Kathmandu, Dec. 20
Nepali migrant workers
employed abroad and Nepalis running businesses outside the country can
participate in the social security scheme running in their homeland.
It has been possible with
the implementation of the contribution-based social security scheme run by the
Social Security Fund (SSF) which will come into effect by the second week of
March 2023.
The SSF has formulated a 'procedure
for the operation of the contribution-based social security scheme for the workers
in foreign employment and self-employment' which was ratified by the Ministry
of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) last week.
According to the SSF, all
interested Nepali nationals working abroad can apply for the participation in
the scheme via online application facility of the Fund or any agency assigned
by it.
They have to submit a
copy of their citizenship or passport, labour permit (if they are in a country
where labour permit is needed), name and address of the employer and country,
and details of a contact person in Nepal including their name, address and
relationship.
Likewise, Nepalis
self-employed abroad should submit the copy of their business registration
certificate, name of the company or profession, its address and contact number,
and should mention the amount of money to be contributed to the scheme. In
response, the SSF will issue an identity card for the applicant which would be
sent to them via online means.
Meanwhile, according to
the procedure, all Nepali migrant workers going abroad after the new rule comes
into effect should be mandatorily registered for the scheme. They should
contribute at least 21.33 per cent of the basic salary, set by the Government
of Nepal for the industrial sector workers here, to the fund.
The SSF will run three
special schemes for Nepalis working abroad – accident and disability security
scheme, dependent family security scheme, and old age security scheme. These
facilities could be availed only nine months after the beginning of
contribution to the SSF.
The scheme covers
hospital expenses up to Rs. 100,000 in case of accident of the contributor. The
contributor would receive about 60 per cent of the basic salary if there is a
case of permanent disability. Under the dependent family scheme, there are
pension for the spouse, educational expenses for children and expenses for the
last rites.
About 17,535 employers
and 380,982 contributors are listed at the SSF so far. They have contributed
Rs. 27 billion to the fund while the SSF has paid Rs. 2.9 billion to the
contributors.
Similarly, it has paid
Rs. 335 million for medical and maternity claims, Rs. 37 million for accident
and disability claims, Rs. 51 million for dependent family security claims and
Rs. 2.48 billion for retirement claims.
As per the Economic Census
2018, there were 922,445 business institutions in Nepal by April 2018 and the number
of employees stood at 3.4 million. But, half of the enterprises, especially the
cottage and small industries, were not registered with the government agencies.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 December 2022.
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