The 183-Day Rule

The 183-day rule is used by most countries to determine whether someone should be considered a resident for tax purposes. In the United States, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) uses 183 days as a threshold in the "substantial presence test," which determines whether people who are neither U.S. citizens nor permanent residents should still be considered residents for taxation.

Understanding the 183-Day Rule

Since the 183rd day of the year represents the majority of the days in a year, nations all over the world use the 183-day threshold as a general guideline for determining whether to tax someone as a resident. For instance, these include Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. This generally means that you are a tax resident for the year if you were present in the nation for 183 days or more.

Each country subject to the 183-day rule has its own standards for determining whether someone is a tax resident. For instance, some businesses have a fiscal year for their accounting period, whereas others utilize the calendar year. Some count the day a person enters their nation, while others do not.

Some nations have considerably lower residence requirements. For instance, if you have lived in Switzerland for more than 90 days, you are regarded as a tax resident.

Exceptions and Exemptions to the 183-Day Rule

There are various exceptions and exemptions to the 183-Day Rule, which can impact an individual's tax residency status and income sourcing. Some common exceptions include temporary assignments and business trips, commuters and cross-border workers, students and trainees, and diplomatic personnel and government employees.

Temporary assignments and business trips

Depending on the precise tax rules and tax treaties in effect, the 183-Day Rule may not apply to individuals on temporary assignments or business trips in some situations.

For example, a tax treaty may exempt income generated by an employee on a temporary assignment in a foreign nation from taxation if the assignment lasts less than 183 days and the employee's remuneration is paid by a foreign company.

Commuters and cross-border workers

Commuters and cross-border workers who live in one tax jurisdiction but work in another may be subject to additional requirements under the 183-Day Rule. These individuals may be considered tax residents of both jurisdictions in some situations, resulting in potential double taxation. Tax treaties often solve this issue by setting tie-breaker criteria or distributing taxing rights between the two jurisdictions.

Students and trainees

Students and trainees who are temporarily present in a foreign country for educational purposes may be excused from the 183-Day Rule because their presence is not intended to make money.

Tax treaties frequently include provisions that prevent students and trainees from paying taxes on certain types of income, such as grants, scholarships, and allowances, as well as income generated through part-time work linked to their studies or training.

IRS and the 183-Day Rule

To calculate 183 days and establish whether someone meets the significant presence rule, the IRS employs a more sophisticated method. To pass the exam and so be subject to US taxes, the individual must:

• Have been physically present at least 31 days in the current year and 183 days in the three-year period that includes the current year and the two years preceding it.

Those days are counted as:

1. Every day they were present in the current year
2. They were present on one-third of the days in the prior year.
3. One-sixth of the days available two years ago

Key Takeaways

Many countries use the 183-day rule to evaluate whether or not to tax someone as a resident. The 183rd day of the year represents the majority of the year.

The U.S. The IRS uses a more intricate method that includes a fraction of days from the preceding two years as well as the current year. The United States has treaties with other countries governing what taxes are levied and to whom, as well as what exemptions, if any, apply.

If they meet the physical presence condition and pay taxes in the foreign country, U.S. citizens and residents can exclude up to $108,700 of their foreign-earned income in 2021.