UAE: After Oman, will other GCC countries introduce personal income tax?

[uranium]

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/first-in-gcc-oman-to-roll-out-personal-income-tax-next-yearWhat will UAE expats do in case UAE introduce personal income tax? Leave or stay?
Would love to hear from members here

 

[Alonzo]

Oman is‍ not gonna tax worldwide income from foreigners though. Turning like Singapore

 

[BerlusconiSchmidt]

Singapore temporary residents (foreigners or not) still have to‍ pay tax on their worldwide income as long as it's remitted into Singapore (spent, bank⁠ account, etc...)

Also, be ready to have a 90% flat income Universal tax within the⁤ next 20 years, worldwide.

 

[jafo]

Not a f*cking chance! We outnumber them at least 300 to 1.⁤

 

[JackAlabama]

not gonna happen.

 

[manukahoney]

UAE already has VAT, multiple property taxes, knowledge fees etc and natives are mostly exempt‌ from them (apart from VAT). So they do tax expats, but rather then tax on‍ income they tax on expenses and heavily promote luxury lifestyle on a government level to⁠ urge you spend more.
It's actually quite smart.

 

[JackAlabama]

they personal doing income tax (starting at 5% or so) would not surprise me in‌ the mid-term.

 

[Alonzo]

This is only if the withholding tax (or non-resident tax) from the source country⁠ is less than 15%. Otherwise it's completely tax-free. I doubt Oman will apply this kind⁤ of rule
Just to let you know; there⁢ was a proposal to tax Billionaires worldwide by Brazil (Communist Lula) with big support of︀ France (always has been left-wing economically) and some countries and it didn't work out.

 

[avalanche]

They are smarter than this

 

[Martin Everson]

The question is does one want to pay personal income tax to an absolute monarchy?‌ Is the tax sufficiently low enough to make it worth while? How will the money‍ be spent? Roads, highways or F16's and patriot missile systems. Oh wait your a guest⁠ in the kingdom so mind your own business and just pay up 😕.

 

[jafo]

rof/% True, but...
NGL, I have NEVER had‌ ANY type of problems with ANY monarchy or dictator...now...the "regular people" on the other hand...‍ ca#"!

PS. I have ZERO intentions of going to Dubai (now! After they breached their contract⁠ with so many who went there 😡).

 

[manukahoney]

I don't mind. At least monarchy can have a‌ longer planning horizon unlike the modern democracies where 4 years is a maximum they care‍ for and where there is more important to gather more votes than actually improve the⁠ country.

 

[uranium]

100%
Hey I'm ready to pay taxes up to 10% in⁣ exchange for citizenship
Win win!

 

[BerlusconiSchmidt]

What are you talking about? People pay 45% taxes in democracies⁣ in exchange for literally nothing. Look how dangerous the UK or France have become today,⁢ or even most cities in the USA.
People pay 20-45% income tax (plus a s**t︀ ton of other taxes) to literally live in the wild west.

Very few Western countries︁ are left that are still relatively safe (Some parts of Australia and NZ, some parts︂ of Ireland, and some rich suburbs in the USA, that's about it).

I'd rather live︃ in a monarchy that taxes me at 5-9% where at least I don't get stabbed︄ in broad daylight

 

[Martin Everson]

I totally agree⁤ with you and people have been protesting across France, UK and USA for years and⁣ venting strong resentment to government actions. However please try that in UAE where all forms⁢ of public protest and criticism of government are banned. If your lucky enough that they︀ just jail you and you don't suddenly go missing then please let us know how︁ it went once they permit you to speak to a lawyer from your jail cell.︂

 

[Chroft]

By introducing‍ corporate tax the UAE has already taken care that the income of individuals does not⁠ exceed a certain value. If you receive income from active business and it exceeds AED⁤ 1M - you will have to register it and become a corporate tax payer.

With this arrangement, I think we should not expect the introduction of income tax in the⁣ near future.

However, in the conventions on avoidance of double taxation between the UAE and⁢ other countries there are clauses that contain references to income tax - they left themselves︀ room for maneuver.

The UAE exploits the factors of relative safety and luxury living in︁ its favor - but everything has reasonable limits. Take one away and there will be︂ a mass exodus.

Presidential elections in the United States can and probably will have a︃ major impact on the Middle East as a whole, and most likely not for the︄ better.

 

[JimBeam]

If PIT is introduced in the UAE - it's game over for them.

 

[EliasIT]

Why do you think so? People also said it was game over‍ for people with companies there. As far as I see it, not much has changed⁠ compared to before the introduction of the 9% corporate tax!

 

[manukahoney]

Because similar arrangements exist with‌ 0 tax. Cyprus non-dom for instance - spend 60+ days there and just use golden‍ visa to vacate in Dubai. Or Italy + Dubai or many other options for people⁠ with money. They want affluent people there, not backpackers, I doubt they will do anything⁤ to spook them.

 

[Frankie]

This is only the beginning!

The reality is‍ much worse: It's going to be 150% flat income universal tax within the next 5⁠ year, also they're going to force you to eat bugs, aliens will use your body⁤ as battery and will probe you when you're unconscious.