The government released an Exemption Order (the Order) on 10 April 2017 providing a temporarily reduction in corporate income tax rates based on incremental taxable income compared to the preceding year of assessment.Ā  The ā€œIncome Tax (Exemption) (No. 2) Order 2017ā€ has effect for the year of assessment 2017 and year of assessment 2018.

The order applies to a qualifying person whoseĀ  businessĀ  hasĀ  beenĀ  inĀ  operationĀ  forĀ  notĀ  lessĀ  thanĀ  twentyĀ  four months. Also applies to a qualifying person who has chargeable income from a source consisting of a business in the basisĀ  period Ā forĀ  aĀ  yearĀ  ofĀ  assessmentĀ  andĀ  theĀ  yearĀ  ofĀ  assessment immediatelyĀ  precedingĀ  thatĀ  yearĀ  ofĀ  assessmentĀ  andĀ  hasĀ  madeĀ  upĀ  its account for a period of twelve months ending on the same date for each of those years of assessment.

The Order will not apply in certain cases including a company claiming the reinvestment allowance tax incentive, incentives under the Promotion of Investments Act 1986, or a group relief.

The reduction in the corporate income tax rates would apply as follows:

Percentage of increase in taxable income from previousĀ YAs
Percentage point in tax rate reduction (%)
Tax rate on incremental taxable income (%)

5% – 9.99%

1 23

10% – 14.99%

2

22

15% – 19.99%

3

21

Over 20% 4

20