Your First Tax Return in Australia
Recently arrived and worked a few shifts? You will likely need to lodge a tax return, and many students get money back. Here is the plain-English version, step by step.
This is general information, not tax advice. Afrovo is a migration and education consultancy, not a registered tax agent. For guidance on your own situation, use the official Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au) or speak to a registered tax agent. Tax rules change, so always confirm current details with the ATO.
Key dates to know
Miss the 31 October deadline and the ATO can charge a late penalty (starting around AUD $330), so lodge in time even if you owe nothing.
How to Do Your First Tax Return
For most students this is simpler than it sounds. Five steps from your first payslip to your refund.
Get your Tax File Number (TFN)
Your TFN is your personal tax ID, and you need it before you can be paid properly or lodge a return. It is free from the ATO, and applying is simple once you are in Australia on a valid visa.
- •Apply for free online through the ATO. Search "ATO apply for a TFN" and choose the option for foreign passport holders, permanent migrants and temporary visitors.
- •You need to already be in Australia with a visa that lets you work or study, plus your passport details.
- •Your TFN is posted to your Australian address, usually within about 28 days.
- •Give it to each new employer within your first 28 days of work, or they may have to tax you at a higher rate.
- •Never pay a website to get a TFN. It is always free from the ATO, and paid "TFN services" are a scam.
Check whether you are a resident for tax purposes
This is about tax, not your visa or citizenship. It decides whether you get the tax-free threshold, so it is worth understanding before you lodge.
- •As a general guide, students who live in Australia for more than six months are usually treated as Australian residents for tax purposes.
- •Residents generally pay no tax on the first AUD $18,200 they earn in a year. This is called the tax-free threshold.
- •You claim the tax-free threshold with one employer, usually your main job, on the form you complete when you start.
- •If you are unsure, the ATO has a free "Work out your tax residency" tool, or you can ask a registered tax agent.
Set up myGov and find your income statement
myGov is the free government portal where you lodge your return and see what your employer has reported. Setting it up once makes every tax time easier.
- •Create a free myGov account at my.gov.au or in the myGov app.
- •Inside myGov, choose "Link a service" and select the Australian Taxation Office. You confirm your identity by answering a few questions or by entering a linking code from the ATO.
- •Your employer reports your pay and tax automatically through Single Touch Payroll, so your income statement appears under the ATO in "Employment" then "Income statements".
- •Wait until each income statement shows "Tax ready", usually by mid-July, before you lodge. You normally do not need a paper payment summary.
Lodge your return
Once your income statement is tax ready, lodging is usually quick. You have three honest options, and most students with a simple job or two finish in under an hour.
- •Do it yourself with myTax: open the ATO inside myGov, choose "Lodge", then "myTax". Most of your income is pre-filled, so you just check it matches your records.
- •Add any work-related expenses you can back up with receipts. Keep it honest, because the ATO cross-checks claims.
- •Free help: the ATO Tax Help program offers trained volunteers for people on lower incomes from July to October, and many students qualify.
- •A registered tax agent can lodge for you for a fee, which is worth it mainly for more complicated situations.
Get your refund, or pay any small amount owed
After you lodge, the ATO works out your final position and sends you a notice of assessment. For many students, this is the part where money comes back.
- •If more tax was withheld from your pay than you owed, the difference is refunded to your nominated Australian bank account, usually within about two weeks.
- •If you earned above the threshold and not enough was withheld, the ATO tells you how much to pay and by when.
- •Keep your notice of assessment somewhere safe, as you may need it for rentals, loans or future visa applications.
- •Then you are done until next year. Lodging on time each year keeps your record clean.
What you need before you start
- Your Tax File Number (TFN)
- A myGov account linked to the ATO
- Your Australian bank account details (for a refund)
- Your income statement(s), which come through myGov
- Records of any work-related expenses you plan to claim
Free and low-cost ways to lodge
Do it yourself with myTax
FreeLodge online through your myGov account. Best when your situation is simple: a job or two and no complicated deductions.
ATO Tax Help program
FreeTrained ATO volunteers help eligible people on lower incomes lodge their return, usually from July to October. Many students qualify.
A registered tax agent
PaidA professional lodges for you, which can be worth it for trickier situations. Only use an agent registered with the Tax Practitioners Board.
Don't forget your super
While you work, your employer also pays superannuation (retirement savings) on top of your wage, into a super fund. When you permanently leave Australia and your visa has ended, you may be able to claim that money back through a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). You apply for it free through the ATO, so there is no need to pay an agent to do it for you.
Watch out for tax scams
Scammers pretend to be the ATO, especially around tax time. The real ATO will never threaten you with arrest, demand payment in gift cards or cryptocurrency, or ask for your myGov password. If a message feels off, do not click the link. Go to ato.gov.au directly, or report a scam to the ATO on 1800 008 540.
Tax Questions Students Ask
Do international students need to lodge a tax return?
If you earned income in Australia during the tax year, you generally need to lodge a return, or tell the ATO you do not need to. If tax was withheld from your pay, lodging is also how you claim any refund.
Is getting a Tax File Number free?
Yes. A TFN is free directly from the ATO. Never pay a third-party website to get one for you.
When is the tax deadline?
The Australian tax year ends on 30 June, and if you lodge your own return the deadline is 31 October. Using a registered tax agent can give you a later deadline.
Will I get money back?
Many students do. If more tax was taken from your pay during the year than you owed, the difference is refunded to your bank account after you lodge.
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Afrovo provides this page as general information for international students. It is not tax, financial or legal advice, and Afrovo is not a registered tax agent. For advice about your own circumstances, use the Australian Taxation Office at ato.gov.au, the free ATO Tax Help program if you are eligible, or a tax agent registered with the Tax Practitioners Board. Figures such as the tax-free threshold and deadlines are indicative and can change, so always confirm current details with the ATO.
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