---
title: Asia HR & Payroll Updates — October 2025 Edition
description: Your October 2025 roundup of Asia payroll, HR law, tax updates, compliance changes, and new regulations across the region.
---

[TaxTok HRF ](https://www.hrforte.com/taxtok-hrforte)

# [Asia HR & Payroll Updates — October 2025 Edition](https://www.hrforte.com/taxtok-hrforte/taxtok-october-2025-asias-payroll-hr-updates-thatll-keep-you-on-your-toes)

 Written by [Betty Gervasini, FCA](https://www.hrforte.com/taxtok-hrforte/author/betty-gervasini-fca) | Nov 9, 2025 11:45:00 PM

### October 2025 in a Nutshell

If you thought payroll life would calm down after Q3… surprise! Asia’s regulators had other plans. October 2025 delivered a mix of wage hikes, compliance tweaks, and a few “oh great, another deadline” moments.

Here’s what changed — and what your HR or payroll system *really* needs to know.

### 🇹🇼 **Taiwan — Wage Hike Number 10 and a Tax Reality Check**

**1. Unrealised Gains? Unreal Tax Relief.**  
Taiwan’s tax agency reminded everyone that only *realised* foreign currency gains and losses count for tax purposes. Translation: imaginary profits = no tax bill. Finally, a rule we can all agree with.

**2. Minimum Wage Going Up (Again)**  
From 1 Jan 2026, the minimum wage jumps to TWD 29,500/month and TWD 196/hour — a 3.18% increase. This marks 10 consecutive years of wage growth. Somewhere out there, an HR payroll table just cried a little.

### 🇮🇳 **India — Deadlines, Campaigns, and an Official DA Bump**

**1. Audit Report Filing Extended**  
CBDT pushed the deadline to 31 Oct 2025, citing natural disasters. Cue collective sighs of relief across accounting departments.

**2. GST Tribunal Finally Live**  
The Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) launched to settle disputes between central and state authorities. Basically, a courtroom for tax arguments that never end.

**3. Employee Enrolment Campaign (EEC 2025)**  
From Nov 2025–Apr 2026, employers can register previously unregistered employees under EPF — a nice second chance for compliance without penalties.

**4. Dearness Allowance Up by 3%**  
Central government employees and pensioners will see a 3% increase, retroactive from July. Expect your October payroll sheet to look slightly busier.

**5. EPFO Extends ECR Filing Deadline**  
Deadline for September filings moved to 22 Oct 2025, giving employers time to adjust to the new e-filing system.

### 🇨🇳 **China — The Taxman Watches the Internet**

New SAT rules took effect 1 Oct 2025 requiring digital platforms to report user income and transaction data. If you thought “platform economy” meant “less reporting,” think again — the cloud just got audited.

### 🇭🇰 **Hong Kong — Pillar Two, New Interest Rules, and a Global Tax Deal**

**1. Pillar Two Regime Moves Forward**  
The IRD introduced guidance and teased a new online portal (coming Jan 2027) for electronic top-up tax filings. Because nothing says “fun” like digital tax compliance.

**2. New Interest Rate on Tax Reserve Certificates**  
From 6 Oct 2025, TRCs will pay updated interest — but only if you use them to pay tax. Earn, spend, repeat.

**3. Double Tax Agreement with Rwanda**  
New treaty signed with Rwanda, capping withholding tax rates at 7.5% for dividends, 8% for interest, 9% for royalties, and 10% for technical services. Good news for cross-border accountants and anyone tracking spreadsheets across time zones.

### 🇵🇭 **Philippines — From Earthquakes to Wage Waves**

**1. Filing Extensions for Earthquake-Affected Areas**  
The BIR’s RMC No. 088-2025 extended all filing and payment deadlines within October. Because sometimes nature doesn’t respect tax calendars.

**2. Wage Increase in Cagayan Valley**  
From 5 Nov 2025, daily wages go up by PHP 20–40 for both agricultural and non-agricultural workers.

**3. Industry-Based Wage Standards Proposed**  
A new Fair Industry Wages Bill aims to set wage floors by industry, not just region. Fairer? Maybe. Simpler? Definitely not.

**4. Tax Review Task Force for Corporates**  
The Department of Finance is assembling a working group to tackle corporate tax pain points. Translation: audits, but friendlier (hopefully).

### 🇲🇾 **Malaysia — Budget 2026: A Little Something for Everyone**

Malaysia’s Budget 2026, themed *“Belanjawan MADANI Keempat: Belanjawan Rakyat,”* promises more support for families, seniors, and students, plus green transformation and digitalisation.  
More deductions, more automation… and more work for payroll teams recalculating benefits.

### 🇮🇩 **Indonesia — Wage Subsidy Program Returns**

The government confirmed a 2025 Wage Subsidy Program restart, targeting workers earning ≤ Rp3.5 million/month. But if you’re a civil servant or military officer — sorry, you’re not on the guest list.

### 🇻🇳 **Vietnam — 9 Days of Tet Bliss**

Vietnam’s 2026 holiday calendar is out: 9 consecutive days off for Tet (5 public holidays + 4 weekends). If you’re planning payroll runs or compliance filings in February… don’t.

### 🇰🇷 **South Korea — Rest, Reform, Repeat**

**1. Workers’ Day for All**  
From 2026, even small business employees get 1 May off. Equality achieved — at least for one day.

**2. Pension Reform Task Force**  
A new tripartite team (labor, business, and government) is rethinking Korea’s pension system for an aging workforce. Expect reforms and debates, possibly over soju.

### **Final Thoughts: Surviving the October Overload**

If October taught us anything, it’s that payroll never sleeps. Between wage adjustments, tax treaties, and new filing systems, Asia’s compliance clock is always ticking.

So here’s your HR Forte tip: Let AskGenie do the hardwork — you just sip your coffee, stay calm, and keep the payslips rolling. 

Find out more on [AskGenie.](https://www.hrforte.com/askgenie-landing-page)

[View full post](https://www.hrforte.com/taxtok-hrforte/taxtok-october-2025-asias-payroll-hr-updates-thatll-keep-you-on-your-toes)

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