Rule 13 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rule 13 is a short rule with a wide reach. It says the employer shall furnish to the Central Government the detailed statistics of inter-State migrant workers, and of their occupational safety and health, electronically on a web portal that the Central Government designates for the purpose.
The employer furnishes detailed statistics of inter-State migrant workers and of their occupational safety and health, electronically, on the web portal designated by the Central Government through a general or special order issued from time to time. The rule gives no due date, no form and no list of data fields in its own text; those come from the order.
What the Code says in section 21
Section 21 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (the OSH Code) has two limbs. Under section 21(1) the Central and State Governments collect, compile and analyse occupational safety and health statistics in the form and manner prescribed. Under section 21(2) they maintain a database or record of inter-State migrant workers, electronically or otherwise, on a portal in the form and manner prescribed by the Central Government. Two provisos say an inter-State migrant worker may register on the portal on the basis of self-declaration and Aadhaar, and that workers who have migrated from one State to another and are self-employed there may register too. See our section 21 explainer.
Rule 13 adds the employer's part: furnishing the statistics. If your business engages workers from other States directly or through contractors, rule 13 is the point where the data obligation reaches you. A labour law compliance review can help you map who those workers are and which records feed the portal.
The rule in plain words
| Element | Text of rule 13 |
|---|---|
| Who furnishes | The employer |
| To whom | The Central Government |
| What | Detailed statistics of inter-State migrant workers and of their occupational safety and health |
| How | Electronically, on a web portal designated for the purpose by the Central Government |
| Specified by | General or special order of the Central Government issued from time to time |
There are two kinds of data here: statistics about the inter-State migrant workers (who they are, where they are employed), and statistics about their occupational safety and health (for example accidents, diseases and related information). The rule does not define the fields.
Who is an inter-State migrant worker
The Code defines "inter-State migrant worker" in section 2. Read that definition before you decide which workers to report; our definitions article on contract labour, contractor and principal employer and our guide to inter-State migrant workers under the Labour Codes explain how these terms link. Do not treat every worker with an out-of-State address as a migrant worker in this sense without checking the definition.
Which portal, and when
The rule does not name a portal and does not fix a date or a frequency. It says the portal is the one "designated for the purpose by the Central Government as may be specified through general or special order". Until you have read such an order, treat the portal name, data template, periodicity and login process as unknown. Do not rely on a third-party summary of a portal feature. Watch the Ministry of Labour and Employment's notifications and the State labour department communications.
What employers can do now
- Build the worker register. Keep an up-to-date list of workers from other States, their employing entity (your own payroll, a contractor or a sub-contractor), site and contact details, with the employee's consent for Aadhaar where you record it. Rule 6 makes Aadhaar entry in the appointment letter depend on consent; see our rule 6 explainer.
- Connect safety data to the same register. Accident and disease notices under rules 7 and 8 already generate data about individual workers; see our rule 7 article and rule 8 article. Keep them searchable by worker and site.
- Fix responsibility with contractors. If migrant workers are engaged through a contractor, your work orders should say who collects and supplies the data, and the principal employer should be able to reconcile it.
- Assign an owner. One person should watch for the order, test the upload and keep the acknowledgement.
Relationship to earlier migrant-worker rules
The Central Rules' preamble supersedes the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Central Rules, 1979, except for things done before supersession. The OSH Code, which repealed the parent Act of 1979 from the dates notified under section 1(2), deals with inter-State migrant workers through its own provisions, including the portal under section 21. For the older framework, see our guide to the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979. Related Code provisions on facilities, journey allowance and helpline are covered in our explainers on sections 60 and 61.
Consequences of not furnishing
Rule 13 states no penalty in its text. Contravention of rules made under the Code falls under the Code's general penalty provisions; see our section 94 explainer. Since the rule depends on a portal order, the practical exposure will depend on what that order requires and when.
Practical examples
Example 1. A construction company has 600 workers on site, 350 of whom came from another State, 200 directly and 150 via two contractors. It keeps a worker register with the State of origin, site and employing entity. When the portal order is notified, it can reconcile the register with contractors' data before uploading.
Example 2. A manufacturer with a single plant has no inter-State migrant workers on roll but does have a contractor supplying housekeeping staff. It asks the contractor whether any are inter-State migrant workers within the Code's definition, records the answer, and revisits when the order is issued.
Need help with migrant worker data and OSH statistics?
Getting data ready before a portal order arrives saves scramble later. Our labour law compliance team can help you set up worker registers, contractor data flows and reporting ownership for your sites.
Key takeaways
- The employer furnishes inter-State migrant worker and occupational safety and health statistics to the Central Government.
- The medium is a web portal designated by the Central Government through general or special order.
- The rule itself gives no due date, form or field list.
- Section 21 of the Code allows migrant workers to register on the portal by self-declaration and Aadhaar.
- Keep contractor data and safety records linked by worker and site.
- State rules and State portals may also apply where the State is the appropriate Government.
Read next
- Section 21 of the OSH Code: statistics and portal for inter-State migrant workers
- Sections 60 and 61 of the OSH Code: facilities and journey allowance
- Inter-State migrant workers: registration, licensing and compliance
- Rule 14: safety committee
Disclaimer: Based on the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (as enacted) and, where noted, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026), as on 30 September 2026. The Code is in force from 21 November 2025; some provisions may be notified later, and State Governments make their own rules for establishments where the State is the appropriate Government. Verify the current position before acting.