Under the new Labour Codes, ESI (Employees' State Insurance) coverage has been expanded to all geographic areas of India and now extends to contract workers, fixed-term employees, and in some cases gig/platform workers. The Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026 (notified 8 May 2026) require employers to complete ESI portal registration on or before a new employee's first day of joining — not merely 'before employment' as previously interpreted — and to maintain system-generated logs proving the registration timestamp for ESIC inspection purposes. EPF (Employee Provident Fund) contribution rates remain unchanged at 12% employer + 12% employee.
ESI coverage now applies nationwide (all geographic areas) and extends to contract, fixed-term, and some gig/platform workers under the new Labour Codes.
Since the Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026, ESI portal registration must be completed on or before the employee's first day of joining, not merely 'before employment.'
Employers must maintain system-generated logs proving the exact date/time of ESIC registration for each new hire, as first-line evidence during ESIC inspections.
ESIC registration confirmation (dated employee's first day or earlier)
PF/UAN details for the employee
Common Mistakes
Registering a new hire on ESI any time 'before employment starts' rather than strictly by their first day, which is now a compliance violation under the 2026 rules.
Failing to maintain system-generated ESIC registration timestamp logs, weakening the employer's position during an ESIC inspection.