Harbin, in Heilongjiang province has started this year’s application of social security subsidies for flexible employment personnel in urban areas (excluding Hulan, Acheng and Shuangcheng districts).

As people with difficulties in finding jobs, “4555” personnel (women over 45 years old and men over 55) can enjoy social security subsidies if they pay basic endowment insurance and basic medical insurance after flexible employment, but the subsidies are offered no longer than 5 years.

This year, the standard endowment insurance subsidy for “4555” personnel after flexible employment is 2,196 yuan ($332) per year.

Standards of medical insurance subsidies for these people are as follows: the ones who pay 9.5 percent of the basic medical insurance will get 1,248 yuan per year, the ones who pay 6.5 percent will get 853 yuan and the ones who pay 5 percent will get 656 yuan.

Flexibly employed personnel who pay the medical insurance for urban residents cannot enjoy the basic medical insurance subsidies.

Those self-employed who have already received subsidies and those who received unemployment insurance benefits are also not entitled to flexible employment social insurance subsidies.

Personnel meeting the requirements can apply for the subsidies at community employment and social security service centers in their places of domicile from Oct 17 to Nov 17. Overdue applications will be processed from March to April next year (the specific time to be announced).