If you’re heading overseas for work, it’s crucial to take care of your Employee Provident Fund (EPF) account before you go. Once your job in India wraps up, you can’t contribute to the EPF anymore, so you’ll need to think about withdrawing your funds. According to the EPF Act, you can settle your PF when you hit 58 years old after retirement.
That said, if you find yourself unemployed for over two months, you can withdraw your funds early. If you’re moving abroad, you can access your EPF balance right away, no matter how old you are. The total amount you can claim includes your contributions, your employer’s contributions, and any interest earned.
To withdraw your money, you’ll need to fill out the EPF withdrawal form, which you can get from your employer or download from the EPFO website. If your Universal Account Number (UAN) is linked to your Aadhaar, you can submit the Aadhaar-based withdrawal form directly to the EPFO office without needing your employer’s approval. You can also make withdrawal requests online through the UAN portal by selecting “going abroad” as your reason and uploading the necessary documents.
Should you keep your EPF account active? If you’re only going abroad temporarily, it might be a good idea to keep your EPF account open. If you don’t make any contributions for three years, the account will become inactive, but it will still earn interest until you turn 58.
Social security contributions when working overseas
In some countries, foreign workers have to pay into the local social security system, even if they’re working for an Indian company. Luckily, India has social security agreements (SSAs) with places like Australia, Canada, and Germany.
If employees are relocating to these countries, they can get a Certificate of Coverage (CoC) from the EPFO. This certificate allows them to skip the local social security payments, as long as their Indian employer keeps contributing to the EPF.