Can I Claim Any Relocation Costs I Have Incurred?

If you have relocated to undertake your current contract through Oncore, please contact us for a consultation and we will be able to advise if you are eligible to claim your relocation expenses thorough Oncore's Salary Packaging service.

Oncore provides the opportunity for you to salary package your business-related expenses. This is not a direct reimbursement of the expense but an offset against your taxable income resulting in greater take-home pay for you. The expenses that you can claim include your mobile phone, internet connection, software purchases, study, self-education, etc. 

These are expenses that relate to your current contract that Oncore is managing.

Relevant Expenses include:

• Preparation Flight
• Relocation Flight and Final Flight Home
• Travel other than a Flight
• Connection of Utilities
• Relocation Consultant
• Shipping/Removal or Storage
• Temporary Accommodation
• Costs incidental to the sale and/or purchase of a home

This expense category is only available upon consultation with Oncore and for those contractors who have relocated for the direct purpose of performing their contracted assignment. The following guidelines are relevant.

Preparation Flight

• Flight costs, including meals and accommodation en route, for both you and your family, incurred for the purpose of finding suitable accommodation at the new work location, are claimable
• Prior to having taken the flight, acceptance of the role (requiring relocation for) must have occurred
• Only the cost of a direct route is claimable. In the event you have taken an alternative route (or a delayed route), an equivalent cost of a direct route will be calculated
• Receipts are required to verify the claimed amount

Relocation Flight and Final Flight Home

• Flight costs for both you and your family, including meals and accommodation enroute, are claimable
• The relocation flight must have been taken within a month of your contract start date
• The final flight home must have been taken within a month of your contract end date
• Only the cost of a direct route is claimable. In the event you have taken an alternative route (or a delayed route), then an equivalent cost of a direct route will be calculated
• All expenses must be verified by receipts

Travel other than a Flight

• Where you undertake relocation travel in your own car, you can claim the kilometers traveled at the ATO approved rate which is currently 85 cents per kilometer. An additional declaration is required to claim this. Please contact us via email prior to claiming this expense, so we can provide you with the ‘Relocation Transport Declaration’
• For travel by bus, train or taxi, a tax invoice is required which verifies the claimed amount
• Meals and accommodation en route are also claimable
• However, only the cost of a direct route is claimable. In the event you have taken an alternative route (or a delayed route), then an equivalent cost of a direct route will be calculated

Connection of Utilities

• The connection of utilities (telephone, gas, electricity) at the new location is claimable
• The connection needs to have been incurred within 12 months of your contract start date
• A receipt is required to verify the claimed amount

Relocation Consultant

• The cost of hiring a relocation consultant to assist with the initial relocation or the return relocation home is claimable provided the contracted assignment was finalised prior to the engagement of the consultant
• A receipt is required to verify the claimed amount

Shipping/Removal or Storage

• Costs relevant to the removal, shipping, storage, packing, unpacking and insurance of household items (including pets), which are kept primarily for the personal use of you and your family are claimable
• Costs relating to the initial relocation need to have been incurred within 12 months of your contract start date in order to be claimable
• Receipts are required to verify the claimed amount

Temporary Accommodation

• Temporary accommodation (hotel, motel, serviced apartment) is claimable where it is required solely due to your relocation from your usual place of residence in order to commence your contracted assignment
• Receipts are required to verify the claimed amount
• Further guidelines follow

Temporary accommodation at former location:

• Where factors relating to the relocation make it impractical for you to remain at the former home, temporary accommodation can be claimed provided the accommodation commenced within 21 days of your contract start date at the new location

Temporary accommodation at a new location:

• Temporary accommodation at the new location can be claimed for a period of 4 months starting from 7 days prior to your contract start date
• Throughout the claim period, you need to be making sustained and reasonable efforts to buy or lease suitable long-term accommodation
• If upon the 4 month period expiring, you still haven’t found suitable long-term accommodation, please consult your client service manager

Costs incidental to the sale and/or purchase of a home

• Expenses incurred in selling or purchasing a home as a result of a work relocation may be claimable
• The expenses are limited to stamp duty, advertising, legal fees, agent commission, discharge of mortgage and borrowing expenses
• Further guidelines follow. You need to contact Oncore if you feel your circumstances may justify a claim
• In relation to the sale of the home at the former residence, the expenses can only be claimed if all of the following apply:
• The sale was made solely as a result of you changing your usual place of residence in order to carry out employment-related duties
• The house was owned when you first relocated to the new locality to perform those duties
• The house was your usual place of residence
• The sale was settled within two years of your contract start date at the new locality
• Each expense can be substantiated by written documentation

In relation to the purchase of a home at the new location, the expenses can only be claimed if all of the following apply:

• The purchase was made solely as a result of your relocation to another job locality
• The new home is occupied as your usual place of residence
• The contract to purchase was made and settled within four years of your contract start date at the new location
• You did own a home at the former locality
• The home at the former locality was sold or is proposed to be sold within two years of your contract start date at the new locality
• Each expense can be substantiated by written documentation

If, after reading this article, you are still unsure what types of expenses you may be able to claim under this category, please either send us an email at supportaus@oncoreservices.com, or phone us on 1300 654 484 and we will strive to answer any of your questions.