Last updated: Saawan 2083 (July 2026). Contribution rates and benefit ceilings are revised periodically — always confirm the current figures at ssf.gov.np before you contribute or claim.

More than three million Nepalis work abroad — in the Gulf, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Europe — and the money they send home covers close to a quarter of Nepal’s economy. Yet for years, the one thing they lacked was any formal safety net of their own: no institutional cover for an accident on a construction site in Qatar, no pension after two decades in a Malaysian factory, nothing for the family if the worst happened.

The SSF for foreign employment closes exactly that gap. Since 2023, the Social Security Fund (SSF) — Nepal’s government-run Samajik Suraksha Kosh — has run a dedicated Contribution-Based Social Security Scheme for Nepali migrant workers and self-employed Nepalis abroad. This guide explains, in plain terms, who can join, how to register from abroad, what you pay, what you get back, and the discounts most workers never claim.

If you are heading abroad, already working overseas, or a family member managing this from Nepal, this is the one article to read before you contribute your first rupee.

What is the SSF Foreign Employment Scheme?

The SSF Foreign Employment Scheme is a voluntary, contribution-based social security programme that lets Nepali citizens working or running a business abroad pay into the national Social Security Fund and receive medical, accident, family and pension protection in return.

It was created under the Operating Procedure for the Contribution-Based Social Security Scheme for Workers in Foreign Employment and Self-Employed Persons Abroad, 2079 (approved by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security on 2079/08/25, with a first amendment approved on 2080/11/17). The scheme runs under Section 70(2) of the Contribution-Based Social Security Act, 2074.

Three points make it different from the SSF that formal-sector employees inside Nepal use:

• You register yourself. Because your employer is abroad, there is no company to enrol you. You sign up directly — online or through the labour-permit process.
• You pay the whole contribution. There is no employer share, so the total contribution is lower in percentage terms than the 31% formal workers pay between employer and employee.
• It is designed for distance. Registration, your identity card, and your contributions can all be handled from abroad, through the SSF online system and partner banks.

Who Can Join — Migrant Workers and Self-Employed Nepalis Abroad

Two groups of Nepali citizens are eligible:

• Migrant workers in foreign employment — any Nepali working abroad as a wage-earning worker (factory, construction, hospitality, care, security, and so on).
• Self-employed Nepalis abroad — any Nepali running their own business or working for themselves in a foreign country.

Participation is voluntary for those already overseas. However — and this is the important shift from the first amendment — new migrant workers are now expected to register with the SSF at the time they obtain their labour permit (Shram Swikriti). In other words, SSF enrolment is becoming a standard step in the going-abroad process, not an optional extra.

How to Register for SSF From Abroad (Two Routes)

You can join through either of two routes. Choose based on where you are in your journey.

Route 1 — At the Labour Permit stage (before you fly)

If you are still in Nepal and getting your labour permit (Shram Swikriti), you register with the SSF as part of that process. The Fund coordinates with the Ministry so that enrolment and contribution start alongside your permit. This is the smoothest route because your documents are already in hand.

If you are navigating the labour-permit process itself — documents, country requirements, timelines — Digital Solution runs a dedicated Shram Swikriti support service. Talk to our team on WhatsApp before you file, so SSF enrolment is set up correctly from day one.

Route 2 — Online, from abroad (if you are already overseas)

If you are already working abroad, you do not need to fly home. You can register through the SSF online system:

1. Prepare your documents (see the checklist below).
2. Go to the SSF portal at ssf.gov.np and open the Foreign Employment Workers registration form (Schedule-2 format).
3. Fill in your destination country, employer/company details, and a Nepal-based contact person.
4. Submit the application online.
5. Receive your Social Security identity card (Schedule-4) online — it is issued through the same digital system, so there is no need to return to Nepal.

Once you have your SSF ID, you are ready to start contributing.

Documents checklist

For migrant workers (foreign employment):

For self-employed Nepalis abroad:

• Citizenship / passport (plus visa — or just citizenship/passport where no visa is required)
• Business or profession registration certificate
• Business name and address
• The monthly contribution amount you choose to pay

How Much Do You Contribute?

The contribution is set at at least 21.33% of the minimum basic remuneration fixed by the Government of Nepal for industrial-sector workers. As of 2082 BS the minimum basic remuneration is NPR 12,170 per month, so the minimum SSF contribution works out to roughly NPR 2,600 per month — but treat that as an approximate figure and confirm the exact current amount on the SSF portal, because the base wage is revised every two years.

