# Taxes



## Mikael89 (Oct 18, 2009)

Hey! I've heard you can get a refund of your paid taxes when you work and travel in australia. How does this work? How much can get back?


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Depending on what you heard, you may have heard wrong for it doesn't matter whether you are a resident here or a visitor as on a WHV earning money, everyone is liable to taxes unless as a resident you earn less than $6000 a year.

There are different tax rates for residents and visitors, visitors paying about 30% flat.
If however you settle in one place for a minimum six months, you may as a visitor be able to get yourself classed as a resident for tax purposes.

There is a self assessment available on Australian Taxation Office Homepage to determine whether that is feasible.
In the event that it is or even if it isn't, when you put in your tax return, if the assessment is you paid more tax than you needed to, you will get a refund and if you paid less[unlikely] you'll have to pay the make-up.

There are some smart arse companies about [and not sure how the ATO lets them get away with it!] that might just say simply, put yourself down as a resident, the ATO will not check [but they do, and it's still your signature on the form] and you'll get a refund - meanwhile that company has probably charged you 10-20% of what the refund might be.

You can get back all an employer has paid in way of compulsory superannuation for you [9% of earnings] when you leave the country.


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## patricia23 (Oct 24, 2009)

It depend.. you can apply for a visitor's and business traveler's refund of taxes paid on goods or short-term accommodation.


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## CPMaverick (Apr 7, 2010)

Hi all-

I entered Australia as a resident (175 Visa) but shortly after, left to take a job back in the US.

I would like to maintain residency status in Australia as this US employment is temporary, and eventually I would like to apply for Australian citizenship (which requires 4 years of residency but has lenient terms of actual time in the country).

Any idea if I have any tax implications in Australia if I earn outside the country while claiming residency?

Cheers.


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