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Latest related updates
20 OctTue
Tue
Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department: Latest NewsAI Score3636
On 20 October 2026, the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department issued a circular to tax representatives announcing arrangements for bulk extension of filing for 2025/26 tax year returns, specifying the extended filing deadline for 'M' code returns. These arrangements relate to extension applications for returns filed by tax representatives on behalf of taxpayers.
The Hong Kong government announced that the Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2026 will be gazetted on October 2, implementing the relaxed stamp duty relief for intra-group asset transfers proposed in the 2026-27 Budget. Under current rules, affiliated enterprises are recognized if they directly or indirectly hold 90% or more of each other's issued share capital; the bill will lower this shareholding threshold to 75%, and include direct or indirect beneficial interests and voting rights as recognition criteria, covering new types of enterprises such as limited liability partnerships and companies limited by guarantee that do not issue shares.
The Hong Kong Investment Funds Association (HKIFA) has publicly welcomed Hong Kong's "First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development 2026–2030" and related measures in the 2026 Policy Address. The Association participated in the Five-Year Plan consultation and endorses the Plan's inclusion of core industry priorities such as strengthening Mainland connectivity, broadening market access, promoting financial innovation, and enhancing talent development.
Chapter 7 of the 2026 Policy Address focuses on enhancing social well-being, covering directions such as quality education development, talent cultivation, youth, women, and family development. In the education sector, an AI digital education learning resource platform will be launched, the articulation of primary and secondary school curricula will be optimized, and the Education Ordinance will be revised to require teachers to hold practicing certificates. The Excellence Enhancement Programme for public schools will be launched in the 2026/27 academic year. At the same time, the additional training allowance of HK$1,000 per month for registered apprentices will be extended for two years, and Upskill Hong Kong is expected to release the first phase of the skills training framework in the first quarter of 2027.
In the 2026 Policy Address delivered by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on September 16, 2026, two personal tax measures to encourage childbirth were proposed, both requiring legislative amendments to implement. The first measure raises the child allowance for the second and subsequent children born to taxpayers on or after September 16, 2026, as well as the additional child allowance for the first two years after a child's birth, from HK$140,000 to HK$160,000. This arrangement takes effect from the 2026/27 tax year, and claims can be made through established procedures until the child reaches the age of 25.
The Hong Kong SAR Government has announced Part 6 of the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address, focusing on the development of the Northern Metropolis. The Northern Metropolis will take university towns as its core, planning to develop three university towns in San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu, and Ta Kwu Ling, with a total planned area of over 1,000 hectares, creating a development pattern that integrates education, technology, industry, talent, and livability. The three university towns will respectively focus on medicine and life health technology, higher education for intelligent manufacturing applications, and art and blue-green integrated development, with supporting promotion of related industries and research carrier construction.
The Hong Kong SAR Government has gazetted the Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Ordinance 2026, which clarifies that stamp duty for RMB counter transactions in dual-counter stocks will be calculated and paid in RMB. HKEX will simultaneously support the settlement of transaction-related fees such as the SFC transaction levy, the Financial Reporting Council transaction levy, the investor compensation levy, and SEHK trading fees in RMB. The implementation of the new arrangement requires the SAR Government to issue an effective announcement, obtain regulatory approval, and complete market preparations. Specific operational arrangements and target implementation timelines will be announced subsequently.
The Hong Kong Investment Funds Association (HKIFA) has publicly welcomed the 2026/27 Budget, supporting the HKSAR Government's measures to consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international asset and wealth management center. The Association endorses the Budget's directions including advancing RMB internationalization, optimizing the fund tax regime, and including real estate investment trusts and RMB counters in Stock Connect, and will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to promote the industry's sustainable development.
