Eligibility requirements

1. You must have a medical certificate proving that you are sick;

2. You must have contributed to the Social Security System for at least 9 months in the 12 months preceding the quarter of the onset of illness;

3. You must not have engaged in any paid work during the period of illness.

1. “Macao One Account” or the E-Service platform of FSS.

2. You may visit a service point of the FSS to submit the documents in person or through a representative.

Application documents (applicable to documents submitted in person or through a representative)

1. A dedicated application form signed by the applicant (Form filling instructions) (The form can be downloaded from the website or obtained from a service point of the Social Security Fund);

2. Present the original or photocopy of the applicant’s Macao SAR Resident ID Card;

3. Complete the medical certificate on the dedicated form, which must be issued and duly signed by a medical practitioner holding a licence issued by the Macao SAR Government, and certified by the health institution where the diagnosis was made or the hospital where the applicant stayed (if it is not a medical certificate on the dedicated form, a photocopy must be submitted and the original must be presented for verification);

4. If there is a labour relationship during the illness, a certificate of absence from the employer on a dedicated form, or a photocopy of the absence from work certificate issued by the employer must be submitted (with the signature of the employer or legal representative, and the company seal);

5. A photocopy of the applicant’s MOP bank account details (This can be exempted if the applicant has received a Social Security System’s benefit payment before and there is no change to the bank account information);

*If the applicant is incapacitated, please refer to the Formalities of Applying for/Receiving Benefit Payment on Behalf of an Incapacitated Person.

1. From the next day of illness to 30 days after the illness ends;

2. If the period of illness exceeds the maximum period for which one is entitled to receive sickness allowance, the application shall be made no later than 30 days after the end of the maximum period.

The vetting outcome will be communicated to the applicant within 14 working days from the next day after the applicant meets all eligibility requirements and submits all the required documents.

(Note: 1. In some special cases where the vetting process cannot be completed on time, the applicant will be notified within 10 working days from the next day after submitting the application. 2. Offline application: the vetting outcome will be communicated via a text message or an official letter; online application: the vetting outcome will be communicated via a push message from the Macao One Account or an official letter.)

Duration of the allowance

The sickness allowance is calculated from the next day of illness:

–    Hospitalization allowance:  paid up to 180 days per year;

–    Non-hospitalization allowance:   paid up to 30 days per year.

Points to note:

1. The sickness allowance will not be paid in the following circumstances:

-  Damage caused by work accidents or occupational diseases;

-   Diseases caused by the act of a third party who shall be liable for the indemnity;

-   Diseases caused intentionally by the beneficiary him/herself.

2. The payment of old-age pension, disability pension, unemployment allowance and sickness allowance shall not overlap each other;

3. If a public administration staff enrolled in the Social Security System is still providing actual service for the public administrative authority, or his/her enrollment in the Provident Fund Scheme for Workers in the Public Services has not been cancelled, he/she is not entitled to sickness allowance or other benefits of the Social Security System, except old-age pension.

4. To update the contact information (address, contact phone number/mobile phone number for receiving text messages), the applicant may do so via the “Macao One Account”, the E-Service Platform of FSS, or fill out the “Change of Personal Particulars Form”.

Law no. 4/2010