外籍个人股权转让个人所得税(外籍个人股权转让能否征个人所得税)

Nowadays, listed companies are increasingly using equity incentives, such as stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stocks, and equity rewards to attract global talent. Thus, what are the tax considerations when foreign employees receive equity incentives from the listed companies and file their inpidual income tax (“IIT”) returns in China?

现在，上市公司越来越多地使用股权激励，如股票期权、股票增值权、限制性股票和股权奖励来吸引全球人才。因此，当外国员工从上市公司获得股权激励并在中国申报个人所得税（"IIT"）时，有哪些税务方面的考虑？

Tip 1: Determining whether he or she is a resident taxpayer or a non-resident taxpayer in China, as different tax preferential policies apply to different tax resident status

提示1：确定他或她是中国的居民纳税人还是非居民纳税人，因为不同的税收优惠政策适用于不同的税收居民身份

Resident taxpayer

居民纳税人

· lnpiduals who have a domicile in China,or inpiduals who do not have a domicile inChina but have resided in China for 183 daysor more cumulatively within a tax year(starting from January 1 of a calendar yearandendingat December 31),arecategorized as resident taxpayers. Generallyspeaking,having domicile in China meanshabitually residing in China duetohouseholdregistration, family, andeconomic interests.

- 在中国有住所的个人，或者在中国没有住所但在一个纳税年度内（从日历年的1月1日起至12月31日止）在中国累计居住183天或以上的个人，被归类为居民纳税人。一般来说，在中国有住所是指由于户籍、家庭和经济利益等原因而实际居住在中国。

Non-resident taxpayer

非居民纳税人

. Inpiduals who do not have a domicile inChina and have not resided in China,orinpiduals who do not have a domicile inChina but have resided in China for less than183 days cumulatively within a tax year, arecategorized as non-resident taxpayers.

.在中国没有户籍且未在中国居住的个人，或在中国没有户籍但在一个纳税年度内累计在中国居住不足183天的个人，被归为非居民纳税人。

Tip 2: Different tax preferential policies apply to resident taxpayer or non-resident taxpayer when calculating the IIT on equity incentive income.

提示2：在计算股权激励收入的个人所得税时，对居民纳税人和非居民纳税人适用不同的税收优惠政策。

Because the equity incentive income related to the employment due to the employee’s performance and accomplishments in a company, the IIT on such kind of incomes shall be imposed pursuant to the provisions on "incomes from wages and salaries". China has given the tax preferential policies below to taxpayers when calculating their IIT of the equity incentive income.

由于股权激励收入与员工在公司的业绩和成就有关，因此对此类收入应按照“工资、薪金所得”的规定征收个人所得税。中国在计算股权激励收入的个人所得税时，对纳税人给予了以下的税收优惠政策。

(1) IIT calculation policy for resident taxpayers, their equity incentive income shall not be included in the consolidated income of the current year and shall be separately taxed based on the full amount separately subject to the Consolidated Income Tax Rate Table before December 31, 2021, according to the circular Cai Shui [2018] No.164. The calculation formula is as follows:

(一）个人所得税计算政策对于居民纳税人，其股权激励所得不计入当年综合所得，根据财税〔2018〕164号通知，在2021年12月31日前按全额单独适用综合所得税率表单独计税。计算公式如下：

Tax payable for equity incentives within the tax year = (total of incomes from equity incentives in the tax year ÷ stipulated number of months × applicable tax rate –quick calculation deduction)×stipulated number of months- tax paid for the incomes from equity incentives in the tax year

纳税年度内股权激励的应纳税额=（纳税年度内股权激励收入总额÷规定月数×适用税率-速算扣除数）×规定月数-纳税年度内股权激励收入的已纳税额

The "Stipulated number of months" in the formula refers to the months in which the foreign employees work and gain the equity incentive income in China, and shall be 12 months if it is more than 12 months.

公式中的 "规定月数 "是指外籍员工在中国工作并获得股权激励收入的月数，如果超过12个月，则为12个月。

The "applicable tax rate" and "quick calculation deduction " in the formula herein shall be the quotient of total of incomes from equity incentives gained within the tax year pided by the stipulated number of months, in accordance with the Consolidated Income Tax Rate Table.

