Private ruling: INTL - residency
Published: October 2013
Ruling period: Year ended 30 June 2013 | Year ended 30 June 2014
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 2012

Ruling: Q1: Are you an Australia resident for income tax purposes? | A1: Yes.

Relevant facts and circumstances: You were born in Country A. You arrived in Australia in Month 20XX. You are an Australian Citizen. Your family came to Australia with you. You purchased a property in Australia and that's where you and your family are living. You have no assets in Country A. It is your intention to remain in Australia.

Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 Subsection 6(1). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 6-5(2).

Reasons for decision: Summary: Subsection 6-5(2) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) provides that the assessable income of a resident taxpayer includes ordinary income derived directly or indirectly from all sources during the income year. 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 · 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. If the primary test is satisfied the remaining three tests do not need to be considered as residency for Australian tax purposes has been established. The ordinary meaning of the word 'reside', according to the Macquarie Dictionary , 2001, rev. 3 rd 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'. Taxation Ruling TR 98/17 considers the residency status of individuals entering Australia and states that the period of physical presence or length of time in Australia is not, by itself, decisive when determining whether an individual resides here. However, an individual's behavior over the time spent in Australia may reflect a degree of continuity, routine or habit that is consistent with residing here. In your case, you have been living in Australia with your family since 20XX and have just recently become an Australian Citizen. You have a property here which you live in and you intend to remain in Australia permanently. Therefore, you are considered a resident for income tax purposes.