Working Holiday Tax in Australia: TFN, Backpacker Tax and Super (2026 Guide)

When we arrived in Australia on our working holiday visas, tax was the bit nobody explained properly. What is a TFN? Why is my payslip showing 15% tax? What is super, and how do I get it back when I leave? This guide answers all of it in plain English, updated for the 2025-26 tax year.

This is general information from our own experience and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), not personal tax advice. Rates and rules change, so always double-check on ato.gov.au.

1. Get your Tax File Number (TFN)

A Tax File Number is your personal tax reference number in Australia. Every employer will ask for it, and so will your bank and your super fund.

• When: apply as soon as you arrive. You need to be in Australia, with a visa that allows you to work.
• How: apply online through the ATO website with your passport details. It is free.
• How long: your TFN is posted to your Australian address, usually within 28 days, so use an address where you can actually receive mail (a friend, your hostel or a long-term rental).
• Starting work before it arrives: you can start work and give your employer your TFN within 28 days. If you do not, your employer has to withhold tax at the top rate, which for working holiday makers is 45%.

Never pay a third-party website to “apply for your TFN”. The official application is free, and you are handing your passport details to a stranger.

2. How much tax will you pay? (Backpacker tax rates)

If you are on a Working Holiday (417) or Work and Holiday (462) visa, you are taxed under the working holiday maker rates, often called “backpacker tax”. For the 2025-26 year these are:

Two things to know:

• Your employer must be registered with the ATO as an employer of working holiday makers to withhold at 15%. If they are not, they have to withhold at the higher foreign resident rate. If your payslip looks wrong, ask them about it.
• There is no tax-free threshold for working holiday makers: the 15% applies from your first dollar.

3. Superannuation (and getting it back)

Superannuation, or “super”, is Australia’s retirement savings system. Your employer pays it on top of your wages: from 1 July 2025 the rate is 12% of your ordinary earnings.

• Choose one fund and give the same details to every employer, so your super does not end up split across several accounts with several sets of fees.
• Check it is being paid: your payslip should show super, and you can see your super accounts through myGov.
• Claim it when you leave: once you have left Australia and your visa has ceased, you can claim a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). For working holiday makers it is taxed at 65%, but the rest is your money, so do not leave it behind.

4. Lodge your tax return

The Australian tax year runs from 1 July to 30 June. After 30 June you lodge a tax return for the year that just ended, and if your employer withheld too much (or not enough), it gets settled then.

• Deadline: 31 October if you lodge it yourself; later if you use a registered tax agent.
• How: most people lodge online through myTax, which you access by linking the ATO to a myGov account.
• Leaving before 30 June? If you are leaving Australia for good, you can usually lodge an early return before the end of the tax year.
• Keep records: payslips, your income statements (in myGov) and receipts for any work-related expenses, such as protective gear for farm work.

5. Farm work, ABNs and getting paid fairly

Lots of working holiday makers do farm work to qualify for a second or third year visa. A few tax and pay traps to watch for:

• Piece rates still have a floor: under the Horticulture Award, workers paid by piece rate must earn at least the minimum hourly rate for the hours they work. If you are earning far less, check with the Fair Work Ombudsman.
• Be careful with ABN jobs: some employers ask you to get an Australian Business Number (ABN) and invoice them as a contractor. Then no tax is withheld and no super is paid, and you are responsible for paying the tax yourself at the end of the year. Genuine employees should be on payroll with a TFN.
• Get payslips: employers must give you a payslip within one working day of paying you. Keep every one.

6. Banking and sending money home

You will need an Australian bank account to get paid. We compared the options in our guide to the best bank in Australia for new arrivals. When it is time to move your savings home, a specialist transfer service is usually far cheaper than your bank: we use Wise, and we compared the options in how to send money to and from Australia.

Working holiday tax in Australia: FAQ

Do I have to pay tax on a working holiday visa in Australia?

Yes. Working holiday makers pay tax on everything they earn in Australia, at 15% on the first $45,000 and ordinary rates above that.

Can I get backpacker tax back?

Not usually. Because the 15% rate applies from your first dollar, most working holiday makers who were taxed correctly get little or nothing back. You may get a refund if your employer withheld too much, for example at the foreign resident rate, or if you have work-related deductions.

How long does a TFN take?

Usually up to 28 days by post. You can start work in the meantime and give your employer the number once it arrives.

How do I get my super back when I leave Australia?

Once you have left and your visa has ceased, apply for a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) online. Working holiday makers’ DASP is taxed at 65%.

Do I need a tax agent?

Not necessarily. Most working holiday makers can lodge their own return through myTax. A registered tax agent can help if your situation is complicated, and lets you lodge later than 31 October.

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