Employees' Enrolment Campaign 2026: employers can enrol left-out employees until 31 October 2026

The Employees' Enrolment Campaign, 2026 is a time-limited window in which employers can voluntarily enrol employees who were left out of provident fund coverage, and regularise past non-compliance on concessional terms. It was notified with the Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 (G.S.R. 525(E) dated 29 June 2026) and put into operation by an EPFO circular dated 8 July 2026. The window runs from 1 July 2026 to 31 October 2026.

Who can take part. It covers employees who were left out of EPF coverage between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2026. All establishments are eligible, whatever their present coverage status, including establishments facing EPF inquiries. An establishment that was never covered may first obtain EPF coverage and then declare its eligible employees. Only employees who are alive and still employed with the establishment on the date of the declaration are eligible. Employers may file more than one declaration.

What the employer pays. If the employee's share was not deducted from the employee, it is waived for the declared period. The employer pays only its own EPF contribution, applicable interest, administrative charges, and nominal damages of Rs 100 per establishment. Participating employers may also qualify for benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, subject to its conditions.

What the employer must do. Declarations can be filed only on the EPFO portal. A face-authentication-based UAN must be generated through UMANG for each declared employee, and contributions must be remitted through the ECR.

The window closes on 31 October 2026. Employers that have missed employees should list them now, check each employee's joining date and present employment status, generate the UAN through face authentication, prepare the contribution calculations and file the declaration before the deadline.