Micro-finance institutions, which mainly provide banking services to individuals and households with low income as well as super small businesses, are likely to be exempted from corporate income tax for two years, according to a circular drafted by the Ministry of Finance.

Under the draft, those licensed by the State Bank of Vietnam prior to January 1, 2014 under the Law of the Credit Institutions would qualify for the tax break.

After the two years of tax exemption, the institutions would also enjoy a 50 percent income tax reduction over the next four years on revenues derived from micro-finance activities.

The length of the tax exemption or reduction would be calculated from the first year the micro-finance institutions had earned taxable income.

Tax breaks for other micro-finance institutions would be 20 percent, but the rate would drop to 17 per cent from January 1, 2016.-VNA