Tax in Australia – what you need to know
Online videos available through the Australian Taxation Office website www.ato.gov.au about Australian tax and superannuation, in 16 languages:
- English Auslan
- Arabicاللغة العربية Assyrianܐܵܬܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ
- Dariدری DinkaThoŋ ee Jiëëŋ
- Farsiفارسی Hindiहिन्दी
- Karen Khmer
- Korean한국어 Mandarin中文
- SomaliSoomaali SpanishEspan l
- Thaiภาษาไทย VietnameseTiềng Việt
Working in Australia
To work in Australia you will need a work visa and a tax file number (TFN). Shortly after you start a job, you fill in a form that tells your employer your TFN and whether you are an Australian or foreign resident for tax purposes. Your employer uses the information to work out how much tax to withhold from your wages.
Studying in Australia
Generally, if you are an overseas student enrolled at an Australian institution in a course that is more than six months long, we regard you as an Australian resident for tax purposes. You pay tax on your earnings at the same rate as other residents.
Moving to Australia permanently
If you migrate to Australia and intend to reside here permanently, you are an Australian resident for tax purposes. This means you must declare income you have earned from anywhere in the world in your tax return, and you can also claim the benefits of the Australian tax system.