Generally, the Australian tax office consider you to be an Australian resident for tax purposes if you:
- Have always lived in Australia or have come to Australia to live
- Have been in Australia for more than half of the income year (unless your usual home is overseas and you don’t intend to live in Australia – for example, you are a working holidaymaker), or
- Are an overseas student enrolled in a course of study of more than six months duration.
Most people who are born in Australia and are currently living in Australia are residents for tax purposes. You may still be a resident even though you are not physically in Australia – for example, if you go overseas on an extended holiday.
If you have moved to Australia from overseas and intend to stay for the foreseeable future and set up connections with Australia, you may also be a resident of Australia for tax purposes.
The standards the ATO use to determine your residency status are not the same as those used by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
If you need some assistance in relation to this matter call Taxwise on (08) 9248 8124.
