What can backpackers actually claim on tax?
Work-related deductions can add hundreds of dollars to your refund, but only if the expense genuinely qualifies. Here's exactly what does, by occupation.
Before any occupation-specific examples, every single deduction has to pass these three ATO tests:
You must have spent the money yourself, and not been reimbursed for it by your employer.
The expense must be directly related to earning your income, not a private or domestic expense.
You need a record to prove it: a receipt, invoice, or bank statement showing what you bought and when.
Keeping records
Keep a receipt, invoice, or bank statement for anything you plan to claim. A photo on your phone is fine. If your total work-related claims for the year are under $300, the ATO doesn't require written evidence, but you still need to be able to explain how you arrived at the amount.
Car expenses: two ways to claim
Only work-related driving counts, never your regular commute from home. There are two methods; you can only use one per car per year.
Cents per kilometre method
| Rate (2024-25 & 2025-26) | 88c / km |
| Rate (2026-27, from 1 Jul 2026) | 91c / km |
| Maximum claimable | 5,000 km / car / year |
| Receipts required? | No, but you need to show how you worked out your kilometres |
Logbook method
| How it works | Claim the work-related % of all actual running costs |
| Logbook period | 12 continuous weeks, valid for 5 years |
| Maximum claimable | No cap, based on your actual work-use percentage |
| Receipts required? | Yes, for every expense you claim |
If you drive more than 5,000 work km a year, the logbook method usually gets you a bigger refund, but it does require keeping a 12-week logbook and all your receipts.
Deductions by occupation
The most common jobs backpackers work in Australia, and exactly what tends to qualify, and what doesn't.
Hospitality & Bartending
Bars, cafés, restaurants, hotels
✓ You may be able to claim
- RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certificate and renewal costs
- Non-slip, enclosed protective shoes
- Laundering a compulsory uniform that carries your employer’s logo
- A First Aid certificate, if your role requires you to hold one
✕ Usually not deductible
- Plain black clothing or shoes with no logo. Even if your venue requires it, the ATO treats this as ordinary clothing, not a uniform
Farm Work & Fruit Picking
Orchards, vineyards, regional farm work
✓ You may be able to claim
- Sun protection: a wide-brim hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses, for outdoor work
- Protective gloves and boots
- Car expenses travelling between different farm or work sites during the day
✕ Usually not deductible
- General clothing like jeans or t-shirts, even if they get worn out or dirty on the job
- The trip from home to your first farm each day, which is treated as ordinary commuting
Construction
Labouring, trades, building sites
✓ You may be able to claim
- Renewing your White Card (Construction Induction Card)
- Steel-cap boots and hi-vis clothing
- Tools and equipment. Items under $300 are an immediate deduction; items over $300 are claimed over their effective life
- Sun protection for outdoor site work
✕ Usually not deductible
- Ordinary clothes, even if they get damaged or dirty on site
- Your very first White Card, if you needed it just to become eligible for the job in the first place
Chef & Kitchen Hand
Commercial kitchens, restaurants
✓ You may be able to claim
- Chef’s knives and other kitchen tools you buy yourself
- Chef whites or checked chef pants, which count as occupation-specific clothing
- Non-slip kitchen shoes
- A Food Safety Supervisor certificate, if your role requires one
✕ Usually not deductible
- Everyday clothing worn under your chef whites
Rideshare & Delivery Driving
Uber, Uber Eats, DoorDash and similar
✓ You may be able to claim
- Car running costs for the work-related portion of your driving, via the cents-per-km or logbook method (see below)
- The work-use percentage of your mobile phone plan
- Car cleaning, to keep the car in a suitable state for passengers
- Parking fees incurred while working
✕ Usually not deductible
- The private portion of any trip, or your everyday commute
- Parking or speeding fines, which are never deductible, no matter the reason
Cleaning
Commercial and residential cleaning work
✓ You may be able to claim
- Cleaning products and equipment you buy yourself and aren’t reimbursed for
- Protective gloves
- Car expenses travelling between client sites during the day
✕ Usually not deductible
- The trip from home to your first job each day
- Ordinary clothing worn while cleaning
This is general information, not personal tax advice. Everyone's situation is a little different. When you lodge with us, we'll go through your specific occupation and circumstances to make sure you claim everything you're entitled to, and nothing you're not.
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