A reader asked: My wife and I do online business on digital platforms and have opened a personal tax code. My business household and personal relationship and my wife do not hire regular workers or sign labor contracts with anyone.
So do my wife and I have to pay compulsory social insurance under the new Law? If so, what are the procedures, I am in Kien Hung, Ha Dong?
Social Insurance Region I (Hanoi City) said: According to Clause 1, Article 2 of the Law on Social Insurance No. 41/2024 effective from July 1, 2025 and Clause 2, Article 3 of Decree 158/2025/ND‐CP, guiding the Law on Social Insurance 2024 stipulates that subjects participating in compulsory social insurance are:
Business owners of business households with business registration as prescribed in Point m, Clause 1, Article 2 of the Law on Social Insurance participating in compulsory social insurance include:
Business owners of business households registered to do business pay taxes according to the declaration method if paying taxes under the declaration form, compulsory social insurance payment from July 1, 2025.
Regarding the compulsory social insurance payment for individual business owners: According to Point a, b, Clause 4, Article 33, the rate of compulsory social insurance payment is 3% in the sickness and maternity Fund, 22% in the Pension and Death Fund.
Regarding the basis for payment, according to Point d, Clause 1, Article 31 of the Law on Social Insurance 2024, business owners are allowed to choose salary as the basis for compulsory social insurance payment, but the lowest is the reference level and the highest is 20 times the reference level at the time of payment.
Therefore, the monthly contribution rate for business owners participating in social insurance is 25% of their salary. Homeowners can choose to pay monthly, 3-month or 6-month depending on their needs.
Regarding the reference level, Clause 13, Article 141 of the Law on Social Insurance 2024 stipulates: When the basic salary has not been abolished, the reference level prescribed in this law is equal to the basic salary. At the time the basic salary is abolished, the reference level shall not be lower than that basic salary.
Currently, the basic salary is 2,340,000 VND/month. Therefore, the lowest social insurance contribution rate for business owners is 25% x 2,340,000 = 585,000 VND/month.
Thus, in the case of readers with an independent business tax code (old -888) and online business activities with stable income, according to the provisions of the Social Insurance Law 2024, both are subject to compulsory social insurance payment from July 1, 2025.
a) The application for social insurance participation includes:
Declaration of registration to participate and adjust social insurance information (according to form TK1-TS issued by the Social Insurance agency).
Citizen identification card (valid copy, not necessarily notarized if according to local regulations).
Personal tax code registration and business registration certificate (for independent business individuals).
Business income declaration: Based on estimated income or according to the minimum floor prescribed by the State to calculate the social insurance payment level.
b) Where to submit the dossier:
Registration can be done through the following forms:
- Directly at the social insurance agency of region I (if the temporary residence address is Kien Hung - Ha Dong) - address: No. 15, Cau Do, Ha Dong ward, Hanoi.
Through the online public service portal: Access the National Public Service Portal to register online.
