilitate access for residents aged 65. Chan stressed the importance of this change, stating, “We propose changing the number of CPF withdrawals to two because current law only allows one. Citizens reach age 65 at different times, and some may miss accessing pension disbursements later in the year if restricted to a single withdrawal. This change will make it more convenient for citizens and improve procedural efficiency.”

Meanwhile, when asked about the timeline for transitioning the non-mandatory Central Provident Fund to a mandatory system, Chan noted that while implementation plans had been in place, she stated, “Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic changes, these plans have been delayed.”

No specific timeline has been set, as authorities will continue to monitor the progress of economic recovery and social security fund indicators to determine the timing for implementation. Citing a recently released report, she added, “Macau’s economy has shown robust recovery in recent years, though the pace of recovery may vary in the medium to short term.”