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Is the LAFHA worth it?

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  • 02-04-2012 5:06am
    #1
    manlad
    Registered Users Posts: 474 ✭✭


    I got a job with an agency and Geoffrey Nathan the payroll company have said if I do my wages through them I am eligible for the LAFHA. They sent over a quote showing me how much more take home pay I will get a week if I do payroll through them. Basically it shows an extra $80.

    I have some reservations though, they charge an administration fee of $100 dollars a week and over a couple of months this adds up. I know with LAFHA you are basically charged a lower rate of tax. Would I just get a much tax back at the end of the year anyway?

    Any help is appreciated.


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    #2
    Jumpy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    LAFHAs dead man.

    LAFHAs dead.

    Its being removed.


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    #3
    manlad
    Registered Users Posts: 474 ✭✭manlad


    Jumpy wrote: »
    LAFHAs dead man.

    LAFHAs dead.

    Its being removed.

    why's this company offering it to me then?


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    #4
    Sundy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,512 ✭✭✭Sundy


    manlad wrote: »
    why's this company offering it to me then?
    To get you to give them $100 a week?


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    #5
    kdevitt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,278 ✭✭✭kdevitt


    manlad wrote: »
    I got a job with an agency and Geoffrey Nathan the payroll company have said if I do my wages through them I am eligible for the LAFHA. They sent over a quote showing me how much more take home pay I will get a week if I do payroll through them. Basically it shows an extra $80.

    The amount of extra take home salary you'd see from the LAHFA is dependent on the lease you're paying on your accomodation, along with a food allowance. I'd be surprised if you were only $80 a week better off with it.

    It looks like its gone soon enough though (July 1st) - holding out hope that they'll phase it out rather than just kill it off. I'll need a $50k payrise to make up for the amount it'll cost me - it was definitely worth it, especially since my wife can't work and we had a chiseller here.


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    #6
    mandrake04
    Registered Users Posts: 4,435 ✭✭✭mandrake04


    Jumpy wrote: »
    LAFHAs dead man.

    LAFHAs dead.

    Its being removed.

    Now Now Jumpy that's not 100% true, its only dead for 457'ers.

    It's still available to PR & Citizens


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  • Options
    #7
    hussey
    Registered Users Posts: 6,240 ✭✭✭hussey


    Manlad - Can you negotiate? Tell them you can do it for $40 per day and see if they will negotiate.

    Also what happens when LAFHA goes? are you tied to them or can you just go back to the recruitment company?


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    #8
    kinggriff
    Registered Users Posts: 39 ✭kinggriff


    mandrake04 wrote: »
    Now Now Jumpy that's not 100% true, its only dead for 457'ers.

    It's still available to PR & Citizens

    Hi Mandrake, I will be emigrating with my partner and child on a PR visa around may/june. Would we be eligible for LAFHA. Its hard to get info now as sites are waiting for the new gov regulations to be announced. On a nosy note, how much is it worth to people, actual figures $$....


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    #9
    hussey
    Registered Users Posts: 6,240 ✭✭✭hussey


    kinggriff wrote: »
    Hi Mandrake, I will be emigrating with my partner and child on a PR visa around may/june. Would we be eligible for LAFHA. Its hard to get info now as sites are waiting for the new gov regulations to be announced. On a nosy note, how much is it worth to people, actual figures $$....

    Lafha is a living away from home allowance. So you will only be qualified for this if you are shipped off to work away from home (if you are on PR then home = Australia)

    E.g. You live and work in Sydney, your company tells you have to go to Wagga Wagga for 3 weeks to work, when you head to wagga, you are living away from home and entitled to 3 weeks LAFHA.


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    #10
    ambasite
    Registered Users Posts: 599 ✭✭✭ambasite


    mandrake04 wrote: »
    Now Now Jumpy that's not 100% true, its only dead for 457'ers.

    It's still available to PR & Citizens

    you serious? available for PR? mine got cut when my PR came through.


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    #11
    hussey
    Registered Users Posts: 6,240 ✭✭✭hussey


    ambasite wrote: »
    you serious? available for PR? mine got cut when my PR came through.

    Yes, it's for Residents and citizens. Have a read of thread above, temporary workers (WHV/457) only got it through a loophole, as their home is classed as e.g. Ireland


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    #12
    amybabes
    Registered Users Posts: 350 ✭✭amybabes


    When I got my LAFHA through Geoffrey nathan it was more like a $13 a week admin charge!

    Also - $80 seems a little low for the difference in getting LAFHA and not getting it.....

    I have not been told anything officially by my employer about LAFHA ceasing, and i would say myself and about 30/40 of the 130 people in the branch i work in are on 457's - so a considerable amount of the workforce.


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    #13
    mandrake04
    Registered Users Posts: 4,435 ✭✭✭mandrake04


    ambasite wrote: »
    you serious? available for PR? mine got cut when my PR came through.


    Believe it or not LAFHA was not invented for 457 or those on temporary visas, like Hussey already explained its main purpose is for those who own a house in Australia and for work reasons have to maybe live interstate. Then you are living away from your maintained home, one of the biggest recipient of the LAFHA is your Federal Politician who for example owns a house in QLD and maybe rents an apartment in Canberra.


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    #14
    mandrake04
    Registered Users Posts: 4,435 ✭✭✭mandrake04


    hussey wrote: »
    Yes, it's for Residents and citizens. Have a read of thread above, temporary workers (WHV/457) only got it through a loophole, as their home is classed as e.g. Ireland

    457 were supposed to get it if their overseas employer seconded them to work in Australia, for example if you worked for a company like Philips and they were starting up a new office in Australia and sent you over to work there to get the place running but you were to return to home country after 3 years then you were able to benefit to from LAFHA to compensate you for the inconvenience of living away from your home. Fair enough.

    But since the migration process has got more difficult more people were using the 457 as an indirect route to PR, their intention was PR from the start.

    The government twigged on to this and decided to pull it, even though they some how dressed it up as if employers were rorting it (which some were) to get cheaper staff.


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