As the Australian financial year draws to a close, international students engaged in casual or part-time work must lodge an individual tax return with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Understanding your tax obligations helps prevent compliance penalties while ensuring you claim all legitimate refunds.

1. Avoid Unverified Social Media “Tax Hacks”

Be cautious of social media claims promising inflated tax refunds. The ATO uses automated cross-matching across banks and employers to audit declarations. Always rely on registered tax agents or official ATO guidance.

2. Legitimate Work-Related Deductions

To claim a deduction, the expense must directly relate to earning your income, you must have paid for it yourself without reimbursement, and you must maintain verifiable purchase receipts.

3. Optimal Lodgement Timelines

Waiting until late July allows employers, banks, and health funds to pre-fill your tax return via myGov, minimizing manual input errors and accelerating refund processing.

Source: SBS