I am a dual citizen who left Australia permanently at the end of the tax year 2023-2024. According to my Australian tax accountant I then became non-resident for tax purposes. I have been given a short-term project to work on for a national Australian agency (March-May 2026). My employer believes that I need to pay income tax whereas my accountant believes I shouldn't pay the tax to the ATO but to the UK's Inland Revenue. Advice needed please.
Tax treaties | Australian Taxation Office
Sounds like you need to determine whether a double tax agreement applies between Australia and the UK.
It'll determine whether tax is applied in Australia and taxed only Australia in line with Australian law (you generally get some kind of tax credit to include in your UK tax return), or whether it's not taxable in Australia because it's taxed under UK law, meaning you need to include the Australian income in your UK tax return.
Either way, it should reveal itself when you declare your tax-residency status for the National Australian agency. They'll abide by the relevant double tax treaty.
Thanks Cratsky! My Australian tax accountant has told me that I have been a non-resident Australian for tax purposes since the 2023-2024 tax year and should therefore be paying income tax in the UK rather than Australia, but my new (short-term) Australian employer is insisting on taxing me. I'm stuck between two opposing views. It seems to me that an individual should pay tax in the country where they live so that country's services may benefit from it. Any suggestions of what else I can do to get a definitive answer on this?
Hi @NSWUK,
Our Working out your tax residency and what it means for you article should help here. It covers when you do and don't have to report income and pay tax in Australia.
Thanks NikkiATO! My Australian tax accountant has told me that I have been a non-resident Australian for tax purposes since the 2023-2024 tax year and should therefore be paying income tax in the UK rather than Australia, but my new (short-term) Australian employer is insisting on taxing me. I'm stuck between two opposing views. It seems to me that an individual should pay tax in the country where they live so that country's services may benefit from it. Any suggestions of what else I can do to get a definitive answer on this?
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