BVI Government Introduces Measures to Increase Revenues

The British Virgin Islands Government reported the increase of tax revenue in 2013 by 3.3 percent as compared to the previous year. Payroll taxes increased by 8.5% in 2013, and revenues from property tax and trade taxes decreased.

The BVI Government is implementing a number of measures in the 2015 Budget to expand revenue of the territory. Among the measures that will be undertaken there is changing the current structure of work permits so that fees will be based on occupation type. The Government will also return to imposing import duties on cost, insurance and freight value basis, and review current legislation to provide revenue collecting agencies with more power to enforce compliance.

The Government is also planning to close loopholes in BVI tax and fee structures and make sure that fees cover the costs of providing services. From 2016, a tourist arrival levy will be introduced.

BVI Maintains Leading Position as to Company Incorporations Activity

Global provider of offshore legal, fiduciary and administration services Appleby has published On the Register report, which provides information on company incorporations in offshore jurisdictions in the first half of 2014.

According to the report, total number of company registrations increased in offshore jurisdictions by 4%, compared to the previous six month period, and made 46,455 new companies. The British Virgin Islands remains dominating jurisdiction as to the volume of new company incorporations: in the first half of the year, 25,533 new companies were registered in the jurisdiction, which is a 6% increase on the previous six months. The BVI maintains far ahead of its follower – the Cayman Islands, which had the largest increase in new company incorporations in this period.

By words of Farah Ballands, Partner and Global Head of Fiduciary & Administration Services at Appleby, “This year is off to an encouraging start, with levels of active companies on the offshore company registers continuing to hold steady.”