Job work sectors constitutes a significant industry in Indian Economy. It includes outsourced activities that may or may not culminate into manufacture. The term Job-work itself explains the meaning. It is process of Goods – inputs /Semi finished goods- supplied by the principal, for further processing.
What is Job Work?
Section 2(68) of the CGST Act, 2017 defines job work as ‘any treatment or process undertaken by a person on goods belonging to another registered person’. The one who does the said job would be termed as ‘job worker’. The ownership of the goods does not transfer to the job worker but it rests with the principal. The job worker is required to carry out the process specified by the principal, on the goods.
Job work Procedural aspects:
Certain facilities with certain conditions are offered in relation to job work, some of which are as under:
a) A registered person (Principal) can send inputs/ capital goods under intimation and subject to certain conditions without payment of tax to a job worker and from there to another job worker and after completion of job work bring back such goods without payment of tax. The principal is not required to reverse the ITC availed on inputs or capital goods dispatched to job worker.
b) Principal can send inputs or capital goods directly to the job worker without bringing them to his premises, still the principal can avail the credit of tax paid on such inputs or capital goods.
c) However, inputs and/or capital goods sent to a job worker are required to be returned to the principal within 1 year and 3 years, respectively, from the date of sending such goods to the job worker.
d) After processing of goods, the job worker may clear the goods to-
(i) Another job worker for further processing;
(ii) Dispatch the goods to any of the place of business of the principal without payment of tax;
(iii) Remove the goods on payment of tax within India or without payment of tax for export outside India on fulfilment of conditions. The facility of supply of goods by principal to the third party directly from the premises of the job worker on payment of tax in India likewise with or without payment of tax for export may be availed by the principal on declaring premise of the job worker as his additional place of business in registration. In case the job worker is a registered person under GST, even declaring the premises of the job worker as additional place of business is not required. Before supply of goods to job worker, principal would be required to intimate the Jurisdictional Officer containing the details of description of inputs intended to be sent by the principal and the nature of processing to be carried out by the job worker. The said intimation shall also contain the details of another job worker, if any. The inputs or capital goods shall be sent to the job worker under the cover of a challan issued by the principal. The challan shall be issued even for the inputs or capital goods sent directly to the job worker. The challan shall contain the details specified in rule 10of the Invoice Rules. The responsibility for keeping proper accounts for the inputs or capital goods shall lie with the principal.
Input Tax credit on goods supplied to job worker
Section 19 of the CGST Act, 2017 provides that the principal (a person supplying taxable goods to the job worker) shall be entitled to take the credit of input tax paid on inputs sent to the job- worker for the job work. Further, the proviso also provides that the principal can take the credit even when the goods have been directly supplied to the job worker without bringing into the premise of the principal. The principal need not wait till the inputs are first brought to his place of business.
Time Limits for return of processed goods
As per section 19 of the CGST Act, 2017, inputs and capital goods after processing shall be returned back to principal within one year or three years respectively of their being sent out. Further, the provision of return of goods is not applicable in case of moulds and dies, jigs and fixtures or tools supplied by the principal to job worker.
Extended meaning of input
As per the explanation provided in section 143 of the CGST Act, 2017, where certain process is carried out on the input before removal of the same to the job worker, such product after carrying out the process to be referred as the intermediate product. Such intermediate product can also be removed without the payment of tax. Therefore, both input and intermediate product can be cleared without payment of duty to job worker.
Waste clearing provisions
Pursuant to section 143 (5) of the CGST Act, 2017, waste generated at the premises of the job worker may be supplied directly by the registered job worker from his place of business on payment of tax or such waste may be cleared by the principal, in case the job worker is not registered.
Transitional provisions:
Inputs as such or partially processed inputs which are sent to a job worker prior to introduction of GST under the provisions of existing law [Central Excise] and if such goods are returned within 6 months from the appointed day i.e. 1st July, 2017 no tax would be payable. If such goods are not returned within prescribed time, the input tax credit availed on such goods will be liable to be recovered.
If manufactured goods are removed, prior to the appointed day, without payment of duty for testing or any other process which does not amount to manufacture, and such goods are returned within 6 months from the appointed day, then no tax will be payable. For the purpose of these provisions during the transitional period, the manufacturer and the job worker are required to declare the details of such goods sent/received for job work in prescribed format GST TRAN-1, within 90 days of the introduction of GST.
