Does a bricklayer on a WHV need an ABN and a couple of other questions

Hanumanmaman

Hi everyone

My nephew has just arrived here in Sydney and he is a bit unclear on a couple of things. He is a qualified bricklayer after a 4 year apprenticeship and an additional year of work.

He has a TFN but has been told different things about needing an ABN also. I thought he would not need an ABN as under a WHV he cannot work for himself - can anyone put me straight on this?

Also, are there agencies in Sydney that specifically do recruitment in construction? ( I can go look this up myself but if anyone knows of good ones that would be great).

Do bricklayers usually seek work thorugh agencies here or is more through newspapers, word of mouth etc.

Sorry if some stupid questions here, any advice or info would really be appreciated.

Thanks

Han

Zambia

He should not need an ABN but chances are many bricklayers would want him to have one as they would basically use him as a Sub Contracter . So they are not having to sort out his Tax / Super etc.

I dont think a WHV has a no working for yourself requirement. Truth be known it does muddy the waters as if you are sub-contracting for the one builder for over 6 months are you breaking the 6 Month one employer rule.

From this link

What does this visa let me do?

If you are granted this visa you can:

• enter Australia within 12 months of grant
• stay up to 12 months
• leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid
• work in Australia for up to six months with each employer
• study for up to four months.
• If you hold a second Working Holiday visa, you may return to work for a further six months for an employer with whom you worked on your first Working Holiday visa.

The fine print is here

Working for longer than six months with the same organisation, regardless of whether the duties or location of the employee change, is generally not allowed. A Working Holiday visa holder may, work for independently owned franchises located in different areas for up to six months at each, as long as the franchisees are different employers with different Australian Business Numbers.

So my reading of it is he can have an ABN but he can only subcontract for the one bloke for 6 months....

mandrake04

I have had a few brickie mates having had to do other stuff (mostly labouring and formwork) as they found it difficult to find work, seems around Sydney the Italians and Chinese have the market in the bricklaying. Have heard the odd one or 2 Irish guys got bricklaying jobs around Sydney but dont think they stuck it out and went in building roads and laying pipes instead.

Not sure what Melbourne is like for Brickies but I think Perth has a lot of Irish & Pommie mobs doing brick work.

augustus gloop

you have mail OP

daftdave

tell your nephew to contact platinum labour hire , they might have some brickie work on , and also eir group , if not brickie work , he could at least get some labouring work to get the $$$$ coming in while he looks for brickie work , also tell him to get out the yellow pages and ring every brickie company in it and see if they have any work.

Hanumanmaman

Thanks alot guys, very helpful stuff there

amybabes

I have seen many a friend in a trade go down the path of working on ABN and it was a sorry day they did.
Not advocating illegal activity but many use it as a way of working and not paying a cent of tax for years.
One of my friends has recently got his permanent residency - but first had to pay off an 18 grand debt to the Australian Government over 2 years in backdated taxes he owed on his own ABN. They took $1,500 grand out of his bank account without permission at the start as a deposit - who knew they could do that!!!

On the other hand I know one guy who has been here 5 years illegally working away as an electrician on an ABN and has never paid a cent in tax.

My advice would be if he's not going to do it properly (be above board, be savvy enough to do his own accounts or hire an accountant) then stay welllllllll away because he might only plan on staying here a year and going home but like my friend might want to stay. Also I think the Government are really cracking down on fraud.....my tax return was held up from July - November last year while they investigated it (turns out one of my certificates of earnings was a couple of days short so I actually paid $19 more in tax than I had on the return or something daft like that)

Most fellas who I know that come here in trades don't want to have all the hassle of sorting out tax returns at the end of the year and having to save the tax to pay all along......its an easier option for most to pay it all along before you see your weekly wage and actually get a little lump sum back in july than owe the Government thousands!! My bf is due back about 6 grand this year - last year he owed 4 grand from 6 months abn work. nice difference! we had to sell a car to cover it!