Claiming
tax back after you have worked in Australia is a mystery
to most of us, but it's not as complicated as you might
think.
The following information should help make the whole process
a little bit easier.
If you have a working holiday visa, or are a student
intending to work, you should also have a tax
file number (TFN) (you can apply for this in person,
or online at the Tax Office’s website, www.ato.gov.au/individuals).
If you start work before getting your TFN, you have
28 days to provide it to your employer.
When you stop work, ask your employer for a payment
summary showing your total income and the amount of
tax withheld, as you will need this to complete your
compulsory tax return.
The key question you should ask when filling out your
tax return is “am I a resident for tax purposes?”
This is important as residents enjoy a tax-free threshold
and a lower starting tax rate. So if you are classed
as a resident, you should in most cases get a tax refund.
The question of who is and isn’t a resident is
a bit muddy, depending on a number of different criteria
relating to intent, length and type of work, how long
you have lived in the one location, how long you have
been in Australia and whether you have a usual place
of abode back home.
To find out whether you are a resident for tax purposes
or not, you can use the Tax Office's on-line test or
you can speak to one of the tax agents specialising
in backpacker tax returns to see if you qualify*.
The Australian tax year ends in June, at which stage
you need to complete a tax return. If you work after
June 30th, you’ll also need to do a final return
before leaving the country.
You can either fill in a Tax Pack (available from ATO
offices, post offices and newsagents), do your return
online via the website above, or for a fee get a tax
agent to do it all for you*.
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