What work expenses can nurses and shift workers claim?
The general rule: you spent the money yourself and were not reimbursed, it directly relates to earning your income, and you have a record to prove it. For nurses, paramedics and other shift workers that commonly means self-education and courses, Ahpra registration renewal, union and professional association fees, compulsory uniforms and laundry, protective footwear, work equipment, and car trips between workplaces. The ATO publishes occupation guides with the specifics — and a registered tax agent can advise on your situation.
Can I claim driving to and from work?
Generally no — your normal commute is private, even for night shifts, on-call starts and jobs with no public transport. What you generally can claim is driving between two separate workplaces or jobs, from your workplace to conferences, courses and meetings, and between sites during your shift. Log those trips as they happen and the kilometres are there at tax time.
How does the cents-per-km method work?
You claim a set rate for every work kilometre you drive, using the rate the ATO publishes for that income year, up to a yearly cap per car. You do not need receipts for fuel or servicing, because the rate covers the car's running costs. You do need to be able to show how you worked out your kilometres, which is exactly what a dated trip log with odometer readings does. Beyond the cap, the ATO's logbook method and actual expenses apply — check the ATO for the current rate and rules.
Do I need to keep receipts?
Yes — once your total work-related claims pass the ATO's written-evidence threshold, you need records for all of them, and the ATO expects you to keep those records for years after you lodge. Digital copies are fine, which matters because thermal-paper receipts fade to blank long before then. MyRoster stores a photo of the receipt on the expense itself and includes it in the exported PDF.
Can I export my expenses for my accountant?
Yes. Export a PDF report — summary totals, every expense, and your receipt photos appended — or a spreadsheet with the raw numbers. You choose what goes in: expenses, car trips or both, for this month, this financial year, this year, all time or a custom range.
Does MyRoster work out my deduction or do my tax?
No — MyRoster is a record keeper, not a tax calculator, and nothing on this page is tax advice. It captures the evidence: what you spent, when, on what, with the receipt attached, and the work kilometres you drove. At tax time you export it and hand it to your registered tax agent, or use it to fill in myTax yourself.
Which financial year does an expense fall into?
The year you paid it. The Australian financial year runs 1 July to 30 June, and MyRoster groups your totals by financial year automatically — so a course paid for in July counts toward the new year, and the export ranges line up with your return.
Will I lose my expenses if I change phones?
No. Your expenses, car trips and receipt photos sync and back up along with the rest of your MyRoster data, so everything comes with you to a new device and your history is kept across financial years. It is only ever shared when you choose to export it.
