ArmInfo. The state will increase support for companies engaged in R&D. The corresponding draft law was approved at a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs.
Deputy Chairman of the Committee Babken Tunyan announced that, from now on, state support for R&D will be calculated at 20% of the wage fund, rather than 60% of the income tax. He stated that the change was necessary because the income tax rate for this sector was reduced from 20% to 10%, resulting in a disproportionately low level of support under the previous model.
Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry Ruben Simonyan, in turn, noted that the reduction in income tax from 20% to 10% was due to the government's priority of developing R&D and investing in scientific research. However, given that the current model made the amount of support unfair, a decision was made to change the calculation mechanism.
"Our goal is to transform ourselves from a country providing IT services into a country creating and supplying high-tech products. This means we must increase investment in R&D," the deputy minister noted.
Furthermore, the bill also addresses the regulation of migrants in the high-tech sector. According to previous regulations, this category of citizens was supposed to receive separate support starting January 1. However, experience has shown that providing assistance directly to migrants is unrealistic.
"Assistance will be provided to migrants through companies: the state provides support to the company, which, acting as an intermediary, transfers it to the migrant through the appropriate platform," Tunyan explained.
During the commission meeting, it was also decided to extend state support measures to non-resident companies that have been operating in Armenia for a long time and paying taxes, but were previously unable to take advantage of the benefits due to their status.
