Malaysia Tax Agency Issues Public Ruling on Individual Income Tax Incentives Under Returning Expert Program

The Malaysian Inland Revenue Board March 16 issued Public Ruling No. 1/2026, on individual income tax incentives under the Returning Expert Program (REP). The ruling includes: 1) the program’s preferential 15 percent flat tax rate on chargeable employment income for five consecutive years of assessment (YAs), starting with the YA the individual chooses; 2) eligibility criteria for REP application approval, including being a Malaysian citizen resident in the country, being an expert in a relevant field, and not deriving employment income in Malaysia for at least 36 consecutive months before applying; 3) the relevant fields, like oil, gas, and energy, ...