If you are going abroad for work, it is important to manage your Employee Provident Fund account before leaving. After your job in India ends, you are no longer eligible to contribute to EPF, making withdrawal an option. As per the EPF Act, the final settlement of PF is done 58 years after retirement.

However, premature withdrawal is allowed in case of unemployment for more than two months. People shifting abroad can withdraw their EPF amount immediately, irrespective of their age. The total claimable amount includes employee contribution, employer contribution, and interest earned.

EPF withdrawal process

To withdraw money, employees need to submit an EPF withdrawal form, which can be obtained from the employer or downloaded from the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) portal. If the Universal Account Number (UAN) is linked to the Aadhaar, the Aadhaar-based withdrawal form can be submitted directly to the EPFO ​​office without the approval of the employer. Withdrawal requests can also be made online through the UAN portal by selecting the reason “going abroad” and submitting the required documents.

Should you retain your EPF account?

For people going abroad temporarily, it may be beneficial to keep the EPF account active. If no contributions are made for three years, the EPF account becomes inactive, but interest continues to accrue on it till the account holder attains the age of 58.

Social Security contributions abroad

Some countries require foreign employees to contribute to their social security system, even if they are employed by an Indian company. However, India has Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with countries such as Australia, Canada and Germany. Employees going to these countries can apply for a Certificate of Coverage (CoC) from the EPFO, which exempts them from local social security contributions – provided their Indian employer continues to make EPF contributions.

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