Recent Tax Law Amendments
Certain Tax Law amendments have taken place in July 2015 in order to:
- Harmonise and align the Cyprus tax system with relevant EU guidelines
- Simplify the Cyprus tax system and making it more attractive
- Strengthen the use of Cyprus companies in international tax structuring
Provide incentives for investment & relocation to Cyprus
Income Tax related:
- Extension of Exemptions of income from first employment in Cyprus- at present, persons who become tax residents and are employed in Cyprus for the first time can enjoy one of 2 exemption on income:
- 20% exemption for the first 3 years of employment (with a maximum of €8.550 per annum). This is now extended to the first five years of employment until 2020.
- 50% exemption for the first 5 years of employment, where income from employment exceeds €100.000 per annum. This is now extended to ten years.
- Notional interest deduction on equity- companies will be able to deduct from their tax computation notional interest on new equity/ capital. New equity/ capital includes share capital and share premium issued and settled on or after 1/1/2015. The notional interest can up be to 80% of their taxable income and will be calculated. The notional interest will be based on the effective interest earned on the 10-year government bond rate of the country in which the new equity/ capital is invested increased by 3%.
- Group loss relief extended to include subsidiaries which are tax resident in any EU member state
- Annual capital expenditure allowances extended- accelerated rates which refer to buildings, cars and equipment will be extended to 2016
Defence tax related:
- Defence tax is paid by Cyprus tax resident individuals on certain types of worldwide income (e.g. 17% on dividends, 30% on bank deposit interest, 3% on rental income).
- The concept of domicile has been introduced in the legislation
- Domicile of origin- received at birth
- Domicile of choice- acquired by the establishment of a home in Cyprus with the intention of permanent residence
- Deemed docimile- a Cyprus tax-resident in 17 of the last 20 years
- Consequences of non-domicile
- Where a person is non-domiciled in Cyprus, but is a Cyprus tax resident, the following consequences arise:
- no Cyprus tax is payable on receipt of dividend income from any company anywhere in the world (although on foreign dividends, the source country may withhold taxes);
- no Cyprus tax is payable on receipt of interest income from anywhere in the world (although on foreign interest, the source country may withhold taxes);
- no SDC is payable on rental income.
- Where a person is non-domiciled in Cyprus, but is a Cyprus tax resident, the following consequences arise:
New Capital Gains Tax exemption:
- Gain will be exempted from CGT on a future sale of a Cyprus based property if the property is purchased between the date the law comes into effect and 31 December 2016.
Land registry (Transfer) fees reduced:
- For properties transferred until 31 December 2016 there will be a 50% reduction on the land transfer fees.
- Furthermore, there will be no land transfer fees on transfers of immovable property from parents to children.