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PF for International Workers and Certificates of Coverage

By Kusum · Reviewed by Harish, Labour Consultant, Delhi on · Updated

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Independent guide by India Customer Care. We are not EPFO. Use only the official EPFO portals and the UMANG app for your account, and never share your password or OTP with anyone.

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  1. Cases
  2. Sources

A foreign national working for a covered Indian establishment is an international worker and must be enrolled from the first day, regardless of salary, with contributions on the full salary (no ceiling). Workers from countries with a social security agreement (SSA) holding a certificate of coverage from home may be exempt. Indians posted to SSA countries can get an Indian certificate of coverage.

Cases

Foreign national working in India

  • Enrol and contribute on full salary.
  • If from an SSA country with a certificate of coverage, keep it on file: they can be excluded.
  • Withdrawals follow special rules (generally at 58, or as the SSA allows).

Indian employee posted abroad

For an SSA country, apply to EPFO for a certificate of coverage so the employee stays in Indian PF and is exempt from the host country's scheme for the agreed period.

  1. Check nationality and SSA status
  2. Enrol, or file the certificate of coverage
  3. Contributions on full salary

Full rules and country list: EPFO international workers.

Sources