Invest in Neuquén: the 'Neuquén RIGI' asks for no investment floor

Neuquén created its own provincial investment-promotion regime, which the press calls the «Neuquén RIGI». It offers adhering projects: a turnover tax exemption of up to 100% on the promoted activity; a Stamp Tax exemption on the works, services and insurance contracts of the construction period and, afterwards, on the contracts of the promoted activity; a Property Tax exemption of up to 100% for a new plant (up to 50% if a new production process is added), all for up to 10 years (arts. 18 and 19); and 10-year provincial fiscal stability (art. 34) verif. According to the implementing decree, the approved project cannot see its total burden in turnover tax, Property and Stamp Tax increased relative to the conditions in force when the benefit was granted. It has two doors by amount, and they are about procedure, not entitlement: a simplified regime for projects of USD 500,000 to 1,000,000 and a general regime for the rest, assessed with a matrix of weighted criteria verif. Neither the law nor the decree sets a minimum investment to adhere: art. 34 guarantees fiscal stability «to the investments made under this law», with no threshold. It requires hiring 70% local labor residing in the province (art. 12 k). It adds non-fiscal incentives: access to State real estate, financing with Banco Provincia del Neuquén as agent and FOGANEU guarantees verif. verif · 2025-2026 ↗

Ley 3502 passed in April 2025; under its art. 35 it enters into force upon its regulation, which came with Decreto 97/2026, published on 01/23/2026 prob. From then runs the 2-year period to adhere, extendable once by up to 1 year (art. 36), and the law is in force for 3 years, extendable (art. 35) verif. verif · Jan 2026 ↗

Companies that invest and settle in Neuquén in promoted sectors: energy, activities related to hydrocarbons and mining, agribusiness, forestry, tourism, science and technology, health and infrastructure (art. 2). The simplified regime is for projects of USD 500,000 to 1,000,000; neither the law nor the decree sets a minimum investment to adhere. It requires hiring 70% local labor verif. That band is the typical size of a Vaca Muerta services SME: it is the supplier's fiscal gateway, not the megaproject's; and a smaller project, since there is no minimum, should be able to come in through the general regime thesis. verif · 2026 ↗