Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Labour Ministry Warns Against Wage Cuts After EPFO Ceiling Rise
The government has increased the salary limit used for mandatory EPFO contributions.
It went from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month.
This means more workers may receive retirement, pension and insurance benefits.
Some workers may have up to ₹1,200 more taken from their monthly pay for PF.
That extra money would increase their retirement savings.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment told companies not to lower statutory wages to cover their higher contributions.
It also said an employer contribution should not simply become an employee deduction because it appears in a Cost to Company calculation.
Companies may receive incentives for creating additional jobs.
The government expects the change to improve social security coverage.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment asked employers not to reduce statutory wages after the EPFO ceiling rose from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 a month.
The revised limit took effect on September 17 and is expected to extend mandatory coverage to more than 10 million additional workers.
Employees previously contributing on the ₹15,000 ceiling could see monthly PF deductions rise by as much as ₹1,200.
The higher ceiling is intended to expand access to provident fund, pension and insurance benefits.
Employers may receive incentives of up to ₹3,000 per month for each additional job under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana.
- Who
- The Ministry of Labour and Employment, employers, employees and the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation are involved.
- What
- The EPFO wage ceiling for mandatory contributions was raised from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month, while employers were told not to reduce statutory wages.
- When
- The revised ceiling took effect on September 17.
- Where
- The articles do not specify a particular location.
- Why
- The change is intended to extend provident fund, pension and insurance protection to more workers and strengthen social security coverage.
Worker And Government Benefits
Employer Cost Concerns
Impact of higher contributions
Worker And Government Benefits
The higher ceiling can expand access to provident fund, pension and insurance benefits and increase workers’ retirement savings.
Employer Cost Concerns
Employers may face higher statutory contribution costs and may be concerned about the effect on compensation structures and Cost to Company calculations.
Treatment of statutory wages
Worker And Government Benefits
The Ministry of Labour and Employment says employers should deposit the required contributions without reducing statutory wages or turning employer contributions into employee deductions.
Employer Cost Concerns
The ministry’s directive responds to concerns that some employers could try to offset the additional expense through employee compensation structures or Cost to Company calculations.
- Previous EPFO ceiling
- ₹15,000 per month
- New EPFO ceiling
- ₹25,000 per month
- Expected additional coverage
- More than 10 million workers
- Maximum mandatory employee PF contribution
- It can rise from ₹1,800 to ₹3,000 per month
- Potential additional employee deduction
- Up to ₹1,200 per month for workers previously contributing on the ₹15,000 ceiling
- Employee EPF contribution rate
- 12% of statutory wages
- Job-creation incentive
- Up to ₹3,000 per month for each additional employment under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana