Doha: In cooperation with the General Tax Authority (GTA), the Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF) organized an awareness workshop for owners of “Home Grown” projects entitled “Your Step Towards Tax Compliance for Home Grown Projects.” Through this workshop, MSDF aims to enhance tax awareness among Home Grown project owners, simplify procedures for taxpayers, support voluntary compliance, and provide an interactive platform for raising direct inquiries with relevant specialists.
According to Qatar News Agency, Director of the Family Empowerment Department at MSDF Fatima Al Nuaimi stated that the Ministry is committed to providing full support to the owners of “Home Grown” projects and strengthening their role in the local economy. These efforts aim to instill a culture of sustainability and encourage individuals and families to shift from consumption to production.
The program of the workshop, delivered by GTA, featured several key discussions, including requirements for filing tax returns and paying Income Tax, registration methods and procedures for various licenses including home-based businesses, filing a Simplified Tax Return through the “Dhareeba” platform, data update processes, and the verification of residency for GCC citizens. Additionally, the workshop addressed financial penalties for late tax return filings, the Financial Penalty Exemption Initiative, and the process for cancelling tax number registration.
Moreover, the workshop highlighted the individuals and entities required to submit a tax return, which include all companies, regardless of their commercial activity status, and individuals engaged in economic activities within the country, even those with tax exemptions. The workshop further clarified that companies eligible for Income Tax exemption are those wholly owned by Qatari citizens or citizens of GCC countries, on the condition that they demonstrate proof of residency in the State of Qatar.
GTA also emphasized its “100 percent Financial Penalty Exemption Initiative,” effective from March 1 to August 31, intended to support companies and alleviate their tax burdens by providing a full exemption on unpaid penalties, as per the Income Tax and Excise Tax Laws. Consequently, the tax return filing deadline has been extended to align with the initiative’s duration, in accordance with the approved regulations and provisions.