Get EP Approval Letter, can start work immediately?

[Saint]

markgor,

Your income for 2009, if earned in Singapore anytime between 1 January up through 31 December 2009 will be taxed. If you are in Singapore less than 183 days but more than 60 days you will be taxed on the gross income at 15%. yadda, yadda, yadda.

You time in Singapore for tax purposes STARTS THE DAY YOU ENTER SINGAPORE, regardless when you actually start working.

Now, go back again and read the last sentence again. Slowly.

I'm not sure why you are getting hung up on the date you start work. It is totally irrelevant to your tax liability for the year. ONLY the DATE YOU ARRIVE matters. Your IR8A will show all your income with that company for the entire year. Whether you start in January, August, September or December 25th.

sms

I really finding it very hard to understand what Markgor is actually worried about

I actually started to be liable for Singapore tax before I arrived in Singapore I didn't complain

[sundaymorningstaple]

Dog only knows!

[Saint]

Dog only knows!

My first task with new job in Singapore was to spend 4 weeks in the London office.........

[markgor]

soory guys should have explained at the beginning that I will be on a split salary part in the UK and other part in Singapore therefore the date of employment is important. As I need my UK pay to be paid on a certain date and my Sinapore salary around the same time.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Still make no difference tax wise. You period of residency for tax purposes starts the day you enter Singapore (for purposes of meeting or not meeting the 183 day resident/non-resident requirement}. For purposes of when your employment in the UK stops and Singapore starts, I guess as long as it's around the same time as your start date of working in Singapore it doesn't matter too much (except that the UK taxes will be more). So you are better off cutting off your UK salary as soon as possible after your arrival here. Technically as you cannot work here until your EP has been approved. After it is approved and you start working here your first day at work should be when your income becomes taxable to Singapore. If you start working while waiting for approval, you could find yourself in deep doo-doo. So be careful.