Taxpayers are set to claim tens of millions worth of pandemic-related work deductions in tax time 2022, with masks, personal protective equipment and rapid testing kits among eligible expenses, according to the Australian Tax Office.

About 10 million individual tax returns are processed every year. This led to more than $28.6 billion in refund payments in 2021. ATO data showed the average tax refund to Australian workers was about $2900 in 2021.