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Laos
Asia
Lucky Nomads World Index
58.43 / 100
Global rank
#175
Corporate tax
20%
Personal tax
25%
Lucky Nomads Proprietary Indices
22 scoring dimensions scored independently using a deterministic methodology built on primary sources and structured analytical inference.
- SafetyShield Index7.5 / 10
- Affordability Index8.0 / 10
- Entry Ease Index4.9 / 10
- Tax Freedom Index6.5 / 10
- WiFi Index6.8 / 10
- Admin Ease Index4.5 / 10
- Healthcare Index5.5 / 10
- City Comfort Index6.6 / 10
- WeatherComfort Index6.0 / 10
- Banking Index3.1 / 10
- GeoStability Index7.0 / 10
- Justice & Order Index4.4 / 10
- Quality of Life Index6.3 / 10
- Open Society Index4.1 / 10
- Flight Index2.1 / 10
- Environmental Quality Index6.0 / 10
- English Index3.9 / 10
- Wealth Protection Index6.9 / 10
- AI Access Index5.3 / 10
- Economic Openness Index4.7 / 10
- Market Depth Index5.2 / 10
- ClimateShield Index7.2 / 10
Country snapshot
- Capital
- Vientiane
- Population (approx.)
- 7,400,000
- Area (km²)
- 236,800 km²
- Currency code (ISO 4217)
- LAK
- Currency name
- Lao kip
- Main airport IATA code
- VTE
- Airport name
- Wattay International Airport
General facts
- Minimum monthly cost
- From $924/month
- Main languages
- Lao
- Jurisdiction type
- Country
- Region
- Asia
- Web TLD
- .la
- Phone calling code
- +856
Web TLD and phone codes are general references and can differ for territories or special numbering plans.
Tax system
- Marginal CIT (corporate income tax)
- 20%HighWorldwide
- Marginal PIT (personal income tax)
- 25%ModerateWorldwide
Corporate taxation basis: Worldwide. The country generally taxes worldwide income of resident companies.
Lao-registered companies are taxed on worldwide income under the Income Tax Law. Foreign-incorporated companies operating in Lao PDR are taxed only on Lao-source income. The treaty network is limited to roughly a dozen partners covering primarily regional neighbours and select strategic partners.
Flat 20 percent profit tax on adjusted accounting profits. SMEs with annual turnover under pay a lump-sum tax negotiated with the tax office in lieu of profit tax. Profit tax holidays of 4 to 15 years apply to promoted sectors under the Investment Promotion Law 2024, with longer durations available in the 12 active Special Economic Zones.
Personal income tax basis. Worldwide. Resident individuals are generally taxable on their worldwide income, subject to relief under applicable tax treaties.
No statutory definition of tax residence in the Lao Income Tax Law. Foreigners staying more than 183 days in any one-year period are subject to PIT on remuneration received from a foreign country. Lao-source employment income is taxable for foreigners regardless of stay duration. Bank deposit interest is exempt from income tax.
Progressive scale from 0 to 25 percent on monthly employment income. The 25 percent top rate applies above per month ( per year). Foreign specialists employed by entities holding an investment incentive certificate benefit from a flat 5 percent cap under the Investment Promotion Law 2024.
Tax percentages here are editorial reference figures for comparison, not individualized tax advice.
Special tax regimes
For companies
Investment Promotion Law 2024 - Zone 1 Profit Tax Holiday
AvailableProfit tax exemption for up to 10 years (extendable to 15 years for sectors 2, 3, 5 and 6 of Article 9) granted to investments in promoted sectors…
Investment Promotion Law 2024 - Zone 2 Profit Tax Holiday
AvailableProfit tax exemption for 4 years (extendable to 7 years for sectors 2, 3, 5 and 6 of Article 9) granted to investments in promoted sectors located…
Special Economic Zones and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs and SpEZs) Framework
AvailableThe Investment Promotion Law 2024 (Zone 3) unifies the previous SEZ and SpEZ regimes into a single legal framework while preserving the individually…
For individuals
Investment Promotion Law 2024 - Specialist Personal Income Tax Cap
AvailableThe Investment Promotion Law 2024 caps the personal income tax rate at 5 percent for foreign specialists and experts working in promoted sectors and…
You either qualify for Laos' special tax regimes, or you don't. GeoCompass determines your eligibility, highlights the applicable conditions, and helps estimate your potential tax exposure.
Check my eligibilityVisa and mobility
Your access
Visa need and length of stay for Laos. Saved on your device.
Overview
- Citizenship by investment
Not currently available
- Residence by investment
Not currently available
- Remote work visa (digital nomad visa)
Not currently available
Programmes
Laos lists several residency and mobility routes across business founder routes, work (employer sponsored), family and dependant routes, and student and graduate routes. Lucky Nomads tracks these programmes as editorial reference points. Thresholds, documents, and personal eligibility are evaluated in GeoCompass against your exact profile.
5 programmes listed · 5 are marked available in our editorial review
Business founder routes
1 programmeFounder, entrepreneur, or company-linked pathways for people building a business locally.
- Available
Investor Visa (NI-B2)
Work (employer sponsored)
2 programmesEmployer-linked permits and skilled employment passes for hired professionals.
- Available
Expert Visa (E-B2)
- Available
Labor Visa (LA-B2)
Family and dependant routes
1 programmeSpouse, dependant, and family reunion style permits.
- Available
Spouse Visa (SP-B3)
Student and graduate routes
1 programmeStudy-linked permits and post-study transition routes.
- Available
Student Visa (ST-B2)
Not all residency routes are accessible. Some require minimum income, investment thresholds, local substance, or strict eligibility conditions. GeoCompass evaluates which options you can actually secure in Laos.
Evaluate my residency optionsVisa and programme labels reflect editorial research, not individualized legal advice. Thresholds, documents, and personal eligibility are evaluated in GeoCompass. Always confirm rules with official government sources before you plan a move.
Dimensions breakdown
Strongest dimensions
- Affordability Index8.0 / 10Very affordable cost of living
- SafetyShield Index7.5 / 10Solid safety baseline
- ClimateShield Index7.2 / 10Strong climateshield index
Weakest dimensions
- Flight Index2.1 / 10
- Banking Index3.1 / 10
Published ranks by index
One row per leaderboard we publish (the composite index plus each proprietary dimension). A rank appears only when this country is currently in the published top 10 for that list. Open a row to see the full ranking. Hover an index name for the same short definition as elsewhere on the site.
This jurisdiction is not in the published top 10 on any of these lists right now.
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Founder, Lucky Nomads · Wealth manager
Researched from official sources, leading global indices and Lucky Nomads' own scoring.
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