# Tax assistance



## byrneand (Aug 15, 2010)

Hi,

I'm a UK citizen (with UK property if that makes any difference) working in SA on a 3 year visa. I do not intend on staying in South Africa for a duration longer than my work permit allows. 

I pay tax in SA at 40% and have heard mixed stories of people being able to claim a tax rebate for time spent working in foreign countries.

e.g. I spend one week working in USA through the year and earn R1mn per annum, then I am eligible for a tax refund of R1mn x 40% x 1/52 (weeks) = R7,692 rebate.

In total, I spend around 3 months a year working in various countries around the world and so this would be a significant amount.

Can anyone confirm if they have any experience with this matter and if this is in fact the case?

Many thanks in advance!


----------



## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

Read through the following links etc... quite a lot... or go to your nearest SARS office....

South African Revenue Service - Welcome to the website of the South African Revenue Service (SARS)


----------



## byrneand (Aug 15, 2010)

Thanks Johanna,

As you can imagine, the SARS site was the first place I looked before posting here. The key quote from all of the documents which could be ambiguous and applicable in my opening question is:

_"It is internationally accepted that the income from employment (remuneration) should be taxed in the source country, i.e. where
the services are actually rendered, as opposed to the country where the employee is resident."_


As I say I've heard contrasting stories from other expats during my time in SA and so I was wondering if anyone here had any experience (on the assumption that a good proportion of users would eb in a similar position). Does anyone have any first hand experience of this?

Unfortunately going to a SARS office is fairly low down on my list of sources given that I typically work 16 hour days, 7 days a week when I am in the country. Given my experience of government offices in SA, I would expect to have to wait for an hour to speak to someone who has a limited knowledge, who then tells me anything (which usually invlves going to another office, that is only open every other Thursday... unless it's a leap year), I then get to said office and find out i need to go back to the first office.... repeeat in never ending loop. 

... Hence why i was trying to see if anyone on here actually had received a rebate before starting that journey.

Anyone got any thoughts?

Thanks!


----------

