Investment Incentives
Under the current Investment Law No. 30/2014, the Council of Ministers, upon the recommendation of the Investment Council, may offer a number of investment incentives in accordance with the law and governing regulations for projects outside the Development and Free Zones. The Investment Council and Investment Commission can offer some types of exemptions for projects in the following sectors:
- Agriculture and Livestock
- Hospitals and specialized medical centers
- Hotel and touristic facilities
- Touristic entertainment and recreation cities
- Contact and communication centers
- Scientific research centers and medical laboratories
- Technical and media production
These incentives include customs exemptions, refunding of the general tax for production inputs, or zero sales tax. Automatic exemptions are also granted for specific services whether purchased locally or imported. The Income and Sales Tax Department will refund the general tax levied within thirty (30) days from submitting a written request in accordance with the terms and conditions determined by the Regulations Governing Investment Incentives (Number 33 of 2015).
A number of non-automatic exemptions will be granted for production requirements and assets of economic, industrial, or handicrafts activities of dual-use. Such exemptions are subject to administrative procedures and approvals obtained from the Jordan Investment Commission Technical Committee and are also governed by the above regulation.
Article 8-A of the 2014 Investment Law allows the cabinet to grant additional advantages, exemptions, or incentives to any economic activities in the Kingdom. Under this article, the cabinet granted additional incentives to the ICT, tourism, and transport sectors in 2016, decisions published in the Official Gazette.
Net profits generated from most export revenues are exempt from income tax. Exceptions include fertilizer, phosphate, and potash exports, in addition to exports governed by specific trade protocols and foreign debt repayment schemes. Jordan extended this regime to December 31, 2018, although it is in violation of its WTO obligations.
Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation
Investments in special economic zones and development zones will receive a minimum of 30 percent income tax waiver depending on the zone. Additional incentives are provided for projects under the Industrial Estate Corporation, and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.
The country is divided into three development areas: Zones A, B, and C. Investments in Zone C, the least developed areas of Jordan, receive the highest level of incentives while those in Zone A receive the lowest level. All agricultural, maritime, transport, and railway investments are classified as Zone C, irrespective of location. Hotel and tourism-related projects along the Dead Sea coast, leisure and recreational compounds, and convention and exhibition centers receive Zone A designations. Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZs) are zoned according to their geographical location unless granted an exemption. The three-zone classification scheme does not apply to nature reserves and environmental protection areas.
Jordan’s 2014 investment law merged the Development and Free Zones Commission (DFZC) into the newly formed Jordan Investment Commission, an independent governmental body responsible for creating, regulating, and monitoring Jordan’s free trade zones, industrial estates, and development zones. The development areas are the King Hussein Bin Talal Development Area (KHBTDA) in Mafraq, the Ma’an Development Area, the Irbid Development Area (IDA), the Dead Sea Development Zone, the Jabal Ajloun Development Zone, and Business Park Development Zone. The 2014 Investment Law assigns the Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation (JIEC) and the Development and Free Zones Corporation (DFZC) as main developers of industrial estates and development and free zones, under the supervision of the Investment Commission.
As part of Jordan’s efforts to foster economic development and enhance its investment climate, the government has created four industrial estates in Amman, Irbid, Karak, and Aqaba, in addition to several privately-run industrial parks, including al-Mushatta, al-Tajamouat, al-Dulayl, Cyber City, al-Qastal, Jordan Gateway, and al-Hallabat. These estates provide basic infrastructure networks for a wide variety of manufacturing activities, reducing the cost of utilities and providing cost-effective land and factory buildings. Investors in the estates will continue to receive incentives until their current contracts expire and will also receive various exemptions, including a two-year exemption on income and social services taxes, complete exemptions from building and land taxes, and exemptions or reductions on most municipalities’ fees.
Besides the six public free zones in Zarqa, Sahab, Karak, Karama, Mowaqaar, and Queen Alia Airport. Jordan has over 37 designated private free zones administered by private companies under the DFZC’s supervision. The free zones are outside of the jurisdiction of Jordan Customs and provide a duty and tax-free environment for the storage of goods transiting Jordan.
Jordan announced plans for new specialized development zones in a number of governorates including two Solar parks in Ma’an and Ajloun, and four new industrial parks in Salt, Madaba, Tafileh, and Jarash.
The Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) is an independent economic zone not governed by the Investment Commission or the articles in the Investment Law No. 30/2014 governing investments in free zones or development zones. It offers special tax exemptions, a flat five percent income tax, and facilitates customs handling at Aqaba Port. In recent years, ASEZ has attracted projects mainly in hotel and property development valued at over USD 8 billion. The government continues to implement development projects aimed at attracting commerce and tourism through the Port of Aqaba. The Aqaba New Port project, initiated in 2010 with completion expected in late 2017, includes relocating the current port 20 km south, adding four new terminals, and expanding ship berthing, marine services, and capacity, including for energy resources such as natural gas, phosphates, and propane. In early 2014, Jordan announced a new public-private partnership committee tasked with enhancing Aqaba’s investment climate.
Both nationals and foreign investors have few restrictions in trade, services, and industrial projects in free zones. Industrial projects must be related to one of the following industries:
- New industries that depend on advanced technology;
- Industries that require locally available raw material and/or locally manufactured parts;
- Industries that complement domestic industries;
- Industries that enhance labor skills and promote technical know-how; or,
- Industries that provide consumer goods and that contribute to reducing market dependency on imported goods.
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Performance and Data Localization Requirements
Jordan does not mandate local employment, but encourages hiring Jordanians. Jordan has a well-educated and trained labor force of 1.8 million people, of which approximately 350,000 are registered foreign workers. Unofficial indicators speculate that unregistered foreign workers are nearly double this number. Most foreign laborers are employed in construction, agriculture, and domestic housekeeping sectors. Approximately 35,000 also work in the QIZs as textile workers. The Ministry of Labor regulates foreign worker licensing, licensing fees, prohibited sectors, and employer liability. Along with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labor is responsible for approving the hiring of professional foreign workers by private businesses.
To date, Jordan has no forced localization policy, nor does it have requirements for foreign IT providers to turn over source code or provide access to surveillance.