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Edited version of your private ruling
Authorisation Number: 1012439612225
Ruling
Subject: Residency
Questions and answers
1. Are you a resident of Australia for tax purposes?
No.
2. Is your foreign employment income taxable in Australia?
No.
This ruling applies for the following periods:
Year ended 30 June 2011
Year ended 30 June 2012
Year ending 30 June 2013
Year ending 30 June 2014
The scheme commenced on:
1 July 2010
Relevant facts and circumstances
You are a citizen of Australia.
Your country of origin is Country X.
You departed Australia in the year ended 30 June 2010.
You are a permanent resident of Country X.
Your employer posted you to Country X for an initial period of Y years with the ability to extend your contract for another Yyears by negotiation.
You intend to remain in Country X indefinitely.
You visit Australia every 12 months to visit family and friends.
You have no children or spouse.
You have a residential property in Australia that is not available to you due to being rented.
Relevant legislative provisions:
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 6-5
Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 Subsection 6(1)
Reasons for decision
Section 6-5 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) provides that where you are a resident of Australia for taxation purposes, your assessable income includes income gained from all sources, whether in or out of Australia. However, where you are a foreign resident, your assessable income includes only income derived from an Australian source.
The terms 'resident' and 'resident of Australia', in regard to an individual, are defined in subsection 6(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA 1936). The definition provides four tests to ascertain whether a taxpayer is a resident of Australia for income tax purposes. These tests are:
· the resides test,
· the domicile test,
· the 183 day test, and
· the superannuation test.
The primary test for deciding the residency status of an individual is whether the individual resides in Australia according to the ordinary meaning of the word resides.
However, where an individual does not reside in Australia according to ordinary concepts, they may still be considered to be a resident of Australia for tax purposes if they meet the conditions of one of the other three tests.
The resides test
The ordinary meaning of the word 'reside', according to the Macquarie Dictionary, 2001, rev. 3rd edition, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd, NSW, is 'to dwell permanently or for a considerable time; having one's abode for a time', and according to the Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (1987), is 'to dwell permanently, or for a considerable time, to have one's settled or usual abode, to live in or at a particular place'.
Although the question of whether a person resides in a particular country is a question of fact, the courts have referred to and taken into account various factors considered to be relevant. These are:
· whether the person is physically present in that country at some time during the year of income
· the history of the person's residence and movements
· if the person is a visitor to the country, the frequency, regularity, duration and purpose of the visits
· if the person is outside the country for part of the relevant income year, the purpose of the absences
· the family and business ties which the person has with the particular country, and
· whether a place of abode is maintained by the person in the relevant country or is available for his or her use while there.
Taxation Ruling IT 2650 Income Tax: Residency - permanent place of abode outside Australia emphasises the intended and actual length of the individual's stay in an overseas country, any intention to return to Australia or travel elsewhere, the establishment or abandonment of any residence, and the durability of association that the individual maintains with a particular place in Australia as the main factors to be considered when determining the residency status of individuals leaving Australia.
In your case, you have been working and living in Country X since the year ended 30 June 2010, you intend to remain in Country X indefinitely, you have set up a home in Country X and you have rented out your residence in Australia. You only return to Australia once a year for the purpose of visiting relatives. Given your situation, you are not residing in Australia according to the ordinary meaning of the word resides.
Therefore, you are not a resident of Australia under this test.
The domicile test
Under this test, a person is a resident of Australia for tax purposes if their domicile is in Australia, unless the Commissioner is satisfied that their permanent place of abode is outside of Australia.
Domicile is a legal concept, determined according to the Domicile Act 1982 and common law rules established by private international law cases.
Domicile is the place that is considered by law to be your permanent home. It is usually something more than a place of residence.
In your case, your domicile of origin is Country X. Your domicile of choice became Australia when you became an Australian citizen and lived in Australia. However, as you have departed Australia indefinitely and now live in Country X, your domicile has reverted to your domicile of origin.
Therefore, your domicile is not Australia, and as such you are not a resident of Australia under this test.
The 183 day test
Under the 183 day test, a person is a resident of Australia if they are actually physically present in Australia for more than 183 days in an income year unless the Commissioner is satisfied that their usual place of abode is outside of Australia and they have no intention of taking up residence here.
In your case, as you are not in Australia for more than 183 days in an income year, you are not a resident of Australia under this test.
Your residency status
As you do not meet any of the above tests, you are not a resident of Australia for tax purposes.
As you are not a resident of Australia, according to section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997, your assessable income only includes income gained from sources in Australia.