The ATO has issued an update on residency and source of income. It deals with issues from the perspectives of an Australian resident and a foreign resident in the context of a change of residency due to COVID-19.
In terms of Australian residents, the update addresses those who are temporarily overseas and those who have had to return to Australia early from certain foreign service. The latter may involve the “91 days of continuous foreign service” test.
Where the update is interesting regards what it says about foreign residents who are stuck in Australia because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ATO acknowledges that “COVID-19 has created a special set of circumstances that must be taken into account when considering the source of the employment income earned by a foreign resident who usually works overseas but instead performs that same foreign employment in Australia”.
Whether salary or wages earned from continuing foreign employment working remotely while in Australia temporarily is assessable depends on:
- whether it is from an Australian or a foreign source; and
- whether a double tax agreement (DTA) applies.
Where the remote working arrangement is short-term (three months or less), the ATO readily accepts that income from that employment won’t have an Australian source.
For working arrangements longer than three months, the ATO says that individual circumstances need to be examined to determine if a person’s employment is connected to Australia.