Social Security System
What is Social Security System (SSS)?
The SSS is a social insurance institution mandated by law to promote the welfare of private sector workers, including those in the informal sector, the self-employed, and voluntary members by providing replacement income in times of life’s contingencies: sickness, maternity, unemployment, disability, retirement, and death. It currently administers two (2) programs, namely: (1) the Social Security (SS) Program and (2) the Employees’ Compensation (EC) Program.
Pursuant to Republic Act No. 11199 (RA 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018), coverage in the SSS shall be compulsory to all sea-based and land-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as defined under R.A. No. 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 as amended (by R.A. No. 10022), provided they are not over sixty years of age.
SSS Programs for Overseas Filipino Workers
SSS Programs for Overseas Filipino Workers
Applicable Month | Payment Deadline |
January – September of a given calendar year | December 31 of the same year |
October – December of a given calendar year | January 31 of the succeeding year |
Long-term Benefits | Short-term Benefits |
Disability | Sickness |
Retirement | Maternity |
Death | Unemployment |
Funeral |
ASIA | EUROPE | NORTH AMERICA | MIDDLE EAST |
Hong Kong | Rome | Toronto | Riyadh |
Macau | Milan | Calgary | Jeddah |
Taipei | London | Vancouver | Al Khobar |
Kaohsiung | Madrid | San Francisco | Kuwait |
Brunei | New York | Abu Dhabi | |
Singapore | Los Angeles | Dubai | |
Kuala Lumpur | Doha | ||
Muscat | |||
Bahrain | |||
Jordan | |||
Tel Aviv |
AVAILABLE CONTACT CHANNELS | |
EMAIL ofw.relations@sss.gov.ph | MOBILE CALL AND TEXT Globe (0977) 804-8668 Smart (0998) 847-4092 |
LANDLINE NOS. (+632) 8364-7796 / (+632) 8364-7798 (+632) 8709-7198 Locals 6358/6359 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Overseas Filipinos are allowed to register for initial coverage with the SSS up to their 60th birthday. Since July 2020, online application for SS number has become mandatory.
How can overseas Filipinos/OFWs reset the password of their My.SSS accounts?
1. Follow the steps below to self-reset your My.SSS account password:
- Go to our official website www.sss.gov.ph, answer the captcha and click “MEMBER” under “Portals”
- Click “Forgot User ID or Password”.
- Click from the two options provided to retrieve your user ID/password:
Option 1: Registered email address
- Encode the CRN/SS number, enter captcha and click “Submit”
- You will receive an email containing the link to self-reset your password, click “Ok” and check your email address.
- Click “Click here” and you will be directed to the password resetting page.
- Encode the User ID, Preferred Password and confirm Preferred Password, then click “Submit”
- After successfully resetting your password, you will be directed to your My.SSS member account.
Note: Above procedures are applicable for those whose e-mail address used during SSS Web registration is still active/working.
Option 2: Security Questions and Answers
- Encode the CRN/SS number and click the search button.
- Encode the answers to your security questions, click the box before “I’m not a robot”, then click “Submit”.
- Encode your user ID and preferred password, and re-encode your confirmed preferred password, then click “Submit”.
- After successfully resetting your password, you will be directed to your My.SSS member account.
Note: If you have not yet provided your Security Questions and Answers, your My.SSS account will automatically prompt you to set up your Security Questions and Answers upon log-in.
2. You may also send an email request to ofw.relations@sss.gov.ph for password resetting.
How can overseas Filipinos/OFWs view their SSS records (status of contributions, benefits, loans)?
Overseas Filipinos can view their member records and avail of other services/transactions online through their registered My.SSS account.
To register your My.SSS account, please access the following link – https://member.sss.gov.ph/members/
To learn more of other SSS online services/transactions available through the My.SSS portal or the SSS Mobile App, please access the following link – https://www.facebook.com/SSSPh/posts/248912680681713
How much is the monthly contribution for overseas Filipinos/OFWs?
The monthly earnings declared by overseas Filipinos at the time of registration shall be the basis of their initial Monthly Salary Credit (MSC) and the corresponding amount of monthly contribution, but in no case shall it be lower than the prevailing minimum MSC for overseas Filipinos currently at ₱8,000 (currently equivalent to ₱1,040 monthly contribution).
To view the prevailing SSS Contribution Schedule for OFWs (effective January 2021), please access the following link – https://www.sss.gov.ph/sss/DownloadContent?fileName=2021-CONTRIBUTION-SCHEDULE.pdf
What is the deadline in the payment of OFW contributions?
The deadline for the payment of contributions of land-based OFW members shall be as follows –
Applicable Month | Payment Deadline |
January – September of a given calendar year | December 31 of the same year |
October – December of a given calendar year | January 31 of the succeeding year |
In case the payment deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, payment may be made on the next working day.
How can overseas Filipinos/OFWs pay their contributions and/or settle their loan obligations/amortizations?
The use of Payment Reference Number (PRN) has become mandatory in the payment of contributions (including loan amortizations). Overseas Filipinos/OFWs can generate PRN by accessing their My.SSS account through the web or through the SSS Mobile App (i.e., with payment facilities such as Paymaya, GCash, Credit Card/Debit Card and BPI). They may also pay their contribution in all local SSS branches with tellering facilities while Auto Debit Arrangement (ADA) is also an option for account holders of participating Philippine banks.
For more information on other available SSS payment channels for land-based overseas Filipinos/OFWs, please access the following link –
How can overseas Filipinos/OFWs file their benefit claim applications?
SSS Benefit Claim | Available Channels | Remarks | |
Online* (My.SSS Portal) | Over-the-Counter (Local SSS Branches and Foreign Offices) | For the list of SSS branches and offices, click here.
| |
1. Disability | |||
2. Death |
For qualified dependent legal spouse (not remarried, cohabitated or have entered in live-in relationships) |
For those under the following cases: – Deceased has outstanding SILP/Privatization Loan Program/Educational Loan Program/Vocational Technology Program – Claimant is incapacitated, under guardianship or confined in institution (penitentiary, correctional, or rehabilitation) – Application under Portability Law or Bilateral Social Security Agreements (SSAs) – Non-availability or late registration of DC issued by LCR or PSA – With adjustment or for re-adjudication of claim
| |
3. Retirement | For qualified employees, self-employed voluntary members, and land-based OFWs
| For those under the following cases: – With outstanding SILP/Privatization Loan Program/Educational Loan Program/Vocational Technology Program – With dependent child/ren under guardianship – Application under Portability Law or Bilateral Social Security Agreement (SSA) Member is incapacitated, under guardianship or confined in an institution (penitentiary, rehabilitation) | |
4. Funeral |
For qualified SSS-member claimants who defrayed the cost of Funeral expenses |
For qualified non-SSS member claimants (no issued SS number) | |
5. Sickness | |||
6. Maternity | |||
7. Unemployment |
Note: Online claim applications are subject to pre-requisites for online filing (e.g., approved Disbursement Account Enrollment Module, filer is qualified/covered by policy for online filing for a particular benefit). Exemption cases not covered by online filing are accepted at SSS branches/foreign offices, depending on the condition/case, as may be determined by the SSS.