What to Do Before You Leave Australia Forever
Your Australian working holiday is coming to an end.
Whether your visa has expired or you’ve had enough fun in the sun and you miss your mother's home cooked meals, there are lots of things you must take care of before you leave Oz forever.
Now, let’s answer the big question!
What should I do to prepare for leaving Australia after a working holiday?
1. Clear your debt
First things first, you’ll want to take care of any outstanding debt – fines, loans and other bills should be taken care of before you leave.
If you have any outstanding debt, you will not be allowed to close your Australian bank account.
Want to Learn More About Australian Tax?
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE TAX GUIDE HERE
2. Bank accounts
Speaking of bank accounts, if you have an Oz bank account, it might be a good idea to keep it open to make getting your tax refund and superannuation easier.
However, once you’ve received your Australian tax refund, you’ll want to close the account. Why? Well, if you do decide to continue using your Oz bank account think about the hassle; fees, change of address, online banking and the various costs for using your card outside of Oz.
While you’re in Australia, figure out how you will close the account from back home, after you’ve received any money you’re owed. You can usually just give them a call and close it. Bear in mind, if there is even 1 cent owed on your account you must settle the balance. Also, many banks will request that you post a letter with signatures and other documents before they proceed with closing the account.
3. Transfer money
When it comes to transferring money, there are a few options. Ideally you will still have your bank account from your home country and you can transfer it to that or to a family member. If not, it’s recommended that you use a money transfer service. Bank to bank transfers can sometimes cost you a small fortune, so check out fees before you try something like this.
Our average Australian tax refund is AU$2600
4. Ask for references and letters of recommendation
Yeah, it might be a bit awkward but chances are you took on some challenging work during your time in Australia. If you put in the effort, then you deserve a good reference. This will also help your chances when you go to find a job back home or in your next destination.
Keep names, numbers and social media contacts for work contacts and make sure to say goodbye to them before you leave Australia forever.
Want to Learn More About Australian Tax?
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE TAX GUIDE HERE
5. Rent
If your lease is up, is there a deposit you can claim back? If so then you should make sure you request it early enough to get it by the time you leave. You should also request a letter from your landlord assuming you were a good tenant. This will help you when looking for a place back home.
If your lease is not up yet, is there a penalty for abandoning your contract?
6. Sell your stuff
If you have been in Oz for one or two years, you might have accumulated a lot of stuff. This might be a TV, games consoles, furniture, speakers, a car, musical instruments – if so, it’s a good idea to start selling it off a month or so before you leave.
Gumtree is popular in Australia so that’s a good bet if you want to get rid of your belongings.
7. Shipping things home
You might have some things you’d rather bring home with you. Find out if there’s an import duty on these items. Particularly if it’s something big like a car. You’ll need to calculate how much it will cost you to take the things you simply can’t part with.
8. Sort your taxes
If you're wondering "How much tax will I get back?" you should claim a tax refund before leaving Australia.
After all, the average Australian refund is a whopping $2,600.
A tax refund could contribute to your flight home or help you get on your feet when you get back. Maybe you need a deposit for a place back home… or maybe you’re continuing your adventure elsewhere and need a little extra cash.
Every day, we help customers all over the world claim their tax back. Contact Taxback today and we’ll get you what you’re owed, and not a penny less.
Oh, and we can help you claim back your superannuation!
Also, we have a tax return calculator that you can use to find out how much tax you could be due back!
You could visit our article about 6 tips for claiming tax back in Australia.
Our average Australian tax refund is AU$2600
9. Extend your visa
Maybe you’re not ready to leave! If you’ve only completed one year on a working holiday visa, you can renew your visa for second year but it will require you to take on some regional work. That usually means fruit picking or working on some kind of farm.
You might even decide to go somewhere else like New Zealand or Canada and continue on working holiday visas. If you’d like to find out how to renew your working holiday visa or you’d like to find out how to get a WHV for another country, contact Visa First and their friendly team will help you acquire your visa, easy-peasy! In fact, they have a 99.7% visa success rate and they help people all over the world get visas for 200+ countries.
10. Take time to say goodbye to your friends
Unless you’re a real lone wolf type, you probably met a lot of interesting and nice people during your Australian adventure. Make time to say a proper goodbye to the people that matter! Housemates, friends, colleagues, you probably have a lot of great memories together and you’ll end up missing them like crazy after a while.
Don't forget to contact us if you want a member of our team to walk you through filing your Australian taxes and claiming a tax refund!
Our average Australian tax refund is AU$2600
How much tax will I get back?
Our average tax refund for Australia is a whopping $2,600, so it's worth checking how much tax back you are owed! You can use our FREE tax refund calculator.
And don't forget, we can help you to claim Australian super too.
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