brionyj

Hi,

We are planning to move to Oz next year and all was going well till some Aussie colleagues of my husband's told him some tax horror stories.

he is a commercial diver who works off shore around the world and will continue to do so after we move. However, we've been told that unless he spends around 190 days out of the country every year, he will pay 50% tax. he will also then be unable to become a perm resident.

If anyone else work in this industry, I'd love to hear from them or an accountant who knows if there is any other way round this?

Please help!!

Briony

JAJ

Visit http://www.ato.gov.au for tax information.

As for the comment "he will also then be unable to become a perm resident." what exactly do you mean? What visa are you applying for?

brionyj

Myself and the kids have dual nationality. he is on a spouse visa but his Aussie colleagues have suggested that he will have to say he is a resident outside Oz so will not be able to be a resident. does this make sense? he's been granted the visa, its just if he can't say he's living there for tax purposes, it may mean it also counts with this. I'm confused. I know!
briony

brisnick

a resident for tax purposes is different than being a permanent resident.

you can be a resident for tax without being a permanent resident (i have been).

equally, you can be a permanent resident without being a resident for tax purposes (you can be a citizen without being a resident for tax purposes also).

all you have to make sure is that at the end of the 5 years on the PR visa you have lived in aus for 2 years, of which 12 months must have been in the last 24 months (and it is counted by days, so 3 days here, 4 days there does count). then you can get either Citizenship or a RRV.