“The local social-insurance office” is not one counter for every task. First name the service you need: employer registration, an existing insurance record, a social-security card or medical-insurance card. Then look up the official service page for that task and the district where the employer is insured. Shanghai provides a worked example.
For foreign employee registration in Shanghai
The Shanghai municipal foreign-employee registration guide says the employer applies at its insured social-insurance branch. It lists employment documents and, depending on the person's circumstances, a work permit, permanent-resident ID or Shanghai residence document together with a passport. That is an employer-led registration procedure; it does not mean every foreign worker should turn up alone with a passport. Ask the employer which branch holds the company's insurance account and who will submit the application.
Use a current branch address
The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau's June 2026 move notice says the Jing'an branch's main service hall moved from 711 to 1026 Hutai Road. The current Shanghai service listing for this registration task identifies its first-floor hall at 1026 Hutai Road and describes on-site queueing; it also notes that window assignments may change. This address is a concrete example, not a reason to visit Jing'an if your employer is insured in another district.
Check hours and booking before setting out
The English registration guide lists weekday processing hours of 9:00–11:30 and 13:30–16:30 on the 5th–26th of each month, excluding public holidays. Verify that this still applies to the specific branch and service before visiting, especially after a relocation. The task-specific service listing describes a queue rather than a required booking; if you need an appointment, check the official Shanghai government services portal for that exact service or ask the branch via the city's 12345 enquiry line. Do not assume an appointment for a different HR service covers social insurance.
For other needs, the Shanghai HRSS social-insurance map guide explains filtering venues by business, time and service type. Carry the original identity and employment documents confirmed by the task-specific page or your employer. A card-issuance counter and an insurance-registration counter may be different places.