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Singapore corporate tax exemptions caa 18 Feb 2018

Partial tax exemption for companies (from YA 2020)

Chargeable income% exempted from TaxAmount exempted from Tax
First $10,000@75%=$7,500
Next $190,000@50%=$95,000
Total $200,000 =$102,500

Tax exemption scheme for new start-up companies (where any of the first 3 YAs falls in or after YA 2020)

Chargeable income% exempted from TaxAmount exempted from Tax
First $100,000@75%=$75,000
Next $100,000@50%=$50,000
Total $200,000 =$125,000

Partial tax exemption for companies (YA 2010 to YA 2019)

Chargeable income% exempted from TaxAmount exempted from Tax
First $10,000@75%=$7,500
Next $290,000@50%=$145,000
Total $300,000 =$152,500

Tax exemption scheme for new start-up companies (where any of the first 3 YAs falls in YA 2010 to YA 2019)

Chargeable income% exempted from TaxAmount exempted from Tax
First $100,000@100%=$100,000
Next $200,000@50%=$100,000
Total $300,000 =$200,000

YA 2019
Companies will be granted a 20% Corporate Income Tax Rebate capped at $10,000.

YA 2018
Companies will be granted a 40% Corporate Income Tax Rebate capped at $15,000

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Singapore Budget 2018 affecting companies tax

Corporate Income Tax

Current treatment

For YA2018, CIT rebate is 20% of tax payable, capped at $10,000. 

New treatment

For YA2018, the CIT rebate will be enhanced to 40% of tax payable, with enhanced cap at $15,000. 

For YA2019, CIT rebate at a rate of 20% of tax payable, capped at $10,000.

Tax Deduction For Qualifying Expenditure On Qualifying Research And Development (“R&D”) Projects Performed In Singapore​

Current treatment

Businesses that have incurred qualifying expenditure on qualifying R&D projects performed in Singapore can claim the following: 

a) 150% tax deduction for staff costs and consumables incurred, and 

b) 100% tax deduction for other qualifying expenditure. 

New treatment

Businesses that have incurred qualifying expenditure on qualifying R&D projects performed in Singapore can claim the following: 

a) 250% tax deduction for staff costs and consumables incurred, and 

b) 100% tax deduction for other qualifying expenditure. 

Period: YA2019 to YA2025.

Tax Deduction For Intellectual Property (IP) Registration Cost

Current treatment

Businesses that have incurred qualifying expenditure on qualifying R&D projects performed in Singapore can claim the following: 

a) 150% tax deduction for staff costs and consumables incurred, and 

b) 100% tax deduction for other qualifying expenditure. 

New treatment

Businesses that have incurred qualifying expenditure on qualifying R&D projects performed in Singapore can claim the following: 

a) 250% tax deduction for staff costs and consumables incurred, and 

b) 100% tax deduction for other qualifying expenditure. 

Period: YA2019 to YA2025.

Tax deduction for costs on IP in-licensing​

Current treatment

100% tax deduction on such costs. 

Period: Until YA2020. 

New treatment

Increase in tax deduction from 100% to 200% for the first $100,000 of qualifying IP registration costs incurred for each YA. This change will take effect from YA2019 to YA2025.

Period: From YA2019 to YA2025

Double Tax Deduction for Internationalisation (“DTDi”) scheme ​

Current treatment

200% tax deduction , on qualifying market expansion and investment development expenses, subject to approval from IE Singapore or STB. 

No prior approval is needed from IE Singapore or STB for tax deduction on the first $100,000 of qualifying expenses incurred on the following activities for each YA: 

a) Overseas business development trips/missions;

b) Overseas investment study trips/missions; 

c) Participation in overseas trade fairs; and 

d) Participation in approved local trade fairs.

New treatment

200% tax deduction , on qualifying market expansion and investment development expenses, subject to approval from IE Singapore or STB. 

No prior approval is needed from IE Singapore or STB for tax deduction on the first $150,000 of qualifying expenses incurred on the following activities for each YA: 

a) Overseas business development trips/missions;

b) Overseas investment study trips/missions; 

c) Participation in overseas trade fairs; and 

d) Participation in approved local trade fairs. 

This change will apply to qualifying expenses incurred on or after YA2019. 

IE and STB will release further details of the change by April 2018.

Start-Up Tax Exemption ("SUTE") scheme​

Current treatment

A new company can, subject to conditions, qualify for, in each of the first three YAs: 

a) 100% exemption on the first $100,000 of normal chargeable income; and 

b) 50% exemption on the next $200,000 of normal chargeable income.

New treatment

A new company can, subject to conditions, qualify for, in each of the first three YAs: 

a) 75% exemption on the first $100,000 of normal chargeable income; and 

b) 50% exemption on the next $100,000 of normal chargeable income.

This change will take effect on or after YA2020 for all qualifying companies under the scheme. 

For example, if a qualifying company’s first YA is 2019, the current SUTE parameters will apply in YA2019 while the new parameters will apply in YAs 2020 and 2021.

Partial Tax Exemption (“PTE”) scheme​

Current treatment

All companies (excluding those that qualify for the SUTE scheme) and bodies of persons, can qualify for, in each YA: 

a) 75% exemption on the first $10,000 of normal chargeable income; and

b) 50% exemption on the next $290,000 of normal chargeable income.

New treatment

All companies (excluding those that qualify for the SUTE scheme) and bodies of persons, can qualify for, in each YA: 

a) 75% exemption on the first $10,000 of normal chargeable income; and

b) 50% exemption on the next $190,000 of normal chargeable income.

All other conditions of the scheme remain unchanged. 

This change will take effect on or after YA2020 for all companies (excluding those that qualify for the SUTE scheme) and bodies of persons. 

Tax Deduction for Qualifying Donations​

Current treatment

250% tax deduction for qualifying donations made to Institutions of a Public Character (“IPCs”) and other qualifying recipients 

Period: 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018. 

New treatment

250% tax deduction for qualifying donations made to Institutions of a Public Character (“IPCs”) and other qualifying recipients 

Period: 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2021. 

Business and IPC Partnership Scheme (“BIPS”)​

Current treatment

A qualifying person can, subject to conditions, enjoy a total of 250% tax deduction on qualifying expenditure such as wages incurred by him in respect of 

a) The provision of services by his qualifying employee to an IPC during that period; or 

b) The secondment of his qualifying employee to an IPC during that period.

Period: 1 July 2016 to 31 December 2018 

New treatment

A qualifying person can, subject to conditions, enjoy a total of 250% tax deduction on qualifying expenditure such as wages incurred by him in respect of 

a) The provision of services by his qualifying employee to an IPC during that period; or 

b) The secondment of his qualifying employee to an IPC during that period.

Period: 1 July 2016 to 31 December 2021

GST on imported services​

Current treatment

GST is not applicable on imported services provided by an overseas supplier which does not have an establishment in Singapore.

New treatment

B2B imported services will be taxed via a reverse charge mechanism.

Only businesses that:

(i) make exempt supplies, or

(ii) do not make any taxable supplies need to apply reverse charge.

The reverse charge mechanism requires the local business customer to account for GST to IRAS on the services it imports. The local business customer can in turn claim the GST accounted for as its input tax, subject to the GST input tax recovery rules.

The taxation of B2C imported services will take effect through an Overseas Vendor Registration (OVR) mode.

This requires overseas suppliers and electronic marketplace operators which make significant supplies of digital services to local consumers to register with IRAS for GST.