IRD issues profits tax, property tax and employer's returns for 2025-26
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) today (April 1) issued about 270 000 profits tax returns, 120 000 property tax returns and 340 000 employer's returns for the year of assessment 2025-26, and will issue about 2.77 million tax returns for individuals on May 4. Taxpayers and employers are generally required to file their returns within one month from the date of issue of the returns. For cases with tax representatives appointed, the deadlines for filing returns are set out in the Block Extension Letter on the IRD's website.
The IRD encourages taxpayers to file their tax returns through eTAX. Individual users can use "iAM Smart" to log in and sign their tax returns (signing is only applicable to holders of 'iAM Smart' accounts with the digital signing function). They may also download the eTAX mobile application to handle their individual tax matters on their mobile devices. Taxpayers may visit the IRD's website for frequently asked questions and answers on how to complete tax returnsand guidance on electronic filing of employer's returns.
Employers may use the IR56 Forms Preparation Tool to prepare and submit all types of IR56 Forms (i.e. Forms IR56B/E/F/G/M) electronically when filing their employer's returns. This tool can be used online without installation. Employers can learn about the details of the tool on the IRD's website.
Profits tax payers are also encouraged to file tax returns electronically together with supporting documents (including financial statements and tax computations) in inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL) format. The IRD provides the IRD Taxonomy Package (the Taxonomy) and the IRD iXBRL Data Preparation Tools (the Tools) to help taxpayers prepare the required iXBRL data files. Taxpayers may visit the IRD's websitefor downloading the Taxonomy and the Tools. For enquiries on the iXBRL filing requirements and the use of the Tools, taxpayers may contact the IRD by email: ixbrl_reporting@ird.gov.hkor book a specific timeslot through the IRD's e-Appointment system for making enquiries on phone.
The first phase of mandatory electronic filing of profits tax returns also came into effect today (April 1). The relevant entities of in-scope multinational enterprise groups subject to the global minimum tax regime are required to file their profits tax returns electronically from the year of assessment 2025-26 onwards. Details are available on the IRD's website.
The IRD reminds taxpayers and employers to pay sufficient postage to ensure timely delivery if they submit their returns by mail. Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by the IRD. Postage rates are available on Hongkong Post's website.
Source: AI-found images
Leasing arrangements announced for public market stalls in April
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (April 1) that open auctions for a total of 501 stalls in 45 public markets will be held in April. Market stalls not taken at open auctions will be available to the public for renting at their upset prices on April 24 on a first-come, first-served basis.
(1) Open auctions
The types of stalls to be auctioned this time cover cooked food, frozen meat, fresh meat, fresh fish, frozen (chilled) poultry, fruits, vegetables, food-related dry goods and wet goods, non-food-related dry goods and wet goods, service trades, siu mei and lo mei, newspaper, etc. The tenancy agreement is a three-year fixed term from May 1, 2026, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on the sizes, locations and vacancy periods of the individual stalls. The upset prices for the stalls in an open auction will be initially fixed at 80 per cent of the open market rent (OMR) if the stalls have been vacant for over six months, and at 60 per cent of the OMR if the vacant period has been over eight months. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website.
The date of the auctions and the number of stalls are as follows:
Hong Kong Island and Islands District (except Aberdeen Market) (1)
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Auction date: April 9 (Thursday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 65
Hong Kong Island and Islands District (except Aberdeen Market) (2)
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Auction date: April 10 (Friday) (am)
Number of stalls: 68
Aberdeen Market
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Auction date: April 10 (Friday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 13
Kowloon (except Lai Wan Market) (1)
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Auction date: April 13 (Monday) (am)
Number of stalls: 78
Lai Wan Market
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Auction date: April 13 (Monday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 1
Kowloon (except Lai Wan Market) (2)
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Auction date: April 14 (Tuesday) (am)
Number of stalls: 64
Kowloon (except Lai Wan Market) (3)
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Auction date: April 14 (Tuesday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 64
New Territories (1)
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Auction date: April 15 (Wednesday) (am)
Number of stalls: 71
New Territories (2)
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Auction date: April 15 (Wednesday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 77
The open auctions will be held at Room 410, 4/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The admission tickets will be issued 30 minutes prior to the commencement of each auction. Persons who want to attend the auctions must wait at the waiting area of the auction venue and produce their Hong Kong identity card or passport for registration. The registered person will then be provided with an admission ticket for the auctions. In addition, eligible bidders after verification will be issued with a bidding paddle for the auction. The FEHD has also invited representatives of the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption to monitor the auctions at the auction venue in order to ensure that the open auctions are conducted in an orderly and fair manner.
