SOCSO and EIS Explained: What Your Contributions Actually Cover
A plain-language guide to SOCSO (PERKESO) and EIS in Malaysia — what they protect you against, how much you and your employer pay, and how to claim.
What is SOCSO (PERKESO)?
SOCSO, run by PERKESO, is Malaysia's social security organisation. Every private-sector employee is registered and protected under two schemes: the Employment Injury Scheme and the Invalidity Scheme. The deductions are tiny — about 0.5% of your wages from you, and around 1.75% from your employer — but the protection they provide is far larger than the cost.
The Employment Injury Scheme
This scheme covers you for accidents that happen at work, while commuting to or from work, or for occupational diseases. Benefits can include medical treatment, temporary or permanent disablement payments, and a dependants' benefit if a worker dies. Crucially, it covers commuting accidents — many Malaysians do not realise a motorbike accident on the way to the office may be claimable.
The Invalidity Scheme
The Invalidity Scheme protects you against non-work-related conditions that leave you unable to work, whether from illness or accident, before the age of 60. If you meet the contribution conditions, it can provide a monthly invalidity pension or a lump-sum grant, plus rehabilitation support. It effectively acts as a basic disability safety net for the Malaysian workforce.
What is EIS?
The Employment Insurance System, introduced in 2018, is separate from SOCSO and exists for one purpose: to help you if you lose your job through no fault of your own, such as retrenchment or company closure. You and your employer each contribute 0.2% of your monthly wages. It does not cover resignation or dismissal for misconduct.
What EIS pays out
If you are retrenched, EIS can provide a Job Search Allowance paid over several months, along with an Early Re-Employment Allowance if you find a new job quickly, training allowances, and career counselling. The allowance is a percentage of your previous salary that tapers over time, designed to tide you over while you look for new work — not to replace your income permanently.
How to claim
Claims for both SOCSO and EIS are made through PERKESO, either online via the ASSIST portal or at a PERKESO office. For EIS, you generally must apply within 60 days of losing your job, so do not delay. Keep your termination letter and EA form ready, as you will need documentation of your employment and the reason it ended.
The bottom line
SOCSO and EIS are easy to ignore because the deductions are so small, but they are among the best-value protection a Malaysian worker has. For a few ringgit a month, you get injury cover, an invalidity safety net, and a cushion against sudden job loss. The wage ceiling for both was raised to RM6,000 in October 2024 — check PERKESO for the latest rules.
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