Understanding Form IR8A

Form IR8A is a legal document that the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) requires to be submitted annually to report each employee’s earnings. It’s mandatory for all employers operating in Singapore to submit this form by 1st March each year.

 

So, What Exactly Is Form IR8A?

Every employer is obliged to provide a completed IR8A form to IRAS every year. This form serves to report the income of each employee in the company. Depending on certain circumstances, more documents may be required including Appendix 8A, Appendix 8B, or Form IR8S.

 

Who Needs to Submit IR8A Forms?

Each full-time and part-time resident employee, non-resident workers, local corporate leaders, non-resident company directors, board and committee members earning board or committee member allowances, staff members receiving a pension and ex-employees owed income from the previous year must all submit an IR8A form. However, there are exceptions like some foreign workers either working entirely abroad or having left the company or the country. In the latter case, a Form IR21 needs to be submitted instead.

 

What Additional Documents Might Be Needed for IR8A?

Various documents might be required alongside Form IR8A. For employees who received benefits-in-kind or non-cash gifts like gym memberships, free parking or dental, an Appendix 8A should be submitted.

An Appendix 8B needs to be filled if an employee realized profit through any employee share option (ESOP) or employee share ownership (ESOW) schemes. This allows an employee to own the company’s shares and then imposes tax on the profit gained.

Lastly, an Appendix 8S needs to be completed if the employer made more than the regular CPF contributions for the employee or is claiming a refund on extra CPF contributions.

 

How Can You Submit Form IR8A to IRAS?

Form IR8A can be submitted electronically using the Auto-Inclusion Scheme (AIS) for Employment Income on the IRAS website. While it’s mandatory for employers hiring six or more employees to use AIS, those with five or fewer have an option to participate.

Most payroll software providers support integrated IR8A submissions. Moreover, it’s usually the employer’s responsibility to upload the IR8A.txt file to IRAS through myTaxPortal unless the payroll software provider states otherwise.

If your payroll software doesn’t support IR8A submissions, manual submission is possible. You can download the Offline Application; however, this option is only available until December 2022.

Regardless of the choice of submission process, it’s essential that you provide your employees with a copy of their individual IR8A documents. Regardless of the method used, each employee should receive their copy of Form IR8A.