The new Income Tax Law No. 67/NA dated 18 June 2019 (“New Income Tax Law”) has been promulgated by the President of the Lao PDR and was published on the Lao Official Gazette on 3 February 2020. It will come into force on 18 February 2020, i.e. 15 days from the date of its publication in […]

On 11 January 2017, the Ministry of Finance released Instruction No. 0077/MOF on the Implementation of the Law on Value Added Tax (“the Instruction”) to clarify the rules on value added tax (“VAT”). The Instruction heralded in quite a few changes for the financial sector. Now, with four months of experience seeing it put into […]

On 11 January 2017, the Ministry of Finance issued Instruction No. 0077/MOF (“the Instruction”) to implement and further clarify the provisions under the Amended VAT Law No. 52/NA dated 23 July 2014. Below are the main points covered in the Instruction: VAT registration requirements for foreign contractors in Laos for 90 days and more The […]

Profit tax policy has changed in 2016 for many reasons, one of the main factors contributing to the change in orientation being the lack of tax resources. Thus, with the 2016 profit tax return filing deadline looming, it’s a good time for Lao companies to thoroughly review their tax risk areas and the effects of […]

The applicability of value added tax (“VAT”) on banking activities has shifted from a broad exemption regime under VAT Law No. 04/NA dated 26 December 2006 – “operations relating to banking services, financial institutions” – to a limited exemption scope under VAT Law No. 52/NA dated 23 July 2014 – “deposit interest, loan interest from […]

Amended Tax Law No. 70/NA adopted 15 December 2015 was published in the Lao Official Gazette of 9 May 2016 and will come into force on 24 May 2016. The new law was issued while Laos is facing a looming budgetary crisis. The new Government is trying to find ways to meet its financial priorities […]