NDA Country Working Holiday
ALITAX · Bilal Jivraj — Registered Tax Agent 25287564. Original guidance from 10+ years of DASP and tax casework.
Australia has tax treaties with certain countries that contain a non-discrimination article (NDA). If you are a working holiday maker who is a national of an NDA country and you are also a resident for tax purposes, you may be entitled to be taxed like an Australian resident rather than under the flat working holiday maker rate.
Why this matters so much
Being taxed as a resident means you can access the tax-free threshold on your income, which can substantially increase your refund compared with the flat backpacker rate. For eligible people, this is one of the biggest differences a properly prepared return can make.
Two conditions must both be met
- You are a national of an NDA country, and
- You are a resident of Australia for tax purposes under the usual residency tests.
Both parts matter — nationality alone is not enough, and residency is judged on your circumstances. This is exactly the kind of detail that is easy to get wrong, and easy to miss out on. At ALITAX, we check your eligibility carefully.
Your super still applies
Regardless of the NDA question, you still claim your super as a DASP when you depart.