Shanghai Maternity Leave Subsidy: 50% Employer Social Insurance Cost Relief

Reduce Employment Costs: Shanghai's New Employer Maternity Social Insurance

Subsidy

Claim 50% Back on Shanghai Maternity Leave Social Insurance Payments

1. Policy Objective: Shanghai's new policy (effective 18-Jul-2025) shares maternity costs between employers & society, promoting female employment.

2. Eligible Employers (Shanghai Registered):

• Enterprises

• Social Organizations

• Law Firms / Accounting Firms

• Individual Businesses with Corporate Insurance

• Excludes: Public Service Placement Agencies (公益性岗位安置职能单位).

  
  

3. Substance: 50% reimbursement of the employer-paid portion of social insurance premiums during an employee's statutory maternity & additional birth leave.

4. Covered Insurance Types:

• Basic Pension Insurance

• Basic Medical Insurance (incl. Maternity Insurance)

• Unemployment Insurance

• Work Injury Insurance

  
  

5. Subsidy Duration: 6 months starting from the child's birth month.

6. Key Conditions:

• Employee must be insured in Shanghai at time of birth.

• Employer must grant & pay Shanghai statutory maternity/birth leave.

• Employer must continue paying social insurance premiums during leave.

• Exclusion: Employers already receiving other major social insurance subsidies (e.g., for hiring grads, startups, or disadvantaged groups) cannot claim this simultaneously.

7. Labor Dispatch Firms (Crucial Detail):

• CAN apply for both direct-hire staff (including those in contracting/outsourcing roles) AND dispatched workers.

• MUST pass the full subsidy amount related to dispatched workers to the actual client company (end-user) that pays the worker's salary & premiums.

• CANNOT claim subsidy for workers dispatched to government/state agencies (机关事业单位).

  
  

8. Application:

• Apply within 1 year after the employee's leave ends.

• Apply via the district-level Human Resources and Social Security Bureau (HRSS).

• Process: Apply -> District HRSS Audit (20 working days) -> Payment to Employer Account.

• Required Docs: Application Form, Child's Birth Certificate (if data unavailable).

9. Funding: Subsidy costs are split 50/50 between Shanghai Municipal and District governments.

10. Validity: Policy effective until 17-Jul-2030.

11. Encouragement (Non-Mandatory): Employers are encouraged to create "Birth-Friendly Positions" (生育友好岗) to support returning mothers.

Related Services:

Commercial Insurance Management

Employees Benefits Management