A further win for the youth

The ETI is a temporary tax incentive aimed at encouraging employers to employ young employees between the ages of 18 and 29, as well as employees of any age in special economic zones and industries indicated by the Minister of Finance. The benefit for employers is that the ETI enables eligible employers to reduce the amount of employee’s tax due by them by the ETI amount claimed.

The ETI scheme originally came into operation on 1 January 2014 and was legislated to end on 28 February 2019, after which date no further ETI credits would be claimable by any employer. A review of the ETI scheme presented the following positive outcomes:

• The employment growth rate and number of employees increased significantly in firms that claimed the ETI;
• The ETI improved employment growth rates even in firms with deteriorating employment rates, thereby demonstrating the role played by the ETI in halting job losses; and
• The retention rate of the ETI employees after the
  two-year eligible period has lapsed is substantial as employers are inclined to retain those employees who have gained experience and training.

Given the success of the ETI scheme, it has been proposed that the period for which the scheme applies be extended by 10 years. Employers will therefore be able to claim the ETI for qualifying employees until 28 February 2029.

A further amendment has also been proposed to cater for the effects of inflation. In this regard, it is noteworthy that the ETI is claimable in respect of employees earning income within specified income bands. From 1 March 2019, employers will be entitled to claim the maximum value of R1,000 per month for each employee earning up to R4,500, where previously this amount was R4000. The maximum monthly income earned by employees to qualify for the ETI has also increased from R6,000 to R6,500 per month.