# Foreign income tax excemption



## SwissTony

Hi there,

We are currently still living in Switzerland and have a thriving online shop. Now, we would like to spend a few years in NZ. In Switzerland we pay about 15% tax on this income and in NZ the tax would probably exceed 30% so naturally we don't really want to pay tax on this in NZ. We are intending to promote one of our staff members to manager who would be in charge of the everyday business and would execute the management decisions made by us in NZ. So we're still involved in running the business but only on a strategy level. Of course one of us would have to get a job in NZ in order to qualify for immigration.

I have read about the tax excemption on foreign income for 4 years however the information I found is not very clear. It seems as if your foreign income is only excempt from the NZ tax if it's achieved without your input. Is this true? Our input would be minimal, maybe a few hours a week, but it's still there although the tax office would have a hard time proving it. 

We would be very thankful for any kind of advice on this topic. We would love to spend a few years in NZ but not at any cost.


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## topcat83

SwissTony said:


> Hi there,
> 
> We are currently still living in Switzerland and have a thriving online shop. Now, we would like to spend a few years in NZ. In Switzerland we pay about 15% tax on this income and in NZ the tax would probably exceed 30% so naturally we don't really want to pay tax on this in NZ. We are intending to promote one of our staff members to manager who would be in charge of the everyday business and would execute the management decisions made by us in NZ. So we're still involved in running the business but only on a strategy level. Of course one of us would have to get a job in NZ in order to qualify for immigration.
> 
> I have read about the tax excemption on foreign income for 4 years however the information I found is not very clear. It seems as if your foreign income is only excempt from the NZ tax if it's achieved without your input. Is this true? Our input would be minimal, maybe a few hours a week, but it's still there although the tax office would have a hard time proving it.
> 
> We would be very thankful for any kind of advice on this topic. We would love to spend a few years in NZ but not at any cost.


A bit of a specialised one, this! I'd contact an indipendent financial adviser in NZ, who specialises in foreign investments.

See IFA :: Institute of Financial Advisers :: Find An Adviser


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## Kristina Andersen

SwissTony said:


> Hi there,
> 
> We are currently still living in Switzerland and have a thriving online shop. Now, we would like to spend a few years in NZ. In Switzerland we pay about 15% tax on this income and in NZ the tax would probably exceed 30% so naturally we don't really want to pay tax on this in NZ. We are intending to promote one of our staff members to manager who would be in charge of the everyday business and would execute the management decisions made by us in NZ. So we're still involved in running the business but only on a strategy level. Of course one of us would have to get a job in NZ in order to qualify for immigration.
> 
> I have read about the tax excemption on foreign income for 4 years however the information I found is not very clear. It seems as if your foreign income is only excempt from the NZ tax if it's achieved without your input. Is this true? Our input would be minimal, maybe a few hours a week, but it's still there although the tax office would have a hard time proving it.
> 
> We would be very thankful for any kind of advice on this topic. We would love to spend a few years in NZ but not at any cost.


Did you manage to resolve this question? I can help if it's still an issue.


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