According to SSF, Nepali migrant workers now can apply to join the fund. They can enroll in the fund while obtaining or renewing their labor permits. Similarly, those who are yet to renew their permits can join through the websites of the Department of Foreign Employment and the Social Security Fund.
As per the procedural guideline, migrant workers have to contribute monthly Rs 2,002 to SSF. Migrant workers or self-employed individuals living abroad could participate in the facility by depositing at least 21.33 percent of basic remuneration or a minimum of Rs 2,000 monthly, and it's three-fold in maximum. After joining the SSF, migrant workers will get annual accident treatment expenses up to Rs 100,000, disability pension, lifetime pension, and scholarships for their children. SSF Executive Director Kapil Mani Gyawali said that 400,000 workers from the formal sectors have been enrolled in the fund so far. According to him, the fund has collected Rs 30.87bn from its contributors and made payments of Rs 3.81bn to the contributors. The contribution-based social security scheme was launched by the then KP Sharma Oli-led government in November 2018 with the objective to provide social security coverage to private sector employees. Though formal sector workers have been receiving benefits from the social security plan for three years back, migrant workers and self-employed persons living abroad have been included for the first time. The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has also long been advocating for including migrant workers in the social security scheme.
