The team at Geoffrey Nathan have been working hard on new incentives and programs to make your experience with GN as awesome as possible. End up with more cash to splash this weekend just for referring a friend to us.

Confused about the Living Away From Home Allowance? Have a question you’d like answered? Read our 'The Truth About LAFHA’ article and be informed about this tax free allowance and what it means to you.

Ever wondered what the person on the other end of the phone looks like? Well check out our staff profile for this month or if you are in Sydney pop down to our office for the Melbourne Cup on the 4th November and meet us face to face.

Remember to slip slop slap this weekend whilst lying on the beach, don’t want to see any lobsters, only the ones on my plate......

Geoffrey

 
STORIES

Meet the Team                                 Melbourne Cup Lunch                       GN Candidate Story
The Truth about LAFHA                  Recent Appointments                        GN Online
awaypay                                         Contact Us

Name: Charlotte Wood
Position at GN: Migration Account Manager
Length of time with GN: 1 year
Original place of residence: Guildford, Surrey (UK)

Charlotte’s Story……

Before moving to Australia I lived in Guildford, Surrey in the UK and worked
as an Events Manager for a charity organization in London, mixing with the occasional D-list celebrity such as Big Brother and Eastenders has-beens at fancy thrown together receptions and parties. It’s weird to be in Australia where you can mention ‘Preston and Chantelle’ or ‘Nasty Nick’ and NO BODY knows who you are talking about….!

When I arrived in Australia I was on a Working Holiday Visa with the intention to go home after 4 months. My family thought this was the maximum, though I’ve now been in Sydney for 2 years!

After a few weeks of temporary roles with the obligatory reception cover and envelope stuffing thrown in, I landed a job at Geoffrey Nathan where I have been nose to the grindstone ever since. The team at GN has made me feel welcome since day ONE, they are a great group to work with. Meghan Hinchey and I are both Migration Account Managers for the 457 team (Sponsorship) and are in touch constantly with our Migration Lawyer Ellison, getting updates on any changes to legislation from the Department of Immigration and running over any new queries that have come in. 

I currently live in Enmore, near Newtown in Sydney and am loving the bohemian feel of all the bars and cafés there. I’ve often heard Newtown described as a cross between Camden and Soho in London and I have to say I’d agree. I love that there’s about 10 second hand book shops in Newtown and that almost every other shop is a music shop, café or bar. Other than going to the gym occasionally, I love  getting lost in all those random shops, losing hours getting excited over old copies of classics which I buy then get half way through before picking up a cheesy chick lit from Dymocks and forgetting all about it!

The drinks are on us!

If you are in Sydney, come and have a cheeky few and meet the team on the 4th November.

We will be kicking off at 1.00pm and would love for you to join us for the big race (yes I know we aren’t in Melbourne but any excuse right?!).

We are located at Level 6, 60 Carrington Street, Sydney CBD.

Please RSVP to Ali Steadman by 31st October 

ali.steadman@geoffreynathan.com  

Hope to see you there!

Name: Angharad Llewellyn
Original place of residence: Huddersfield, Yorkshire (UK)
Time in Australia: 4 years
Time with Geoffrey Nathan: 3 years

Angharad's story……

I arrived in Australia straight after finishing a degree in Fashion Design & Marketing. I took temp jobs for around a year and worked free of charge for a magazine called 3D World (a weekly music street press) for around 7 months as a contributor (writer). When a position as an Account Manager popped up, I jumped at the chance to be part of the 3D World team and Geoffrey Nathan helped me to secure the position.

My aspirations for the future are to start my own magazine online – using the skills I have acquired working in media sales for 3 years and write a book and get it published. Geoffrey Nathan offers me the security to move from job to job so that I am free to ensure the progression of my career. I'd recommend Geoffrey Nathan to anyone who wants to make a career for themselves in Australia; it's definitely worth a phone call.

I love Australia and have fallen in love with Sydney – it really is like paradise on earth. I applied for my Permanent Residency through GN's Employer Nominated Sponsorship program in February and it was granted in September which is an absolute dream come true for me!

Congratulations Angharad!

If you refer a friend to Geoffrey Nathan who’s looking to work whilst they travel, you will receive a gift voucher valued at $150.

Entries end on the 31st October so be quick!

It’s easy....

1.    If you earn over $20 per hour, email us the names and numbers of your friends, colleagues or     associates you think would benefit from our services.

2.    One of our friendly team will call to see if we can be of service.

3.    If your friend or colleague is payrolled through Geoffrey Nathan for just four consecutive weeks, you will receive a $150 voucher!

If you know of any friends, colleagues or associates living 130 km from their permanent place of residence and are currently eligible for the LAFHA (are being sponsored, are a NZ Citizen or Interstate Australian) but not reaping the benefits of this tax free allowance then refer them to us too! Our new division - awaypay can help maximise their take home pay so there’s more money in their pocket to buy the beers!

Call 1300 GN JOBS or email referafriend@geoffreynathan.com (include their name and phone number).

