Khaberni - Fadi Al-Majali, president of the board of directors of the Jordanian Expatriate Businessmen and Women's Association, warned that any amendments to the Social Security law that undermine subscribers' acquired rights could weaken the confidence in the Social Security system, especially among a broad segment of Jordanians working abroad who mostly rely on the optional subscription system as a primary means to secure their pension future.
Al-Majali stated in a press release today that expatriate Jordanians are one of the main pillars in the optional Social Security subscription system, where thousands of them commit to paying full subscriptions from their personal income over many years, based on their confidence in the stability of Social Security legislation in Jordan, and considering social security as a social and economic safety net for them and their families after years of working abroad.
He pointed out that discussions about possible amendments to the Social Security law, including increasing the number of required subscriptions for retirement or modifying the conditions and age of early or mandatory retirement, have raised concerns among expatriate subscribers, particularly those who have built their financial and retirement plans based on current legislation and have committed to long-term subscriptions, which in many cases exceed fifteen years.
Al-Majali emphasized that any amendment perceived as an infringement on acquired rights would directly affect the confidence of a broad base of expatriate subscribers, noting that the majority of these subscribers rely on the optional subscription and pay the full amount of subscriptions from their personal savings, which makes them particularly sensitive to any sudden changes in entitlement conditions or retirement salary calculation mechanisms.
He added that Jordanian expatriates view the stability of the social security legislations as a key factor in continuing their commitment to the subscription, warning that any decline in confidence could lead some subscribers to reconsider their ongoing subscriptions, which could negatively reflect on the subscriber base of the system and its long-term sustainability.
Al-Majali called on the government, the Parliament, and relevant authorities to deal with any potential legislative amendments with utmost caution and responsibility, and to engage in an extensive national dialogue involving representatives of expatriates and the economic sector before making any decisions that could impact the rights of subscribers who have committed to the system for many years.
He also emphasized the importance of considering the particularities of Jordanian expatriates who continue to subscribe to social security despite working outside the kingdom and bearing the full cost of the subscriptions, confirming that maintaining the trust of this segment is a fundamental element in enhancing the national social protection system.
He reiterated that protecting the acquired rights of subscribers and maintaining the stability of the social security system are of supreme national interest, urging the adoption of any future reforms within a framework that balances the financial sustainability of the Social Security system and the preservation of the trust built over decades between the institution and its subscribers both inside and outside Jordan.