(2) Renting at upset prices on first-come, first-served basis
The tenancy agreement for market stalls renting on a first-come, first-served basis is a three-year fixed term from June 1, 2026; while the tenancy agreement for the market stalls at Stanley Waterfront Mart is a four-month fixed term from June 1, 2026, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on their sizes, locations, vacancy periods and the reduced upset prices from the last open auction of the individual stalls.
In addition, the FEHD Sunlight Market will be available to the public for renting on a first-come, first-served basis. The licence agreement for market stalls in the Sunlight Market is a 24-month fixed term starting from June 1, 2026, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the licence agreement. The licence fee of the stalls varies depending on their sizes.
Members of the public who are interested in renting a market stall at its upset price should approach the following FEHD offices, as appropriate, to apply in person from 9.30am to 12.30pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm on April 24 (Friday):
Districts in which the market stalls are located |
Venues for selection of market stalls |
Hong Kong Island and Islands District |
Hawkers and Markets Section (Hong Kong and Islands) Office, 8/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong |
Kowloon |
Hawkers and Markets Section (Kowloon) Office, Room 301-302, 3/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon |
Kwai Tsing District |
Kwai Tsing District Environmental Hygiene Office, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories |
North District |
North District Environmental Hygiene Office, 4/F, Shek Wu Hui Municipal Services Building, 13 Chi Cheong Road, Sheung Shui, New Territories |
Sai Kung District |
Sai Kung District Environmental Hygiene Office, 7/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories |
Sha Tin District |
Sha Tin District Environmental Hygiene Office, Units 1201-1207 and 1220-1221, 12/F, Tower 1, Grand Central Plaza, 138 Sha Tin Rural Committee Road, Sha Tin, New Territories |
Tai Po District |
Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office, 3/F, Tai Po Complex, 8 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, New Territories |
Tsuen Wan District |
Tsuen Wan District Environmental Hygiene Office, 3/F, Yeung Uk Road Municipal Services Building, 45 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories |
Tuen Mun District |
Tuen Mun District Environmental Hygiene Office, 1/F, Tuen Mun Government Offices Building, 1 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories |
Yuen Long District |
Yuen Long District Environmental Hygiene Office, 2/F, Yuen Long Government Offices, 2 Kiu Lok Square, Yuen Long, New Territories |
Relevant information on renting at upset prices on a first-come, first-served basis, will be available on the FEHD website after the open auction.
A spokesman for the FEHD said, "Bidders or applicants for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to bid for or select the stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, there will be a restriction on the number of stalls to be rented in the same market by a single tenant. Any person who is currently a stall tenant is not allowed to bid in the first round of auction for any stall in the same market, and will only be allowed to bid for one stall in the second round of auction or to select one stall in the same market on a first-come, first-served basis (except Stanley Waterfront Mart). The existing tenants under the new three-year fixed-term tenancy scheme (i.e. those persons who became stall tenants through the market open auctions after August 2022) are allowed to bid for a stall in the auction r select a stall on a first-come, first-served basis in the same market, but shall vacate the current stall and return it to the FEHD before the effective date of commencement of the new tenancy agreement."
Details of the open auctions and the public market stalls concerned (including stalls for open auction at reduced upset prices) have been uploaded to the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/open_auction_coming.html). Details on renting public market stalls on a first-come, first-served basis will be uploaded to the FEHD website after open auctions (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/FCFS/index.html). Interested bidders or applicants may visit the department website or contact the respective District Environmental Hygiene Office.
Source: AI-found images
