High Executive Possessing Specialist Skills (HEPSS)

A special employment tax status is available for employees that meet certain criteria as a cost saving incentive for companies recruiting senior executives.

Under the HEPSS Rules, tax will be payable only on the first £160,000 per annum of income under the Gross Income Based tax which currently equates to a total tax charge of £39,940

This status is available to individuals who possess skills not available in Gibraltar and, in the Government’s opinion, necessary to promote and sustain economic activity of particular economic value to Gibraltar, who will occupy a high executive or senior management position, and who will earn more than £160,000 per annum of income in Gibraltar.

The new applicants must not have been gainfully occupied or resident in Gibraltar for any part of the period of thirty six months immediately preceding the year in which the application is made.

The qualifying individual needs to have available for their exclusive use residential accommodation in Gibraltar, approved for this purpose by the Finance Centre Director, adequate for their and any or all of their family in Gibraltar dependant upon him.

Once issued, the certificate is dependant on the employment of the individual within the same company so any change in employer will precipitate an immediate withdrawal of the certificate. The individual also needs to maintain a good character and a reputation that would not be deleterious to the reputation of Gibraltar.

Gibraltar is a reputable and well regulated finance centre within the continental Europe. The tax savings afforded by the HEPSS status together with the close proximity of Andalucia, with its cities steeped in history and culture, and the availability of the Costa del Sol and Portuguese Algarve, with their internationally renowned leisure activities including several leading golf courses, make Gibraltar a very attractive location for individuals to live and work and helps employers attract the calibre of personnel which make a valuable addition to the jurisdiction’s already highly skilled workforce.