myIR, payments and more
Double tax agreements
- What are double tax agreements?
- Double tax agreement between Australia and New Zealand
- How double tax agreements affect your overseas pension
- Tax relief under double tax agreements
- My country or territory has a DTA with New Zealand
- My country or territory doesn't have a DTA with New Zealand
- Non-resident contractors
- Non-resident employees
- Non-resident withholding tax
What are double tax agreements?
If both countries or territories tax their residents on worldwide income you could be taxed twice on the same income. Double tax agreements (DTAs) have been negotiated between New Zealand and many other countries or territories to decide which country or territory has the first or sole right to tax specific types of income. Find out from this table if your country or territory has a DTA with New Zealand.
| Countries or territories with DTAs with New Zealand | ||
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Austria | Belgium |
| Canada | Chile | China |
| Czech Republic | Denmark | Fiji |
| Finland | France | Germany |
| Hong Kong | India | Indonesia |
| Ireland | Italy | Japan |
| Korea (Republic of) | Malaysia | Mexico |
| Netherlands | Norway | Papua New Guinea |
| Philippines | Poland | Russian Federation |
| Singapore | South Africa | Spain |
| Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan |
| Thailand | Turkey | United Arab Emirates |
| United Kingdom | United States of America | Viet Nam |
Find out more detail about each DTA on our Tax Policy website
Note
If New Zealand has a DTA with your country or territory, that DTA will be available in your country or territory. This may be useful if you want the information in a language other than English.
Many countries or territories that don't have a DTA with New Zealand still allow their citizens to claim a credit for tax paid overseas.
You may be a tax resident in both New Zealand and another country or territory. This means that you are a resident in two countries or territories and subject to the tax laws of each.
Double tax agreement between Australia and New Zealand
For example, if you are a resident in both Australia and New Zealand, the DTA between these two countries states that you will be a resident of the country where a permanent home is available to you. See the table below to find your circumstances.
| If ... | then you will be a resident of the country ... |
|---|---|
| you have a permanent home in both countries | where your personal and economic relations are closer. |
| you do not have a permanent home in either country | where your personal and economic relations are closer. |
| you cannot determine where your personal and economic relations are closer | where you have an habitual abode. |
| you have an habitual abode in both countries | that you are a national of. |
| you don't have an habitual abode in either country | that you are a national of. |
| the person is not an individual | in which the place of effective management is situated. |
| the person is not an individual and the place of effective management is neither or it cannot be determined | competent authorities to determine by mutual agreement. |
How double tax agreements affect your overseas pension
This table shows which countries have taxing rights on foreign pensions and whether foreign tax credits are allowed.
Note
The information for each country is a general guide only and may not cover your specific circumstances. To find out how your overseas pension is taxed you will need to read the DTA or TIEA for the specific country on our Tax Policy website.
Tax relief under double tax agreements
Tax relief from New Zealand tax may be sought by non-resident contractors and employees under DTAs.
My country or territory has a DTA with New Zealand
If your country or territory has a DTA with New Zealand, you may be exempt from New Zealand income tax.
| If you are ... | then ... |
|---|---|
| an employee of a non-resident employer |
some DTAs may exempt you from income tax in New Zealand if:
|
| an independent (self-employed) contractor |
most DTAs may exempt you from income tax in New Zealand if you are in New Zealand for less than 183 days and you do not have a fixed base or permanent establishment in New Zealand. |
| a company or other entity | Some DTAs will exempt you if you do not have a fixed base or permanent establishment in New Zealand. |
Note
The conditions vary between DTAs for both individuals and companies. Some types of income may not be exempt, for example, royalties. You should check your country's or territory's DTA for more information.
My country or territory doesn't have a DTA with New Zealand
| If your country or territory doesn't have a DTA with New Zealand and you are ... | then ... |
|---|---|
| a tax resident in that country or territory | you will be liable for income tax. |
| receiving payments for contract work undertaken in New Zealand | the payer must deduct schedular tax (see next table). |
| If your country or territory doesn't have a DTA with New Zealand and you are ... | and ... | then the payer must deduct schedular tax of ... |
|---|---|---|
|
have supplied the payer with a completed Tax code declaration (IR330) | 15%. |
| an independent non-resident contractor | have not supplied the payer with a NZ IRD number | 30%. |
| a non-resident contractor company | have not supplied the payer with a NZ IRD number | 20%. |
Note
This tax is an interim tax and you must file tax returns in New Zealand to work out your actual amount of tax due.
In some cases, the tax that has been deducted is more than your actual amount of tax due. For example, if you can claim expenses against the contract income. In this case, you can apply for a special tax rate to suit your particular situation.
For more information on schedular payments go to "paying a non-resident contractor or entertainer"
Non-resident contractors
When considering whether a DTA provides a non-resident contractor with relief from New Zealand tax, the most common issues to consider are:
- whether the non-resident contractor is an enterprise, and if so, if it has a permanent establishment in New Zealand at the time the contract activity is performed
- if the non-resident contractor is an individual, what relief is provided by either the "Dependent services", "Independent services" or "Business profits" articles of the DTA, whichever applies to the contractor
- whether the income is deemed to be a royalty within the meaning contained in the DTA.
Many DTAs contain articles dealing with particular areas or industries that may or may not provide a non-resident contractor with relief from New Zealand tax. It is therefore important not to assume that because one DTA provides relief to a resident of one country or territory, the same relief will be provided to a non-resident contractor who is the resident of another country or territory.
Non-resident employees
A non-resident employee may seek relief from New Zealand tax if a (DTA exists between New Zealand and the country or territory in which the employee is a tax resident). Relief may be available under the "Dependent services" article contained within the DTA. Usually, there are three common requirements, all of which an employee must meet to obtain relief under the treaty. They are:
- the employee's presence in New Zealand must not exceed, in aggregate, 183 days in any 12-month period
- the remuneration is to be paid by, or on behalf of, an employer who is not a resident of New Zealand
- the remuneration is not to be borne by a "permanent establishment" or fixed base of the employer in New Zealand
Note
Some DTAs refer to an "income year", "financial year" or "fiscal year" instead of a 12-month period. These references are to New Zealand's deemed income year of 1 April to the following 31 March.
Also if you’re in New Zealand for only part of a day, it is counted as being a whole day. This means that the days on which you depart or arrive are treated as “days present" in New Zealand.
Find out more
The Non-resident Contractors Team can help you with information about DTAs. You can either:
- go to the Non-resident contractors and entertainers section of our website
- contact the Non-resident Contractors Team, Inland Revenue, PO Box 2198, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
- phone the Non-resident Contractors Team at 64 4 890 3056
- fax the Non-resident Contractors Team at 64 4 890 4502
- email: nr.contractors@ird.govt.nz
Non-resident withholding tax
Find out the NRWT rates for these countries or territories