Here is how that 21.33% is split across the protection schemes:

You can pay more to get more. The scheme lets you contribute on up to three times the minimum basic remuneration. A higher contribution builds a larger pension — so a worker planning a 10–15 year stint abroad can meaningfully increase their retirement income by choosing a higher band early.

There is also a useful flexibility built into the first amendment: workers contributing at the 3× level can apply to redirect part of the old-age contribution into the health/accident group on a monthly basis, if they want stronger short-term cover.

The Four Protection Schemes — What You Actually Get

This is where the scheme earns its keep. Your 21.33% funds four distinct protections.

1. Medical, Health and Maternity

• Outpatient (OPD) care in Nepal: up to NPR 25,000 per year.
• Inpatient (hospital admission) care in Nepal: up to NPR 1 lakh per year.
• A 20% co-payment applies to each bill — the Fund pays 80%, you pay 20%.
• Infant care benefit: on the birth of a child, a benefit equal to one minimum basic remuneration per child.
• Who’s covered: you, your spouse, and children under 18 in the same household.

Note: medical benefits apply to treatment taken in Nepal. This scheme is a family-and-homeland safety net, not overseas health insurance — your destination-country cover is separate.

2. Accident and Disability

This is the protection migrant workers value most, given the risks of physical work abroad.

• Accident treatment (inpatient, in Nepal): up to NPR 7 lakh.
• Temporary total disability: 60% of monthly remuneration until you can return to work.
• Permanent disability: the 60% is treated as 100%, and a lifetime pension is paid in proportion to the assessed disability percentage.
• Permanent total disability: the 60% monthly benefit is paid for life (and where the person cannot move independently, payment can go to the family member providing care, on local-government recommendation).
• Disability percentage is fixed by a health-assessment committee, reviewed every 5 years, with the final review at age 58.

3. Dependent Family Protection

If a contributor dies, the family is not left with nothing.

• Spouse: 40% of remuneration for life (stops on remarriage or if the spouse has an alternative income — but can be reclaimed if that income source ends and no other pension is being received).
• Children’s education grant: 40%, split among up to 2 children, until age 18 — extended to 21 if they remain in continuous study (stops on marriage or completion of study).
• Dependent parents: where there is no spouse or children, 40% for life goes to dependent parents.
• Funeral expenses: a one-time NPR 25,000.
• Eligibility: spouse and education grants require 9 months of contribution in the prior 12 months; the funeral benefit requires 1 month of contribution in the prior 6 months.

4. Old-Age Pension

The long game — and the reason to start young.

• Pension formula: once you reach age 60, your monthly pension = (total contribution + investment returns) ÷ 160, paid for life.
• If you die before 60, your heirs receive a lump sum.
• Spouse continuation: after the contributor’s death, the spouse receives 50% of the pension for life (where the marital relationship is intact).
• Retirement Savings add-on: you can make extra contributions that are returned as a lump sum when you finish abroad and come home; you can also transfer it into your pension. The Fund invests this amount, and returnees who want to start a business at home may even qualify for a business-promotion loan.

A quick worked example of the pension formula: the ÷160 divisor is effectively a promise of a monthly pension for roughly 160 months of your accumulated pot — so the larger your total contribution (higher band, more years, plus investment returns), the larger the lifelong monthly cheque. A worker who contributes at a higher band for 12–15 years builds a materially bigger pension than one paying the bare minimum for a few years.

Eligibility note: medical/health/maternity benefits require at least 3 months of contribution in the 6 months before the event.

Smart Discounts Most Workers Miss

The scheme has three built-in incentives that reward disciplined contributors. Very few workers claim all three.

• Discount #1 — Advance payment: deposit more than 6 months of contribution in advance and get up to 10% off.
• Discount #2 — No-claim transfer: go 3 continuous years without a health, accident or dependent claim, and up to 20% of that amount can be transferred into your old-age pension — your discipline literally grows your retirement.
• Discount #3 — Remittance incentive: send at least 70% of your annual income to Nepal through formal banking channels (with proof), and get up to 20% off the contribution for all schemes except old-age. You must claim within one year of the labour permit ending.

That third one is the standout. It rewards you for doing what benefits both you and the country — sending money home through banks rather than hundi / informal channels. If you already remit formally, you may be leaving a 20% discount on the table.

