The Ministry of Labour and Employment has launched the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign 2025 (EEC 2025) — a major initiative to bring more workers under India’s social security system while giving employers a simple way to fix past compliance gaps.
The campaign will run from November 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026, and aims to make it easier for businesses to regularize their records without heavy penalties. It’s part of the government’s larger effort to formalize the workforce and reduce the compliance load on employers.
This campaign builds on the success of a similar drive in 2017, which helped enroll employees who were left out between 2009 and 2016. The new campaign now covers a wider eight-year period — giving employers another chance to correct any missed enrollments.
Press Release issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment; dated October 13, 2025 (Release ID: 2178405).
Who Can Enroll?
EEC 2025 is open to all employers registered under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, as well as those newly covered by it. Employers can voluntarily declare and enroll eligible employees who meet the following conditions:
- They joined the company between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025
- They are still employed and alive on the date of declaration
- They were never enrolled in the EPF scheme before, for any reason
Even establishments currently under inquiry (under Section 7A of the EPF Act, Paragraph 26B of the EPF Scheme, or Paragraph 8 of the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995) are allowed to participate.
Major Financial Relief for Employers
The campaign provides significant financial benefits to make compliance easier and more affordable.
1. Waiver of Employee Contributions:
If an employer did not deduct employee contributions from wages during the eligible period (July 1, 2017 – October 31, 2025), that portion is completely waived. Employers only need to pay their own share of contributions along with applicable interest and administrative charges.
2. Minimal Penalty:
Instead of the usual heavy penalties for non-compliance, employers only need to pay a flat penalty of ₹100 per establishment. This nominal charge shows the government’s intent to promote voluntary compliance rather than punish past mistakes.
3. Legal Protection:
The EPFO will not take suo motu action against participating employers for employees who have already left the organization, as long as the required documentation is submitted. This gives employers peace of mind while coming forward to regularize old records.
Simple Online Registration Process
Employers can complete the entire process online through the EPFO portal. The steps include:
- Submit a declaration on the EPFO portal
- Provide details of all employees being enrolled
- Generate Universal Account Numbers (UANs) using Face Authentication via the UMANG app
- Link the enrollment to the Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) using a Temporary Return Reference Number
- Make contribution payments through the ECR system
- Pay the ₹100 lump-sum penalty
Added Benefits Through PM-VBRY
Employers who register under EEC 2025 may also become eligible for incentives under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), subject to that scheme’s rules.
With a budget of ₹99,446 crore, PM-VBRY aims to create 3.5 crore jobs in the next two years.
Under this scheme:
- First-time EPFO-registered employees can receive up to ₹15,000 in direct incentives.
- Employers get financial support for creating new jobs — benefits last two years for most sectors and four years for manufacturing.
- It helps new hires transition smoothly during their initial learning period.
Together, EEC 2025 and PM-VBRY form a strong combination — encouraging both compliance and job creation.
Why This Campaign Matters
The government expects the EEC 2025 to:
- Bring millions of unregistered workers into the formal social security system
- Help employers clear old compliance issues without facing huge costs or legal trouble
- Simplify doing business by providing a clear and time-bound route for regularization
- Strengthen the overall labour market and improve data accuracy for policymaking
In short, the campaign benefits everyone. Employees gain access to provident fund and pension security, while employers get a one-time opportunity to fix past oversights and avoid penalties.
The real success of EEC 2025 will lie not only in the number of new enrollments but also in how it encourages a lasting culture of voluntary compliance and responsible employment practices in India.
Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational purposes. For further details, please refer to the press release issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on October 13, 2025 (Release ID: 2178405).