Tax

Tax is a key issue for international businesses. The Qatar Financial Centre has consulted widely within the business community to ensure that its tax regime achieves a fair balance between its fiscal objectives and the needs of businesses licensed by the Centre.

The result is a class-leading regime which is designed to create an internationally competitive fiscal environment for the conduct of business activities, promote the international reputation of the Qatar Financial Centre and provide, in the long term, funding for the development and operation of the Qatar Financial Centre.

There will be no taxation on businesses in the Qatar Financial Centre for the first three years of the Centre's operation, ie up to 30 April 2008.

Thereafter the Qatar Financial Centre will levy a low tax rate on business profits of 10% (subject to finalisation), with profits generally to be based on accounts, whether prepared under IFRS or other appropriate GAAP. Broadly, only local source business profits will be subject to tax. Other key features of the Qatar Financial Centre's tax regime and details of the provisions of the tax law are included in the attached questions and answers on tax (PDF file).