Thats why you should employ an accountant!

I believe you would be entitled to a refund of your medicare levy paid as you are not entitled to it. Check when you submit your tax returns.

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Added on September 19, 2008, 1:05 pmThere is actually no law against bringing in pirated CDs for a non-commercial purpose.

Lawyers and agents are different. You don't have to be a lawyer to handle PR stuff, and lawyers generally charge more than agents.

An advantage of using an agent or lawyer is that they will certify all the documents for you and do the running around. This will save you from making trips to the police station/pharmacy and asking them to do the certification. Most are reluctant to do so, especially if they see you have lots of things to stamp.

The main advantage is that they know how to submit the forms. This will prevent DIMIA from coming back to you asking for additional information or clarifying your forms. They will handle your Malaysian police check for you and chase up if it takes too long. It makes the entire process quicker. PR is usually a prerequisite for jobs. The quicker you get the PR, the quicker you get a job, the quicker you earn income.

If you are here, you would realise that the 18 month visa thing is not recognised by most employers. Most take either PR or citizens.

If you have submitted an application, you would further realise that in most applications, the examiner will ask for additional documents or that something is missing. Even if one sheet of paper is required, it takes time.

It is worth pointing out that Malaysia has long guaranteed bank deposits, up to RM60,000 per depositor, per bank.

empire23: Correct me if I'm wrong but you are only required to register for GST if your turnover is above 75k. I'm sure your turnover isn't anywhere near that so are cab drivers an exception to that?

There's no real way to 'cheat' tax (legally), but there are ways to minimise tax.

Wanna know a secret?

There is no Australian law against bringing in pirated materials for personal use.

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Added on November 25, 2008, 7:12 pmNo, you're wrong. A printer is property as well - its personal property as opposed to real property. Google the definition of 'chattels'.

Not really.

There is a 'withholding tax' if you are a non-resident for tax purposes. Therefore, unless you provide them with a TFN, the bank must withhold a portion of interest as a withholding tax. The logic behind this is that the tax office can't chase non-residents, especially those overseas, so the obligation is on the bank to pay the taxes on behalf of the non-resident. Non-residents do not have the $6000 threshold before which no tax is payable.

If you provide a TFN, you are saying you are a resident, therefore, the bank will not withhold interest payable to your account, but you may be required to submit a tax return. This would apply if your income from all sources (interest, dividends if you play shares, property trading, salary) is above a certain amount which may or may not be $6000 depending on the tax office's computer system.

You can claim that back when you file your tax returns.

Some are, some aren't, not unlike Malaysia.

I think it is counted, but why not email them to know for sure? They are usually very prompt in replying.

I have some experience in reviewing contracts and documents on a professional level so if you'd like me to have a quick glance through them, I'd be happy to do so - you can email it to me at ryan@lowyat.net.