We know tax can be boring and confusing, especially as an international student in Australia. We know because we’ve helped thousands of students over the years just like you get connected to a tax agent and claim their tax back. So we got together with our tax agent Louis and answered some common questions about tax for international students.
When do I do my tax?
In Australia, the financial year is between the 1st of July and the 30th of June of every year. So that means that everyone starts doing their tax from the 1st of July. You then have until the end of October to get your tax done.
Why do I have to it if I will be leaving Australia anyway?
The law says that everyone who received income in Australia needs to do a tax return. It doesn’t matter if you’re a student, a backpacker or on a work visa.
What happens if I don’t?
When you accepted your visa to study and work in Australia, you actually agreed to follow all the country’s tax laws. This means that you can get fines and penalties for not doing your tax no matter how much you earned. Plus, if you ever want to come back to Australia then you may run into trouble when you apply for another visa.
How do I get started?
First you will need the following:
- Tax file number
- ABN – If you have one
- Personal details
- Payment summary
Your employer will give you your payment summary from July. If you have not received it by the end of August then you should ask them for it. They may have sent it to the wrong address or email.
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