CHAPTER XXVII

Job Work under GST

Introduction

Job-work sector 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
processing of goods supplied by the principal. The concept of job work
already exists in Central Excise, wherein a principal manufacturer can send
inputs or semi-finished goods to a job worker for further processing. Many
facilities, procedural concessions have been given to the job workers as
well as the principal supplier who sends goods for job work.The whole idea
is to make principal responsible for meeting compliances on behalf of the
job-worker on the goods processed by him (job-worker), considering the fact
that typically the job- workers are small persons who are unable to comply
with the discrete provisions of the law.

The GST Act makes special provisions with regard to removal of goods for
job-work and receiving back the goods after processing from the job-worker
without payment of GST. The benefit of these provisions shall be available
both to the principal and the job-worker.

Definition of Job work under GST

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 transferto 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 inputsor 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 10 of 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 jobworker

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 jobworker fromhis place of business on payment of tax or s 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. 1 st 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.