Tax clearance: Working from overseas on EP

[sgexpat92]

Hi all,

Bit puzzled about this.

Since I am in IT, I’d like to take the chance to travel and work from overseas for the Singapore company which employs me on EP.

I am in Singapore since > 2 years. I figured that I will be a tax resident as long as I am in SG for 91.5 days / year (Executive director). So far, so good.

Now, my company secretary advises me to file for tax clearance before leaving, as my intention is to leave and work from overseas for > 3 months. I wonder if this correct, and if it is, would I have to file for tax clearance every time I leave SG with the intention to stay away for more than 3 months? This seems so tedious to me, since I thought that tax clearance is only necessary when ceasing employment.

Thank you!

[malcontent]

I read somewhere that EP holders can be outside Singapore for up to 6 months without an issue.

I do hope it is true, because I plan to do that next year, then come back and cancel my EP one day after the new year (so I can maintain Singapore tax residency for that entire year).

[PNGMK]

If you're employed by the Singapore company you should not need tax clearance. It only really has ever come up for me when I was laid off.