I changed cities after leaving: how do I prepare an online pension transfer?

Choose the correct transfer service

Shanghai HRSS's April 2026 guide describes how to apply online for a transfer of employee basic pension relations through national online services and the Electronic Social Security Card. The guide emphasizes that you must correctly select both your former and new participation locations, and then check the progress of your application. This service concerns employee pension relations only. Medical insurance, unemployment benefits, and missing employer contributions are separate matters and require their own enquiries with the relevant agencies.

Verify your own participation history first

Before applying, list the employers, cities, and pension contribution periods shown in your own social security record. Confirm the new participation location based on where you actually participate, rather than automatically using your home address. If you notice a missing month in your record, treat it as a separate correction issue and do not assume the transfer will fix it. Keep your personal identification and account details private, and use only the verified official service. Do not use a paid intermediary you found in a message or online.

Keep the submitted details and reference number

Select the employee pension transfer item, and before submitting, double-check the former and new participation locations and your personal details. Save the application reference number and the date of submission, then use the official progress or result enquiry function. An application receipt is not the same as completion. If your application is rejected, keep the stated reason and ask which field or prerequisite needs to be corrected before you decide whether to submit a duplicate application.

Confirm the result and identify remaining gaps

After the transfer is completed, compare the transferred periods with the periods you expected to be transferred, and keep the result for future enquiries. If any period is missing or a pension account is unclear, ask the relevant agencies about it, rather than assuming the employer handled everything when you left. Keep separate records for other benefits, so that a successful pension transfer does not hide an unresolved medical insurance or wage issue.

Illustrative example: how to prepare and what to ask

Hypothetical illustration: someone moves from City A to a new job and pension participation in City B. The record shows an unexplained gap at the former employer. Before applying, compare the actual participation locations and recorded periods; keep the missing months on a separate correction list. Ask the former agency how that gap can be checked, and the new agency whether it affects the transfer application. After submission, retain the reference and check the actual result. Do not assume a receipt means completion or that transferring recorded periods repairs missing contributions.

Next steps if the issue remains unresolved

If the transfer result still does not match your expectation after you have asked the agencies, or if you cannot find the correct service entry, you should prepare the following documents and questions for a follow-up enquiry: your personal ID, the application reference number, the transfer result notice, and a list of the specific periods you believe are missing. Ask the agency: 'Which specific field or prerequisite caused the rejection or the missing period? What correction do I need to make?' If you need specialist help, bring these records and ask a social security consultant or a lawyer who handles employment matters, but do not expect them to guarantee a specific outcome. Keep your own records of all communications and results.

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