本公式中的 "适用税率 "和 "速算扣除数 "是指根据《综合所得税税率表》，在纳税年度内取得的股权激励收入总额除以规定的月数的商数。

Consolidated Income Tax Rate Table for Resident Taxpayers

居民纳税人综合所得税率表

(2) IIT calculation policy for non-resident taxpayers, their equity incentive income in the current month shall be calculated separately and shall not be consolidated with other wages and salaries in the month, and the relevant IIT shall be calculated by amortizing the amount in six months (the incomes from equity incentives in one calendar year shall be consolidated), without deductions. The tax payable shall be calculated subject to the monthly tax rate table. The calculation formula is as below:

(二）个人所得税计算政策对于非居民纳税人，其当月的股权激励收入应单独计算，不得与当月其他工资薪金收入合并计算，相关个人所得税应按6个月摊销（一个日历年度内的股权激励收入应合并计算），不得扣除。应缴税款的计算以月度税率表为准。计算公式如下：

Tax payable for equity incentives in the current month = [(total of incomes from equity incentives in the tax year÷6) × applicable tax rate - quick deduction] × 6 - tax paid for the incomes from equity incentives in the tax year

当月股权激励的应纳税额=[（纳税年度内股权激励收入总额÷6）×适用税率-速算扣除数] 。×6-本纳税年度内股权激励收入的已纳税额

Monthly Tax Rate Table for Non-resident Taxpayers

非居民纳税人的每月税率表

Both of IIT calculation formulas above could reduce the IIT cost, as the tax rate will be lower than the case of consolidating the equity incentive income to the employee’s other wages and salaries. However, the bad news is that the tax policy for resident taxpayers will be expired by the end of 2021, and it is unknow whether the tax authorities will renew it or not. It should be also noted that before enjoying the above policies, the companies need to file their equity incentives plan with the competent tax authorities.

上述两种个人所得税计算公式都可以降低个人所得税成本，因为税率将低于将股权激励收入并入员工的其他工资和薪金的情况。然而，坏消息是，针对居民纳税人的税收政策将在2021年底到期，而税务机关是否会延长该政策尚不清楚。还应注意的是，在享受上述政策之前，公司需要向主管税务机关提交股权激励计划。

Tip 3: Other tax benefits for equity incentives

提示3：股权激励的其他税收优惠

(1) Considering the employees may not have enough fund to pay IIT, when exercising their rights under equity incentives, China has granted tax policies to extend the tax levying period appropriately. According to the circular of Cai Shui [2016] No. 101, for stock options, restricted shares and equity awards granted to inpiduals by listed companies, upon filing a record with the competent tax authorities, the inpiduals may pay inpidual income tax within a period of not more than 12 months as of the exercise date in the case of stock options, the restrictions lapse date in the case of restricted stock or the award date in the case of equity awards. Foreign employees can also enjoy this preferential policy when exercising their rights of equity incentives.?

(1）考虑到员工在行使股权激励权利时可能没有足够的资金缴纳个人所得税，我国给予税收政策，适当延长征税期限。根据财税[2016]101号通知，对于上市公司授予个人的股票期权、限制性股票和股权奖励，经向主管税务机关备案，自股票期权的行权日、限制性股票的限制失效日或股权奖励的授予日起不超过12个月内，个人可以缴纳个人所得税。外国雇员在行使其股权激励权利时也可以享受这一优惠政策。

(2) According to the IIT laws, if an employee sells stocks obtained from the equity incentives in the securities market and gets the gain from the selling price and the fair market price on the purchase day after he/she exercises the right, the IIT on such gain shall be imposed as "incomes from transfer of property" (20% tax rate). However, based on the circular of Cai Shui Zi [1998] No. 61, the gain obtained by inpiduals from selling stocks of listed companies in the domestic securities market is exempted from IIT temporarily. In other words, when foreign employees sell stocks in China securities market, the income is IIT free as long as the circular of Cai Shui Zi [1998] No. 61 is still valid.

(2) 根据个人所得税法，如果员工在证券市场上出售股权激励获得的股票，并在行使权利后的购买日获得出售价格和公平市场价格的收益，应按 "财产转让所得"（20%税率）征收个人所得税。但是，根据财税字[1998]61号通知，个人在国内证券市场卖出上市公司股票取得的收益，暂免征收个人所得税。换句话说，当外国雇员在中国证券市场出售股票时，只要财税字[1998]61号通知仍然有效，其收入是免征个人所得税的。

Suggestion

建议

To reduce the IIT cost of equity incentive income, it is suggested that the foreign employees maintain close communication with the companys HR or tax team to make sure their equity incentives plan is filed correctly and timely with the competent tax authorities so that they could enjoy the above tax preferential policies.

为降低股权激励收入的个人所得税成本，建议外籍员工与公司的人力资源部门或税务团队保持密切沟通，确保其股权激励计划正确、及时地在主管税务机关备案，以便享受上述税收优惠政策。