Job Discussion Forums

[tw]

I got paid today and I noticed that I was dinged 65 RMB more for income tax than I was in Changchun -- and I make the same gross salary here as I did there (more than 4800 RMB a month). When I questioned the office clerk, saying that I thought 4800 was tax-free, I was told that it varied between places (not sure if she meant between different cities or provinces). In this case, 4000 RMB is the limit in Dalian (or maybe even Liaoning)? The names and salaries, including taxes deducted of every Chinese and foreign etacher were printed out, so it was all done automatically by a computerized payroll system. Whereas I paid 5% taxes in Changchun, I now pay 7.5%. OUCH!

Anyone in Liaoning but not in Dalian and paying taxes on a monthly salary of under 4800 RMB?

[arioch36]

Brother, she is shafting you. My school said the same thing last year. I said no. They finally checked it. First time they said they checked with the tax office, and the office said I was wrong. Next time they really checked with the office. I said no payee no workee. Oh, gosh, laowai, you were right.

Right, they included you with the Chinese. Well Chinese pay after the first 800, if I remember.

No, this does not change from place to place. Straight from Beijing, and that is who the tax bureau listens to

[bendan]

Yes, you are being shafted. It's 4800 right across the country: no exceptions.

[Anda]

I asked one of my Chinese friends when they have to start paying tax and he told me 1,200 RMB

[Sonnet]

Your employer here makes you pay the income tax? I've never worked for anyone in China who hasn't paid the tax for me & provided a net salary.

Horses for courses, eh? What looks like a higher salary is usually matched by an "inferior" salary plus half-decent welfare.

[tw]

An update:

I located a couple news articles in Chinese on Sina.com and People Daily concerning the rate change from 4000 RMB to 4800 RMB and showed them to my FAO guy. He forwarded them to the main campus. The main campus has now admitted that it had failed to change the rate.

The FAO guy will pay me back 65 RMB tomorrow.

[danielb]

tw's shout!

[Loop]

TW, that�s good news.

Sorry I didn�t post this earlier: the tax-free exemption for foreigners was raised from 4,000 RMB/month to 4,800 on Jan. 1, 2006. I read about it here on Dave�s three months later (thank you to Wordup for that thread). At that time, I pointed out this change in the law to my FAO. They told me I was wrong and that if the law had changed, the university�s finance department would have told them. So I called the local tax board here in Harbin (found the number on the city government�s website� the site�s in English too!) and asked a very pleasant woman there in my lousy Chinese if the law had changed. She told me I was right. I got a Chinese friend to call to confirm my information. I gave the tax woman�s name and phone number to my FAO and asked them to ask her if the law had changed. A few days later the FAO admitted that they were wrong and refunded the money that they had taken out of our (FT�s) salaries going back to Jan.

TW, when I saw your post, I tried searching for a Dalian tax board phone number for you but couldn�t find one. I�m glad it worked out correctly!

[arioch36]

tw, way to go. You the man! With all that extra dough, you can buy us all a pizza. Well, at least a couple of beers. When's the party?

Don't you love the "mei you" attitude? You know, you walk in the store, ask for something, and they say "mei you" Sometimes it means, " We have it, but why should I help you?" I'm busy now, so don't bother me" We might have it, but I don't want to be bothered looking for it" Or, "we really don't have it" But no... it is on the second shelf behind you! "Oh , you, you you)

This is the same. "No, it's the law" (meaning don't bother me) "Oh I'll check with the tax department" and they call their mother, and say the tax department said the same. Then you are a little more forceful. "see, here's the law" "Oh yeah well gee the laowai was right... such a troublesome laowai, making me do my job!

[tw]

[bendan]

If they really were paying the tax then their mistake would have come to light at the tax office. Looks like they take out the tax from foreign teachers' salaries but don't actually pay it to the tax authorities.

[tw]