The world we know today isn’t as cheap as it used to be and taxes don’t make things any easier. That’s why companies give their employees tax-free benefits. While what’s available to employees in India can be found elsewhere on our blog, here are some interesting picks from around the world.
Childcare Vouchers- UK
As a parent in the UK, you can sacrifice a portion of your pay and receive tax-free childcare vouchers. You can use them to pay for daycare, au pairs and after-school programmes till your kid reaches 12 years of age.
Rent Benefit- Netherlands
Romeo may have asked what’s in a name, but Huurtoeslag is the epitomy of intriguing. It means rent benefits and available to students and working professionals alike in the Netherlands. Fun fact: Toslagen means benefits in Dutch.
Commutation Allowance- Japan
Riding the train to work may not be much fun in Mumbai, but in Japan, it can be. Not only can Japanese employees use the Shinkansen bullet train service to get to work, they can also claim up to 100,000 (Rs 60,200) Japanese Yen, tax free, every month too.
Emergency Volunteering- Canada
A good deed doesn’t go unrewarded in Canada. Employees who volunteer their time as firefighters, ambulance technicians or to other emergency services are entitled to an allowance, which is tax free up to CAD 1,000. Interestingly, an amount of up to CAD 1,130 is exempt is Quebec.
Rice Subsidy- Philippines
Rice is a staple in the country of Philippines and eligible employees are offered a tax-free subsidy of 1,500 Philippine pesos or in the form of one 50 kg sack of rice every month. Who’s up for biryani?
These are only some interesting benefits and we’re interesting in finding out what your thoughts are on how benefits offered to employees in India stack up. Read about them in our blog ‘Save Tax and Relax,’ and let us know in the comments below.
