The ISSA Country Profiles are a unique data source on social security legislation, programmes and schemes across the world. Dating back to 1937, the report was first produced by the United States Social Security Administration (SSA), then as a joint ISSA-SSA project, and since April 2020 the country profiles are run and owned by ISSA alone.

The country profiles summarize policy data on the parameters, financing, and administration of mandatory statutory programmes related to the nine branches of social security in over 180 countries and territories throughout the world. For each branch, details include scheme type, relevant laws, legal coverage, financing, supervisory and administrative institutions, and detailed information on benefits and related qualifying conditions.

The reimagined country profiles present the information in a much more structured format. What was formerly presented in text passages is now presented in standardized tables, which will ease analysis and comparison across the data sets. As a result, the profiles offer enhanced value for members, researchers, experts and policymakers. The ISSA will also take advantage of this new way of presenting the data for research and analysis that will be presented and discussed with members.

What has been published at this stage are country profiles in pdf format. This is first step that allows ISSA to make the data available, while it is working on the new online database. The database will offer an improved user interface and functions, including targeted searches, comparative analysis tools and links to other ISSA databases and resources.

The new Asia-Pacific country profiles describes social security programmes in 53 countries and territories across the region, including Eurasia, and with two new country profiles on Iraq and Mongolia. The information reflects the situation as of 1 January 2022. In 2024, updated country profiles will be gradually published for the other regions.