PF body gets tough on foreign worker compliance

In a bid to ensure provident fund compliance by employers with respect to international workers, retirement fund body EPFO has asked field offices to prepare a list of such employees and submit a compliance report every three months.

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has asked 123 field offices to coordinate with the Foreigner Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) located in their areas and collect a complete list of all foreign nationals.

All foreign nationals visiting India on valid visas for more than 180 days are required to be registered with FRRO within 14 days of their arrival.

As per Employees' Provident Fund Act, all international workers' are covered under the various social security schemes run by EPFO. The international workers as well as their employers are required to contribute towards these schemes.

If the native countries of international workers have signed social security agreements with India, they are required to contribute towards social security schemes run by EPFO.

For availing this benefit, these workers are required to produce certificate of coverage, which certifies that they are covered under social security schemes under a statutory authority like EPFO in their respective countries.

At present, social security agreements with nine countries - Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Luxembourg, France, South Korea, Netherlands and Hungary - are operational.