In Kyrgyzstan, a bill amending three laws—the Tax Code, the Law on Social Security Contributions, and the Law on External Migration—has been submitted for public discussion.
The document is aimed at attracting foreign teachers and specialists to the education system.
According to the draft, it is proposed to:
- exempt foreign teachers from income tax;
- exempt them from mandatory social security contributions;
- simplify the process of obtaining temporary residence permits;
- exempt the import of educational equipment not manufactured in Kyrgyzstan from VAT;
- provide tax concessions to educational organizations.
As the background statement says, such measures are necessary due to an acute shortage of personnel, particularly in IT, engineering, natural sciences, and languages. The document also emphasizes the high burden on the education system: over 1.5 million schoolchildren are studying in the country.
The drafters believe that tax and migration concessions will:
- attract internationally qualified specialists;
- help to implement modern educational programs;
- improve the quality of education within the country.
It is noted that foreign teachers typically work on short-term contracts, so the exemption from social security contributions will not affect their pension rights.
