The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has issued a clarification regarding regulations requiring individuals from specified professional bodies to present a valid tax certificate before renewing or registering their practising certificates. This new policy was announced last month under Public Notice 92 of 2024.
ZIMRA communications manager, Francis Chimanda, explained to the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/zimra-clarifies-tax-clearance-certificate-for-professionals/">Chronicle</a> that the move aims to bring professionals who are not currently in the ZIMRA system into the tax net, while also strengthening compliance among those already registered in the ZIMRA database. Said Chimanda:
<blockquote>
This has been in place for those who were compliant. ZIMRA, however, is now enforcing the measures for the non-compliant professionals and effective date is January 1, 2025.
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Chimanda said that registration for a valid tax certificate was free.
In a Public Notice 92 of 2024 issued last month and in accordance with the amendment to Section 80A of the Income Tax Act (Chapter 23:06), ZIMRA listed the nine affected professional bodies as Architects, Engineers and Technicians, Land Surveyors, Legal Practitioners, Auditors and Accountants, Health Practitioners, Veterinary Surgeons, Real Estate Agents and Quantity Surveyors. ZIMRA said:
<blockquote>
All individuals seeking certification, registration, or licensing with their respective professional bodies must present a valid tax clearance certificate at the time of application or renewal.
The tax clearance certificate must be valid no earlier than 30 days prior to its submission. ZIMRA encourages all professionals in these fields to ensure compliance with this new requirement to avoid any disruptions in their practice.
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In compliance with the directive, the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) on Tuesday advised all health institutions and organizations to submit a list of their ZIMRA tax-cleared personnel ahead of registration or renewal.
The NCZ also warned that no practising certificate would be issued without valid tax clearance. NCZ said:
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In line with the requirements of Public Notice 92 of 2024, issued on the 5th of December 2024 by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe wishes to advise all nurses to produce a valid tax clearance as part of the registration and renewal requirements.
All health institutions and organisations are hereby required to submit a list of their ZIMRA tax-cleared personnel to the NCZ as a prerequisite for renewal. Please note that all nurses residing outside Zimbabwe are exempt from this requirement.
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Pindula News

ZIMRA, the tax authority in Zimbabwe, is now requiring professionals from certain fields like architects, engineers, lawyers, and health practitioners to have a valid tax certificate when renewing their licenses. This is to make sure everyone pays their taxes. The new rule will start on January 1, 2025. It is free to get a tax certificate. The Nurses Council of Zimbabwe is also making sure all nurses have their taxes in order before renewing their licenses. If they don't, they won't get a new certificate. Everyone needs to follow this rule to keep working.

ZIMRA Clarifies Tax Certificate Requirement For Professionals

The Zimbabwean Government has been accused of frustrating nurses who want to migrate by failing to provide a crucial document confirming their professional status without which they cannot be employed in foreign lands.
The Ministry of Health and Childcare took over the issuing of “verification letters” from the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe in early 2022.
Unions in Zimbabwe say the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe used to issue the verification letters within days, but the process is now taking “forever” under the Health Ministry.
Simbarashe Tafirenyika, president of the Zimbabwe Urban and Rural Council Nurses Workers Union, told <a href="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2023-11-07-zimbabwe-accused-of-blocking-nurses-from-taking-jobs-abroad/">TimesLive</a> that some ministry officials were demanding hefty bribes to expedite documents.
The Government also doubled the document application fee to US$300, which is too steep for the poorly-paid nurses.
Jane, a 35-year-old Zimbabwean nurse who landed a job in the United Kingdom a year ago, is among thousands of nurses who are being frustrated from leaving the country, said:
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The government is holding me to ransom now. I’m really worried I might not be able to leave.
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The single mother-of-three, who only used her first name for fear of reprisals, told TimesLive that she can no longer afford to eat lunch as runaway inflation has eroded her finances.
Zimbabwean nurses earn less than US$100 a month which is paid in the local currency.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is on record saying Zimbabwe intends to criminalise the foreign recruitment of health staff.
He argued that the country was spending a lot of resources training health workers only for them to be recruited by richer countries.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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