Income tax in Hong Kong
How your salary is taxed
Tax on salary is not deducted at source in Hong Kong. Employees need to complete a tax declaration detailing earnings at the end of each fiscal year (31st March). The declaration is often provided by the employer. Self-employed persons make a personal assessment.
Tax in Hong Kong on income is progressive, with rates from 2-17%, although the standard rate of tax is 16% (2008). Allowances for single parents, married couples and for the number of dependent children reduce the taxable amount from the total of salary.
Depending on when you start working, you may get your first tax bill 18 months later. Bear in mind the amount of outstanding tax you owe or the bill can be a shock. A good idea is to put it in a separate account every month. Your normally get an assessment notice from the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) in autumn with the sum due.
For more information on tax declarations, check out the IRD website at www.ird.gov.hk . It also offers an automatic salary tax computation service. Make sure to keep the IRD up to date with changes to your address and to inform them immediately in case of delayed payment. A surcharge of 5% is normally automatically added to late payments.
Also in this section
- Jobs in Hong Kong: Opportunities for foreigners
- Looking for a job in Hong Kong: Finding work
- Employment contracts in Hong Kong: Terms & Conditions
- Teaching English in Hong Kong: Qualifications and requirements
- Working hours in Hong Kong: Conditions and holidays
- Income tax in Hong Kong: How your salary is taxed