KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Effective January 2019, the period for the payment of National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions using stamp cards, will be changed to the calendar year, January to December from the existing financial year, April to March.

Director of National Insurance at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Portia Magnus, said that the change in the payment period is intended to improve efficiency in the processing of applications for benefits.

She explained that new contributors will be given stamp cards reflecting the calendar year as the contributory period, January 2019 to December 2019.

Existing contributors, who would already have in their possession, stamp cards for the financial year, April 2018 to March 2019, will continue to use these until the end of March.

“They will then be given stamp cards for the calendar year, however because they would have already contributed for January to March 2019, they will not be required to contribute for that period again. They should return their cards to the nearest NIS office at the end of March 2019,” Magnus explained.

The use of stamp cards coincided with the inception of the NIS in April 1966. This mode of contribution is used mainly by domestic workers and people who make voluntary contributions.

Magnus said that all other modes of contributions are done for the calendar year, and only stamp card contributions are made during the financial year.

“This change will streamline the processes of the NIS administratively and therefore, will make all categories of contributors consistent in terms of timelines and by 2020, everyone will be on same page with the calendar year contributory period,” she said.

Stamp card holders usually have one year after the contributory period has ended to submit their cards.

For more information individuals should contact the nearest NIS office.