Terms and Conditions: The candidate referring a friend must be earning at least $20 per hour. The candidate referred needs to work a minimum of 4 consecutive weeks to register as a referral. The referrer will only receive a voucher after 6 weeks due to processing. This offer is not available for recruiters. Offer ends 31st October 2008. Not all candidates are eligible for all of GN’s services.

Many overseas workers are not aware of the benefits The Living Away from Home Allowance provides, or understand how it is administered. At Geoffrey Nathan, this is what we specialise in; we are the experts so you don’t have to be! However, to put your minds at ease, here are the answers to some repetitive questions we get daily at GN.

1.    How long can I receive the Living Away From Home Allowance for?

The amount of time differs depending on your particular situation, but typically, you can receive LAFHA right up until you are granted permanent residency (PR) or for as long as your intention is to return back to your original place of residence. If you intend to apply for PR then you MUST inform GN as soon as you apply and let us know once your PR has been approved.

2.    How much LAFHA am I allowed to receive?

Australian Tax Law does not specify exactly how much LAFHA you can receive. This tax free allowance is calculated based on your living expenses in Australia, the state you live in, how much you are paid by your employer, your job role and whether other people in your family (spouse/children) are receiving LAFHA. At Geoffrey Nathan, we are the experts and we’ll give you the most LAFHA that is right for your situation! 

3.    Is Geoffrey Nathan qualified to work this out for me?

Geoffrey Nathan has been administering LAFHA to overseas candidates for over 15 years and is a  founding member of the ACPMA. The ACPMA work closely with the ATO to establish our processes and procedures for administering LAFHA to ensure that we are adhering to current legislation and our candidates are receiving the maximum amount. The team at GN constantly monitor the industry and work closely with the ATO to keep on top of changes and updates in this area.

4.    Why is your quote different to other contractor management companies?

At Geoffrey Nathan, our aim is to provide the greatest amount of take home pay possible to our candidates. However, we want to administer the greatest CORRECT amount and therefore have strict policies and procedures to make sure everything we do is right. Geoffrey Nathan has a low risk status since we administer under the ACPMA guidelines. Many of our competitors may be able to provide more LAFHA to their candidates; however, this amount may be at a higher risk status.

5.    My accountant doesn’t know about LAFHA, why is that?

LAFHA is available to overseas workers under Fringe Benefit Tax legislation. Your personal tax accountant will know Income Tax legislation in and out; however, LAFHA never becomes part of your income since it is an allowance under a completely different set of rules – Fringe Benefit Tax! LAFHA is a niche part of Fringe Benefit Tax law and even your company accountant simply may not have come across it before.

6.    What happens to my tax back at the end of the year if I receive LAFHA?

When you submit your tax return at the end of the year, the amount of tax you receive back is reduced. The reason for this is that you receive more pay each pay period so that you have more money in your pocket each month rather than at the end of the year.

7.    What will happen if the ATO audits me?

Due to Geoffrey Nathan’s strict procedures and processes, if you are audited by the ATO you will not be in breach of any laws in regards to the amount of LAFHA you receive as this will be correct as per the ACPMA’s guidelines. As long as you keep Geoffrey Nathan informed of your visa status and living arrangements you have nothing to fear in regards to LAFHA.

Do a good deed for the day! Pass this newsletter onto friends so they are also informed about the benefits of the Living Away from Home Allowance.....

For more information on the Living Away From Home Allowance visit our website 

GN is proud to announce the recently appointed staff members to our 457 team;

Emily Baker – Migration / HR Manager
Emily has been working as our HR Manager for the last 4 months, taking over Lisa Harrison’s role whilst she was on maternity leave. Emily now transfers to the 457 team where she heads up the 457 department nationally and will oversee and manage operations going forward.

Lizzie Stubbs – Migration Auditor                                       

We have recently added Lizzie to the 457 team as Migration Auditor. Lizzie is managing reporting, processes and compliance for the 457 team and will work closely on queries from the Department of Immigration to make sure everything runs smoothly in our sponsorship area.

Welcome Back!
Lisa Harrison – General Manager
Lisa Harrison recently arrived back to GN after maternity leave and has fallen back into her role as General Manager. Lisa will be running some HR functions, compliance and operations.

Congratulations to Lisa who has been blessed with a very cute and cuddly baby girl named Kate. The four month old has already made a trip to the GN office and fits right in! 

Want to meet the rest of the team? Visit our website.....

Have you checked out our website recently?

Meet the Geoffrey Nathan team on our ‘Meet the Team’ page or check out our candidate event pics and see if you’ve been snapped!

Think you’re ready to become a permanent resident of Australia? Take our quiz to see if you’re Aussie enough...

Do you know anyone who is working at least 130 km from their permanent place of residence and not reaping the benefits of the Living Away From Home Allowance while being employed directly? 

Tell them to visit awaypay.com.au or call us on 02 8022 8022 for a free personal assessment on how to maximise their take home pay.

If you have any interesting travel stories, tips, advice or anything you think people like yourself would be interested in let us know!

Just email the marketing manager ali.steadman@geoffreynathan.com with your ideas, tips and stories.