Greenland

Social security contributions

There are no Greenlandic social security contributions for individuals (only for employers). The rate applicable to employers is 1.1% on payroll (2.1% for the income year 2025).

Mandatory pension scheme

All employees subject to full tax liability in Greenland must pay 10% in 2024 (11% in 2025 and onwards) to a Greenlandic pension fund based on the A-tax basis (salaries, etc). This does not apply for an employee who is a limited taxpayer staying in Greenland less than six months.

Greenlandic employees have to pay to a recognised pension fund. However, the Greenland tax authorities may, upon application, grant permission for contributions to a pension scheme established in Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, or a country that is a member of the European Union (EU) for a period of up to two income years. This exception is based on certain conditions that must be met.

Consumption taxes

There is no Greenlandic value-added tax (VAT). 

Net wealth/worth taxes

There is no Greenlandic tax on net wealth. 

Inheritance, estate, and gift taxes

Inheritance is generally not taxable. If the deceased’s spouse continues with the joint estate as an undivided estate, the spouse will roll over into the deceased’s tax position. This provision has a narrow field of application outside of cases of the deceased running a business, given that almost no assets are subject to capital gains taxation. 

Gifts are generally taxable in Greenland as ordinary income. However, gifts to a spouse, children or stepchildren and their offspring, spouses of deceased children and stepchildren, parents, stepparents, and grandparents are exempt from tax. 

Gifts are taxable by normal tax rates of 42% to 44% (2014 percentages). 

Property taxes

There is no tax in Greenland on property for private use. 

Luxury and excise taxes

There are import and/or excise duties on a variety of consumables, including alcohol, tobacco, sugar, chocolate, coffee, tea, soft drinks, meat, poultry, perfume, and cosmetics. There are import duties on cars, mopeds, and snowmobiles. 

Stamp taxes

Stamp tax is payable on a few documents, such as a deed of transfer of real estate, registration when mortgaging real estate, and transfer of ships (1.5% of the transfer sum), including on transfer of shares in companies that own ships.