(1) They must have registered unemployment and have received the "labor handbook". Self-employed males aged no more than 60 and females aged no more than 55 by August 1998, with legal economic revenue but without a labor relationship with any employers, can join the local endowment system (but should join the medical insurance system at the same time).
(2) The endowment insurance premiums they should pay are up to 18 percent of the base set by the Shanghai Labor and Social Security Bureau every year (ranging from 960 yuan (US$116) a month to 4,400 yuan a month in the year 2002)
(3) The related sub-district, town or village-level labor service departments will handle the endowment insurance affairs for them and they should register in their social insurance management center and pay the endowment premiums.
(4) Deposits are based on 11 percent of the base paid