How to pay taxes in Australia?

If you’re working in Australia, even as a casual or part-time worker, some money will be taken from your pay for tax. Don’t worry, it’s normal and helps you stay legal and avoid problems later.

1. What is Tax?

Tax is money paid to the Australian government. MyGig automatically takes the right amount from your pay, called PAYG (Pay As You Go).

• If you provide your Tax File Number (TFN), the correct amount is deducted.
• If you don’t have a TFN yet, a higher tax rate may be applied until you provide it.
• You don’t need to calculate anything yourself, MyGig does it for you.

Important: Get your TFN as soon as possible.

2. Your Payslip

Your payslip shows:

• Gross Pay: The total money you earned before tax.
• PAYG Withholding: The tax that was taken out.
• Net Pay: The money that goes into your bank account.
• Superannuation: Money your employer sets aside for your retirement.

3. Casual Work and Tax

• Even as a casual worker, tax is based on your total earnings.
• “Casual loading” (extra pay because you don’t get leave) is also taxed.
• If you work for more than one employer, each will withhold tax separately. You will reconcile everything when you file your tax return.

4. What You Should Do

1. Provide your TFN to MyGig.
2. Keep your payslips and records of hours worked.
3. Ask MyGig support if you think the wrong amount of tax was deducted.
4. At the end of the financial year, lodge a tax return through your myGov account to ensure everything is correct.

5. More Help

If you want to learn more about tax in Australia as a student or casual worker, check the ATO guide for employees: ATO – Tax for Employees