Individual Taxes in Qatar
People working in Qatar enjoy tax-free salaries, wages and incomes. In addition, there is no road tax, car tax, television license fee, council tax, estate tax, gift tax, income tax or VAT in Qatar. This is a major draw for many expats and has made Doha an attractive location for many expat employees.
A self-employed individual may be subject to income tax if he/she derives Qatar source income.
Paying Taxes in Your Home Country from Qatar
While you will not have to pay taxes in Qatar, you will usually need to pay taxes in your home country. It is best to inform tax offices regarding any change in residency and they can advise you on your obligations and responsibilities.
For an example of how this may work with your home country, UK citizens can refer to the HMRC residence, domicile & remittance guide.
Import Taxes in Qatar
An import tax is levied on all products brought into Qatar that are intended for commercial resale. This is not usually applicable to personal possessions brought into the country as part of an individual's relocation. This is usually about four to five percent of the value of the goods and only applies if the goods are used and the person is planning to be a resident for more than 12 months. For example, buying a new car from overseas is likely to be subject to import tax, but importing a previously purchased car does not.
For more information, refer to the section under departure on Customs and import.
Corporate Taxes in Qatar
Income taxes (flat rate of 10%) are levied on foreign businesses' business revenues only. Business activity is defined as any profession, vocation, service, trade, industry, speculation, contractual work or any business carried on for the purpose of making a profit or income, including the exploitation of moveable or immoveable property, such as real estate.
Employers have to pay social insurance in respect of Qatari nationals, but have no obligations for employees of other nationalities. Companies must report on their taxes during the fiscal year of 1 April to 31 March.
Complete information on Corporate Taxes can be found in the Tax section of the Hukoomi website (Business and Finance > Tax System).
VAT in Qatar
There is no sales tax (VAT) in Qatar. There has been talk of introducing a VAT five to seven percent, but currently there is no official policy stating that VAT is due to be introduced. The country continues to enjoy huge budget surpluses making additional taxes unnecessary.
Update 1/10/2013
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