1️⃣ General Regulation

According to the 2024 Social Insurance Law (effective July 1, 2025), individuals subject to compulsory social insurance are employees with a labor contract of one month or longer, receiving wages, and under the management, supervision, and direction of an employer.

👉 Therefore:

• If an intern only signs an Internship Agreement (unpaid or without labor relations) → NOT subject to compulsory social insurance.
• If the internship agreement includes payment and labor-management elements → it is considered a labor contract → the intern must participate in compulsory social insurance.

2️⃣ Cases NOT Subject to Compulsory Social Insurance

According to Clause 7, Article 2 of the 2024 Social Insurance Law:

• Persons already receiving pensions, monthly social insurance benefits, or allowances.
• Domestic workers.
• Individuals who have reached retirement age (Clause 2, Article 169 of the 2019 Labor Code).

3️⃣ State Policies on Social Insurance

• Building a multi-tiered system: social retirement allowance, compulsory SI, voluntary SI, and supplementary pension insurance.
• Ensuring legal rights of participants; providing credit support policies for those who lose jobs.
• State budget guarantees certain regimes (social pensions, special allowances).
• Preserve & grow the social insurance fund.
• Support for voluntary SI participants.
• Encourage local governments and society to contribute additional support.
• Improve the legal framework, develop a modern and transparent SI system with priority for digital transformation.
• Encourage development of supplementary pension insurance.

✅ Conclusion

• Intern students are not automatically required to pay social insurance.
• Only when an internship agreement includes wages and labor-like obligations do interns fall under compulsory SI.
• The new SI policy effective from July 1, 2025 aims for universal coverage, transparency, and flexibility.