Ello.
I've been working here on and off, on a working holiday visa for about 3/4 months.
I've heard rumours that I am elligible for a tax refund when I leave? Is this true?
I cant find much about it ont' net
What do I need to do?
All advice or links to other helpful sites much appreciated.
Need every penny I can get at the moment
Cheers
Tom


There are some circumstances such if you qualify as a resident for tax purposes and have been taxed as a non resident, or if in fact you had been working two different jobs and could claim travel expenses or forthat matter other eligible claimable expenses in earning the income (not probably likely for a WHV holder).
You'll probably find all that and more in some of the links above or go straight to www.ato.gov.au<BR><blockquote>Quote<br><hr>Need every penny I can get at the moment<hr></blockquote>
Answer to that for now is work a bit more and drink less, maybe get a good tip for the racecourse.
<blockquote>Quote<br><hr>I've heard rumours that I am elligible for a tax refund when I leave? Is this true?<hr></blockquote>There are TAX BACK flyers on the noticeboards of most hostels. These services exploit (a) loopholes in the income tax laws regarding the definition of "resident" status, and (b) the self-assessment system, and basically misrepresent the truth on your behalf, by claiming resident status to achieve a tax refund, if and only if you have been paying the non-resident rate or the no-threshold claim rate since last 1 July. So it depends on your ethical position, but also what you have been ticking on each Tax File Number Declaration form you complete (or should complete) with every employer, even if it's only for one day.<BR><BR>There are a few cases of WHV holders obtaining resident status for tax purposes legitimately, but they are rare, and involve living in the one place for more than six months, taking out a rental lease, buying a fridge, joining a gym, having steady employment and so on. Few WHV travellers could meet these conditions, and therefore very few bother to go down this lawful path.

skutr -
<blockquote>Quote
<hr> not looking hard are we?<hr></blockquote>
That sounds dam arogant.... and patronising.
We??
no... there's just me.
thanks for the help anyway.
I must have been typing in the wrong keywords. I did a few searches and found... not a lot, then thought, I'd come over to helpful old lonely planet forum, someone will know ther and be willing to help.. I thought.
Looks like you're much more computer literate than I am. Which accounts for your arogance, and me not finding what I was after.
anyway

sammmi - cheers. Dont worry - working and not drinking... all I need is a good tip and I'm away!
>>> if and only if you have been paying the non-resident rate or the no-threshold claim rate since last 1 July. There is in fact a third scenario - where you leave the country mid-year, or stop working, and have your tax payable calculated for the full tax year. So if you earn $6,000 in three months, and are taxed fortnightly at the $24,000 rate in the expectation that that would be your full-year salary, you would receive all the tax back next July (or when you leave) - but again - only if you meet, or claim, resident status, which is the dodgy part.