Taxes and superannuation 101 for working holiday makers in Australia

Chapter 4 of 5

1. When do I have to lodge my Australian tax return?

The deadline is October 31 each year, however you can lodge your return anywhere between July 1 and October 31 or when you leave Australia at the end of your working holiday (whichever comes first).

Note that you may have to lodge two tax returns if you work across two fiscal years. In Australia, the fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. For example, if you work from April 2024 to October 2025, you’d lodge a tax return for both the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.

2. Do I have to do anything to get my tax refund?

The only thing you have to do is to keep a record of claimable expenses, then lodge a tax return at the end of the fiscal year. Once the ATO has processed your tax return (it usually takes a couple of weeks), you will be issued a notice of assessment telling you if you’re entitled to a refund or that you have a tax debt to pay.

3. How do I lodge my tax return?

There are two options:

• You can lodge your own tax return online using myTax, the ATO’s web-based software.
• You can use a registered tax agent to prepare and lodge your tax return. Taxback.com is one of the biggest tax solutions used in Australia.

4. Do I have to lodge a tax return as a working holiday maker?

It depends on the income you earned and on your status. Only working holiday makers who earn more than $45,000 in a fiscal year and/or are self-employed have to lodge a tax return. Otherwise, it’s optional—you can lodge a tax return if you think the wrong tax rate was applied or if you can claim deductions.

5. What deductions can I claim?

When you lodge your tax return, you might be able to claim a deduction for expenses that directly relate to your work. A full list of acceptable expenses is available on the ATO’s website.

Make sure you keep receipts to provide proof for all the deductions you want to claim.

6. Is it too late to lodge a tax return if I have already left the country?

It’s never too late to lodge your tax return. However, it is difficult if you don’t have all your Australian pay slips to hand, as you won’t know how much total income to declare.

Every year, thousands of backpackers go home without lodging a tax return or claiming their super (read the next chapter to learn more about superannuation). The Australian government simply keeps the money—so check if you can get back what you are owed!