Below is the latest issue of Onboard, a quarterly update by Links. Onboard covers major payroll and visa developments across Asia. It is designed to get our readers updated at-a-glance. For more news and insights of the market, make sure to subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss out on anything.
HONG KONG
Financial Secretary announces Hong Kong Budget
Reached initial consensus on scrapping the MPF offsetting mechanism. The government initially proposed to provide a subsidy of HK$17.2 billion over a period of 12 years to subsidize employers. Employer representatives argued that the transitional period of 12 years is too short, demanding the government to make a long-term financial commitment to paying for a portion of the severance and long-service payments, and a review of the new implementation after 15 years.
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China
Shanghai’s minimum wage to rise on 1 April
From 1 April 2018, the statutory minimum wage of Shanghai has increased by 5.2 % to RMB 2,420 per month. The hourly rate has been increased from 20 yuan to 21 yuan per hour.
In addition, the average monthly salary (used for the purposes of calculating social insurance and severance payments) has been adjusted. The figure now is RMB 7,172, and accordingly, the minimum monthly contribution to social insurance is RMB 4,279 (comprising RMB 449.4 for the employee and RMB 1,347.9 for the employer), and the maximum monthly contribution is RMB 21,396 (RMB 2,246.7 for the employee, RMB 6,739.8 for the employer). The Employee and the Employer contribute 10.5% and 31.5%, respectively, to the social insurance.
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Taiwan
Amendments to Labor Standards Act
Amendments to certain articles of the Labor Standards Act were announced by the President on January 31 and went into effect on March 1, 2018.
These revisions uphold the principles of security and flexibility, insisting on “four immovable” labor rights for workers. In consideration of actual workplace needs, the amendments have also added “four flexibilities”. That there should in principle be at least consecutive 11 hours between a worker’s shifts was formally initiated.
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Singapore
Singapore government increases funding for flexible work schemes
Singapore is enhancing the Work-Life Grant as a way to help women manage responsibilities in both career and childcare. The Work-Life Grant, which started in 2013 and is due to expire. However, it will be extended and enhanced from 1 July.
Key enhancements include:
- Simplified application criteria
- Increasing the coverage of the employer payments
- Higher grant per employee
Malaysia
Malaysian government considers increasing minimum wage
A new minimum wage for the private sector is being discussed, if approved it will be implemented by August. This will replace the current blanket regulation for all industries.
The Pakatan Harapan government’s pledge to increase the minimum wage to RM 1,500 will be done in stages, with the first quantum of increase to be decided by the Cabinet.
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Macau
Law on activities performed by employment agencies
The law proposal in Macau ruling on the activities performed by employment agencies in the Macau SAR was unanimously. The law suggests that workers requesting employment placement services from such agencies can be charged a fee of no more than 50 per cent of their base salary, which can be charged only once and 60 days after the beginning of the work relationship.
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FSS calls on old-age and disability pension beneficiaries to provide the proof of life
Macau’s Social Security Fund (FSS) stated that about 108,000 old-age and disability pension beneficiaries must provide the proof of life before the end of March, otherwise the related benefit will be suspended from April onwards.
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Vietnam
Considerations on decreasing corporate income tax
Plans to reduce Vietnam’s corporate income tax (CIT) was recently announced by Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
The Ministry of Finances’s current draft on SME tax reductions details two reduced rates of CIT that are to be applied in lieu of Vietnam’s prevailing CIT rate of 20 percent.
15 percent: applied to micro enterprises
17 percent: applied to small enterprises
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Increase to common minimum wage in Vietnam
The common minimum wage has been increased to 1,390,000 VND per month, with effect from 1 July 2018. Specifically, the changes have resulted in an increase to the maximum caps for calculating Social Insurance and Health Insurance payments, and therefore increasing the potential payments by employees and employers for these insurances.
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Indonesia
Decrease on income tax for small & medium sized enterprises
Indonesia will cut the final income tax rate for small and medium-sized enterprises by half, to 0.5 percent of their annual sales, in a move to help businesses manage their cash flow and expansion. The new regulation is effective starting 1 July 2018.
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Thailand
Possibility of working without permit
On March 27, 2018, the Emergency Decree on Non-Thais’ Working Management was issued. “Work” is now defined as “an engagement of any profession, with or without employer, but excluding business operation of a licensee under the law governing foreigners’ business operation” in Decree No. 2. In addition, Decree No. 2 now provides for exceptions to the mandatory work permit application requirement as well as other revisions of note.
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Cambodia
Cambodia is moving to regulate crypto-currencies
A joint statement issued on June 19 by the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SECC), and the General-Commissariat of National Police said ‘the propagation, circulation, buying, selling, trading, and settlement of crypto-currencies without obtaining a license from competent authorities’ are illegal activities.
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Myanmar
Government setting new minimum wage
Myanmar increased the country’s daily minimum wage for an eight-hour work day from Kyat 3,600 (US$2.65) to Kyat 4,800 (US$3.54). The revised wage came into effect on 14 May applying to all businesses with 10 or more employees irrespective of the location or type of work.
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Philippines
New minimum wage rate in effect starting July 12
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Antique field office has announced that the new minimum wage rate for Western Visayas will take effect this July 12.
The new daily minimum wage rates for the non-agriculture/ industrial/commercial sector employing more than 10 workers would be PHP365 from the previous PHP323.50 while for those employing 10 workers and below it would be PHP295 from PHP271.50.
For agriculture under the plantation sector, it would be PHP295 from PHP281.50 and non-plantation will PHP295 from PHP271.50.
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Japan
Tax credit revisions
Revision and expansion of tax credits for salary growth. The tax credits given for increases in salary payments by employers (tax credits for salary growth) will be applicable to taxable years beginning on or after 1 April 2018 unless otherwise specified.
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Korea
South Korea labour code overhaul cuts maximum work week
South Korea officially dropped its maximum workweek to 52 hours on July 1. The new law is in effect for businesses with more than 300 employees, state-run agencies and government offices. Those who make their employees work more than 52 hours weekly face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won (S$24,484).
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Australia
Australian businesses urged to prepare for payroll reform
Single Touch Payroll is a reporting change for employers which started on 1 July 2018 for employers with 20 or more employees.
Payments such as salaries and wages, pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and superannuation information will be reported from business’ payroll solution each time a payment is made to employees.
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New Zealand
Extended parental leave starting July 1
Paid parental leave is extending from 18 weeks to 22 weeks from 1 July 2018 for babies born or expected to be born on or after 1 July 2018.
This also means the number of keeping-in-touch hours is increasing from 40 hours to 52.
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Working for Families tax credit
A higher payment rate and widening of the eligible income range is being introduced from 1 July 2018.
Existing Working for Families customer you received a new Notice of Entitlement in June that will indicating the new payment amount.
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This publication has been prepared for general guidance on matters of interest only, and does not constitute professional advice. You should not act upon the information contained in this publication without obtaining specific professional advice. This post contains links to other websites owned by third parties. The content of such third party sites is not within Links International’s control, and we cannot and will not take responsibility for the information, content or personal information collected by third party sites.