A turning point in expanding social security in the informal sector

Conference on propaganda, answering and consulting on legal policies on social insurance and health insurance for business owners in Kien Thuy commune. Photo: CITY SOCIAL INSURANCE.

This is considered a turning point opening up a stable, sustainable future, ensuring social security for this group of workers.

Remove the anxiety

A few years ago, Mr. Dao Thanh Vu registered his business in the field of transportation, transporting goods from Hai Phong Port to everywhere. According to the registration, Mr. Vu's business is a small business, because he only has one tractor. To operate, in addition to driving himself, he often hires an assistant, paid by the day. Because the job depends on the amount of goods received, there are times when Mr. Vu takes many days off due to objective factors, leading to a rather unstable income. Now, facing the requirement that business owners must participate in compulsory social insurance, Mr. Vu cannot help but worry.

“With an irregular income, plus many expenses to pay and take care of family life, at first I thought that having to spend a sum of money to pay social insurance every month was not feasible. However, after listening to propaganda and learning about the policy, I decided to participate immediately because of the long-term benefits of social insurance,” said Mr. Vu.

Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, the owner of a food store in Hai Duong ward, is hiring 3 assistants. Due to the nature of her job, which requires stable workers, Ms. Xuyen is willing to pay social insurance for long-term, committed employees to "retain" them. However, she herself has never thought about paying social insurance for herself. At first, Ms. Xuyen was hesitant about the new policy requiring business owners to participate in compulsory social insurance, but now she has registered to participate after hearing about the practical benefits.

According to Mr. Vu Van Duong, Deputy Director of Binh Giang Social Insurance, implementing the direction of the City Social Insurance and implementing the new content of the social insurance policy, the unit reviewed businesses whose owners do not receive salaries, wages, and have not participated in social insurance in the area. At the same time, coordinated with tax authorities to review business owners who have not participated in social insurance. On that basis, Binh Giang Social Insurance consulted with local authorities and issued documents to businesses and business households requesting them to register for compulsory social insurance. However, there are still business owners who are still hesitant. The unit continues to propagate and help business owners understand better when participating in this policy.

Insurance officers promote social insurance policies for small businesses in Cat Hai Special Economic Zone. Photo: CITY SOCIAL INSURANCE.

Sustainable livelihood opportunities

According to data provided by the Hai Phong City Tax Department, the city currently has more than 84,759 operating business households, of which more than 5,100 households have registered their business and pay taxes by declaration method; the remaining households pay taxes by lump-sum method and do not have to pay value added tax.

To attract business owners to participate in compulsory social insurance, the City Social Insurance Agency has stepped up coordination activities to review and disseminate information. At the end of July 2025, the City Social Insurance Agency coordinated with the People's Committee of Kien Thuy Commune to organize a conference to disseminate, answer questions, and provide legal advice on social insurance and health insurance for business owners. This is the first time a thematic conference has been held specifically for this group of cases, demonstrating a proactive and decisive step in the development of social insurance and health insurance participants according to the new regulations of the Social Insurance Law 2024. Mr. Vu Duc Khien, Deputy Director of the City Social Insurance, said that the organization of the thematic propaganda conference is not only to inform and propagate the new points of the Law, but also an opportunity for the leaders of the City Social Insurance to dialogue, exchange, and remove difficulties and obstacles to support business households to clearly understand their rights and obligations, thereby ensuring proper implementation of regulations.

To complete the target of developing social insurance and health insurance participants, the City Social Insurance issued a document directing the grassroots Social Insurance to implement a number of key contents. In particular, for groups of business households that have registered their business and pay taxes according to the declaration method, the grassroots Social Insurance will review, compare, check, and classify; develop plans and organize conferences to work directly with household owners to develop participants in social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, and occupational accident and disease insurance according to regulations. Quarterly, the grassroots Social Insurance will make a list of units and employees who have declared personal income tax but in fact do not work, do not receive salary or income (if any) and send it to the Tax authority at the same level to request inspection and handling according to the law.

It can be seen that the 2024 Social Insurance Law officially includes business owners in the compulsory social insurance category, which is not only a legal adjustment, but also a strategic step towards covering social security to this labor sector. From policy to action, from propaganda to implementation, the efforts of the City Social Insurance contribute to realizing the goal of "social security for all workers", laying the foundation for a more comprehensive and sustainable social insurance system in the future.

NGOC THANH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/buoc-ngoat-mo-rong-an-sinh-xa-hoi-khu-vuc-phi-chinh-thuc-523018.html