Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Asia and the Pacific, 2008
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Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Asia and the Pacific, 2008 Social Security Administration Office of Retirement and Disability Policy Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics 500 E Street, SW, 8th Floor Washington, DC 20254 SSA Publication No. 13-11802 Released: March 2009 Preface This second issue in the current four-volume series of Social Security Programs Throughout the World reports on the countries of Asia and the Pacific. The combined findings of this series, which also includes volumes on Europe, Africa, and the Americas, are published at 6-month intervals over a 2-year period. Each volume highlights features of social security programs in the particular region. The information contained in these volumes is crucial to our efforts, and those of research- ers in other countries, to review different ways of approaching social security challenges that will enable us to adapt our social security systems to the evolving needs of individuals, households, and families. These efforts are particularly important as each nation faces major demographic changes, especially the increasing number of aged persons, as well as economic and fiscal issues. Social Security Programs Throughout the World is the product of a cooperative effort between the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA). Founded in 1927, the ISSA is a nonprofit organization bringing together institutions and administrative bodies from countries throughout the world. The ISSA deals with all forms of com- pulsory social protection that, by legislation or national practice, are an integral part of a country’s social security system. Previous editions of this report, which date back to 1937, were issued as one volume and were prepared by SSA staff. With the introduction of the four-volume format in 2002, however, the research and writing has been contracted out to the ISSA. The ISSA has conducted the research largely through its numerous country-based correspondents, as well as its Social Security World- wide Database and a myriad of other types of data that must be drawn together to update this report. Members of the ISSA’s Social Security Observatory analyzed the information and revised the publication to reflect detailed changes to each social security program.Social Security Pro- grams Throughout the World is based on information available to the ISSA and SSA with regard to legislation in effect in July 2008, or the last date for which information has been received. Barbara Kritzer managed the preparation of this report with assistance from John Jankowski. Staff of the Division of Information Resources edited the report and prepared the print and Web versions for publication. Your suggestions and comments on this report are welcome. Any suggestions, comments, or questions about the report should be sent to Barbara Kritzer at [email protected]. Corrections, updated information, and copies of relevant documentation and legislation are also welcome and may be sent to: International Social Security Association Social Security Observatory Case postale 1 4 route des Morillons CH-1211 Geneva 22 Switzerland E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +41-22-799-8509 This report and other publications are available at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/policy. For additional copies, please e-mail [email protected]. Manuel de la Puente Associate Commissioner for Research, Evaluation, and Statistics March 2009 Contents Guide to Reading the Country Summaries Sources of Information ............................................................................................... 1 Types of Programs Employment-Related ..................................................................................................... 2 Universal ........................................................................................................................ 3 Means-Tested ................................................................................................................. 3 Other Types of Programs ............................................................................................... 3 Programs Delivered by Financial Services Providers .................................................... 3 Format of Country Summaries Old Age, Disability, and Survivors ................................................................................ 4 Sickness and Maternity .................................................................................................. 8 Work Injury .................................................................................................................... 11 Unemployment ............................................................................................................... 13 Family Allowances ......................................................................................................... 15 Tables 1. Types of social security programs ............................................................................. 17 2. Types of mandatory systems for retirement income ................................................. 19 3. Demographic and other statistics related to social security, 2008 ............................ 21 4. Contribution rates for social security programs, 2008 .............................................. 23 Country Summaries Armenia ............................................... 27 Malaysia .............................................. 139 Australia .............................................. 32 Marshall Islands .................................. 144 Azerbaijan ........................................... 40 Micronesia ........................................... 146 Bahrain ................................................ 46 Nepal ................................................... 149 Bangladesh .......................................... 51 New Zealand ....................................... 152 Brunei .................................................. 53 Oman ................................................... 159 Burma (Myanmar) .............................. 56 Pakistan ............................................... 161 China ................................................... 59 Palau .................................................... 164 Fiji ....................................................... 65 Papua New Guinea .............................. 165 Georgia ................................................ 67 Philippines........................................... 167 Hong Kong .......................................... 71 Saudi Arabia ........................................ 173 India .................................................... 77 Singapore ............................................ 176 Indonesia ............................................. 83 Solomon Islands .................................. 181 Iran ...................................................... 86 Sri Lanka ............................................. 183 Israel .................................................... 91 Syria .................................................... 186 Japan ................................................... 100 Taiwan ................................................. 188 Jordan .................................................. 108 Thailand .............................................. 195 Kazakhstan .......................................... 111 Turkey ................................................. 200 Kiribati ................................................ 116 Turkmenistan ...................................... 204 Korea, South ....................................... 118 Uzbekistan ........................................... 209 Kuwait ................................................. 124 Vanuatu ............................................... 214 Kyrgyzstan .......................................... 127 Vietnam ............................................... 216 Laos ..................................................... 132 Western Samoa .................................... 221 Lebanon ............................................... 136 Yemen ................................................. 223 Guide to Reading the Country Summaries This second issue in the current four-volume series Sources of Information of Social Security Programs Throughout the World reports on the countries of Asia and the Pacific. The Most of the information in this report was collated combined findings of this series, which also includes from the Social Security Programs Throughout the volumes on Europe, Africa, and the Americas, are pub- World survey conducted by the International Social lished at 6-month intervals over a 2-year period. Each Security Association (ISSA) under the sponsorship of volume highlights features of social security programs the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA). This in the particular region. information was supplemented by data collected from This guide serves as an overview of programs in the ISSA’s Developments and Trends Annual Survey. all regions. A few political jurisdictions have been Empirical data were also provided by numerous social excluded because they have no social security system security officials throughout the world. (For a listing or have issued no information regarding their social of countries and jurisdictions that responded to the sur- security legislation. In the absence of recent informa- vey, see page 2.) Important sources of published infor- tion, national programs reported in previous volumes