Social insurance contributions are generally payable by the employee and employer when the shares are purchased.
Stock purchase rights
Social insurance
Argentina
Australia
A Medicare levy is payable by the employee when the purchase right is subject to income tax on the amount included in taxable income. An additional Medicare levy surcharge may also be imposed on a higher-income employee without appropriate health insurance.
Austria
Social insurance contributions are payable on the spread, subject to a cap. Withholding is required.
Belgium
Generally, the spread is not subject to social insurance contributions, provided at least they are not granted by the employer of the beneficiary and the employer does not intervene in the administration of the plan.
Brazil
Although the spread generally is not subject to social security contributions, regularly granting purchase rights or reimbursement of costs could result in the purchase rights being deemed employment income subject to such contributions.
Canada
Generally, social insurance contributions, which are based on an employee's compensation and are subject to a cap, are payable on the spread when the shares are purchased.
Chile
Generally, the spread is likely not subject to social insurance contributions, subject to applicable contribution ceilings.
Any capital gains arising from the sale of shares obtained through the exercise of an option does not constitute remuneration for labor law and social security purposes under Articles 41 and 42 of the Labor Code.
China
Social insurance contributions may be imposed on the spread.
Colombia
Considering that employee pays for the total stock price and no payment is made by the employer, no labor extralegal benefit is paid by employer. Thus, no social taxes will be accrued.
Czech Republic
Social security and health insurance contributions do not apply provided that:
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The Czech employer is not responsible for the cost of the plan (ie, there is no reimbursement of costs)
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The shares of the Czech employer are not included in the plan and
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Payments are not made through the Czech employer.
Denmark
The spread is subject to Danish labor market contribution when the spread is taxable as salary.
Ecuador
The spread may be subject to social insurance contributions.
Egypt
The spread is not subject to social insurance obligations.
Finland
The spread may be subject to certain social insurance contributions.
France
Employee
The acquisition gain is subject to social charges (eg, CSG-CRDS at a global rate of 9.7 percent, a social employee contribution of around 25 percent) due by the employer.
Capital gain is subject to social charges (ie, CSG-CRDS) at a global rate of 17.2 percent, including a 6.8 percent deductible from taxable income, due by the employee.
Employer
Subject to social security contribution of approximately 45 percent due by the employer.
Acquisition gain social charges are subject to withholding requirements.
Germany
The spread is subject to social insurance obligations, up to a cap.
Greece
Typically, according to the existing social security legislation, stock purchase plans are subject to social insurance at vesting.
Hong Kong, SAR
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Hungary
Generally, proceeds from the acquisition of shares and the subsequent sale of shares are subject to social tax.
India
Social insurance generally is not applicable to purchase right benefits.
Indonesia
Unless the parent company is reimbursed by the subsidiary for purchase right benefits which are routinely granted, such benefits generally are not subject to social insurance contributions.
Ireland
The spread is subject to social insurance contributions. Employer social insurance contributions will not apply unless the award is cash-settled.
Israel
Portions of the taxable amount are subject to social insurance contributions, depending on whether granted under the trustee capital gains route.
Italy
The spread at purchase is subject to social insurance. However, a case-by-case analysis is recommended.
Japan
The spread is not subject to social insurance contributions, as long as the purchase rights are not deemed part of the employee's salary.
Malaysia
There is no social insurance scheme per se for Malaysia but there is a mandatory requirement for contributions to the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organization (SOCSO) for all employees who are Malaysian citizens. The requirement to contribute is based on a percentage of wages. So far as the plan is carved out and not made a term of the employment contract and does not form part of wages, there is no requirement to contribute to EPF or SOCSO based on the employee's entitlement to the stocks.
Mexico
The spread is likely subject to social insurance contributions if the Mexican subsidiary reimburses the parent company for the cost of the purchase rights.
Netherlands
Social insurance contributions are imposed on benefits to the extent that the employee's annual employment income has not yet exceeded the maximum income base for social security premiums.
New Zealand
New Zealand does not operate a general social insurance regime.
Nigeria
Social insurance contributions are generally payable by the employer and the employee. However, there are no specific requirements for social insurance contributions in relation to employee share and stock options.
Norway
The spread is subject to social insurance contributions at exercise.
Philippines
Unless the parent company is reimbursed by the Philippine subsidiary for purchase right benefits, such benefits generally are not subject to social insurance contributions.
Poland
Unless the subsidiary is involved in the offer of purchase rights or reimburses the parent company, the spread is generally not subject to social insurance contributions.
Portugal
Employers and employees make monthly social security contributions based on monthly earnings – as a rule, 23.75 percent of the relevant retribution for the employer and 11 percent for the employee. Ownership of securities is not taken into consideration to calculate said contribution, unless it is considered part of the employee’s remuneration.
Russia
Unless the offer of purchase rights is deemed to be an employment benefit, the spread generally is not subject to social insurance contributions.
Saudi Arabia
Generally, the spread is unlikely to be subject to social insurance contributions.
Singapore
The spread generally is not subject to social insurance contributions.
Slovak Republic
The spread subject to tax generally is subject to social insurance contributions and employee health insurance contributions of both the employee and the employer.
South Africa
The spread is generally subject to social insurance contributions.
South Korea
The spread is generally subject to social insurance contributions upon purchase.
Spain
The spread at purchase is subject to social insurance contributions, subject to the general ceiling exemptions.
Sweden
The spread is subject to social insurance contributions at exercise.
Switzerland
The spread is subject to social insurance.
Taiwan, China
If the taxable income of any employee upon each purchase exceeds TWD20,000 (approximately USD700), the entire income is subject to Taiwan social insurance contributions at 2.11 percent.
Thailand
The spread is generally not subject to social insurance contributions.
Turkey
The spread is subject to social insurance contributions.
Ukraine
Stock purchase rights are not subject to social insurance obligations, nor are dividends and proceeds from the sale of shares.
United Kingdom
National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are due on the discount at purchase if shares are "readily convertible assets."
Through an approved Joint Election or other contractual arrangement, the employer's NICs obligation may in some circumstances be transferred from the employer to the employee.
Venezuela
The spread is not subject to social insurance.
Vietnam
The spread is generally not subject to social insurance contributions.