How to Pay SSF Contributions From Abroad

Paying is now genuinely simple and can be done monthly, quarterly or yearly (yearly often carries a discount and saves hassle):

• Mobile banking apps — for example, Global IME Bank’s Global Smart Plus lets you link your SSF ID and pay the “Social Security Fund – Migrant” payment directly from your phone in Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, South Korea, Japan or elsewhere.
• SSF partner banks — several banks support the migrant SSF payment.
• Remittance channels — SSF-partnered remittance services.

All benefit payments are made into a Nepali bank account, so keeping an active Nepal bank account is essential.

What Happens When You Return to Nepal?

One of the scheme’s smartest features is continuity. Your contributions don’t vanish when your foreign job ends:

• Land a formal job in Nepal → your account converts into the formal-sector SSF and continues.
• Become self-employed or work informally → you continue under the informal/self-employed SSF scheme.

Either way, the years you contributed abroad carry forward — you don’t restart from zero. That continuity is what turns a few years of migrant contributions into a genuine lifelong pension.

A couple of guardrails worth knowing: you cannot draw a double pension from more than one scheme at the same time. And while overlap with your destination country’s benefits is generally not allowed, accident treatment is an exception — you can still claim SSF accident cover even if your host country also provides it.

Is It Worth It? An Honest Cost–Benefit for Migrant Workers

At roughly NPR 2,600 a month for the minimum band, the honest answer for most migrant workers is yes — with one condition: consistency.

• The accident and disability cover alone (up to NPR 7 lakh treatment, plus lifetime disability pension) is difficult to match anywhere else for that price, given the physical risk of overseas work.
• The dependent-family protection means your family is not financially stranded if something happens to you.
• The pension is where patience pays: start young, contribute at a higher band, stay consistent, and you convert temporary foreign earnings into permanent monthly income at home.

The scheme works poorly if you contribute sporadically and stop the moment you need liquidity — most benefits have minimum-contribution windows (3, 6 or 9 months). Treat it like a non-negotiable monthly bill, and it becomes the single most reliable financial cushion available to a Nepali working abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Nepali migrant workers join the SSF from abroad?

Yes. Nepalis already working overseas can register voluntarily through the SSF online system at ssf.gov.np and receive their identity card digitally — no need to return to Nepal. New workers register at the labour-permit stage.

How much is the SSF contribution for foreign employment?

At least 21.33% of the government’s minimum basic remuneration — roughly NPR 2,600 per month as of 2082 BS, though you should confirm the current figure on the SSF portal. You can contribute on up to three times the minimum to build a larger pension.

How do I register for SSF while working abroad?

Prepare your passport/citizenship, labour permit and employer details, go to ssf.gov.np, complete the Foreign Employment Workers form (Schedule-2), submit it, and receive your SSF identity card online.

What benefits does the SSF give migrant workers?

Four protections: medical/health/maternity, accident and disability cover (up to NPR 7 lakh treatment plus lifetime disability pension), dependent-family protection, and an old-age pension based on the formula (total contribution + returns) ÷ 160.

Can I keep my SSF after returning to Nepal?

Yes. Your account continues — it converts to the formal-sector SSF if you take a formal job, or to the informal/self-employed scheme if you work for yourself. Your contribution history carries forward.

How do I pay SSF contributions from abroad?

Through mobile banking apps like Global Smart Plus (select “Social Security Fund – Migrant”), SSF partner banks, or partnered remittance services — monthly, quarterly or yearly.

Final Word

The SSF for foreign employment is the first real institutional safety net built specifically for the millions of Nepalis whose remittances hold up the economy. It is voluntary, low-cost, and increasingly tied to the labour-permit process — which means the smartest time to set it up correctly is before you leave, and the second-smartest time is today, from wherever you are.

Going abroad soon, or want help registering from overseas? Digital Solution’s team can walk you through Shram Swikriti and SSF enrolment step by step. Message us on WhatsApp — get it right the first time.

Disclaimer: This article summarises the Operating Procedure for the Contribution-Based Social Security Scheme for Workers in Foreign Employment and Self-Employed Persons Abroad, 2079 (with first amendment) and the Contribution-Based Social Security Act, 2074. Rates, ceilings and rules are revised over time. Confirm any contribution or claim with an SSF office or at ssf.gov.np before acting.

Written by

Rabin Paudel

Rabin Paudel is the Founder of Digital Solution, a Content Creator, and an AI Trainer. He shares practical and easy-to-understand content on Artificial Intelligence, Digital Literacy, Online Services, FinTech, and Technology. His mission is to make technology simple, accessible, and useful for everyone.

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