For the social security system, January is the contribution month for the fourth quarter of 2017.  The Social Security Fund (abbreviated to FSS in Macao) reminds all employers that they must pay contributions for their local long-term employees on or before 31^st January.  If they also have a non-resident worker, they must pay the employment fee for him/her as well.  As the flow of people at the service point will increase nearing the end of the month, employers should make their payment as early as possible in order to avoid the peak period at the end of the month, and they should try to make use of a variety of electronic payment options so as to avoid the inconvenience of waiting in line.  As of 17^th January, a total of 12,589 employers have already made obligatory system contributions for their employees, accounting for 60% of the number of employers who need to pay contributions.

If there is no change in the employment situation of the local long-term employees during the quarter, besides the service points of the FSS, the employment fee for non-resident workers and the related contributions can also be paid at the Islands District and the Central District Public Services Centres under the Instituto para os Assuntos Cívicos e Municipais, or at the nine designated banks (including Bank of China Macau Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Macau) Ltd., Banco Comercial de Macau, Tai Fung Bank, Banco Nacional Ultramarino, OCBC Wing Hang Bank, Macau Chinese Bank, Luso International Banking Limited and Delta Asia Bank).

The FSS also reminds the related individuals that under the law, employers are subject to a late payment interest and a fine for their overdue payment.  As for beneficiaries of the arbitrary system, those who make their contributions late cannot settle the default contributions unless they pay the contributions together with a late payment interest within two months after the expiry of the statutory deadline.

For more about the related information, please visit the website of the FSS at www.fss.gov.mo or call 2853 2850 during office hours for enquiries.