Country guides
Setting up in Australia from your home country
Country-by-country guides for owners setting up an Australian company from overseas: tax treaties, FIRB, time zones, signing and common pitfalls.
The Australian rules are the same for every foreign owner: a proprietary company needs a director who ordinarily resides in Australia, a registered office in Australia, and a Director ID for every director. What changes from country to country is everything around those rules.
Whether your home country has a tax treaty with Australia affects how dividends, interest and royalties paid by the Australian company are taxed. Foreign investment screening by the Foreign Investment Review Board can apply differently depending on who the investor is and what is being bought. Time zones decide how quickly board resolutions can be signed, and the documents your owners hold decide how long identity checks take.
Each country guide covers the structures owners from that country typically use, the tax treaty position, foreign investment notes, signing and time-zone logistics, and the mistakes we see most often. They are a starting point for a conversation with your adviser, not a substitute for advice on your structure. For the general rules that apply to everyone, start with our guides.
Country guides 24 pages
- Country
Australian subsidiaries for Hong Kong companies
Hong Kong groups opening an Australian Pty Ltd: no tax treaty, dividend withholding, Hong Kong FIRB thresholds, apostilles and Director IDs.
- Country
Australian subsidiaries for Korean companies: treaty, FIRB, documents and directors
Korean companies opening an Australian Pty Ltd: the treaty's 15% withholding caps, FIRB thresholds for Korean investors, apostilles and the Seoul time gap.
- Country
Expanding from Canada to Australia with a local subsidiary
Canadian corporations opening an Australian subsidiary: CPTPP FIRB thresholds, the Australia-Canada tax treaty, provincial apostilles and the time gap.
- Country
Expanding from New Zealand to Australia: what trans-Tasman founders get wrong
New Zealand company expanding to Australia: why NZ-resident directors fail s201A, branch filing via NZ, FIRB rules for NZ investors and time zones.
- Country
Opening an Australian company from Israel
Israeli founders and tech groups opening an Australian Pty Ltd: resident director rule, the 2019 tax treaty, FIRB thresholds, apostilles and time zones.
- Country
Opening an Australian company from the United Kingdom
UK groups opening an Australian Pty Ltd: how it differs from a UK Ltd, the resident director, the treaty and FTA, FIRB, apostilles and signing times.
- Country
Opening an Australian Pty Ltd from India
Indian company opening an Australian Pty Ltd: the 1991 tax treaty, India-only FIRB thresholds, ODI filings via your AD bank, apostilles and IST signing.
- Country
Running an Australian subsidiary from the Netherlands
For Dutch BV parents with an Australian Pty Ltd: the resident director rule, holding-company FIRB traps, the 1976 tax treaty, KvK documents and time zones.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from France
Setting up an Australian Pty Ltd from France: the resident director, apostilled documents, the tax treaty, FIRB thresholds and Paris–Sydney signing.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from Indonesia
Indonesian PT setting up an Australian Pty Ltd: the 1992 tax treaty, IA-CEPA and the FIRB band Indonesia gets, apostilles since 2022, translations and WIB time.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from Ireland
Irish LTD or DAC owning an Australian Pty Ltd? The 1983 tax treaty, FIRB rules when an Irish holdco sits under a US group, apostilles and Dublin time gaps.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from mainland China
Australian subsidiary from mainland China: the s201A resident director, FIRB for private and state-owned investors, treaty, apostille and Director IDs.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from Malaysia
Setting up an Australian Pty Ltd from Malaysia: resident director, the Australia–Malaysia tax treaty, CPTPP FIRB thresholds, document certification and timing.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from Singapore
Singapore company setting up in Australia: the s201A resident director rule, the Australia–Singapore tax treaty, FIRB thresholds, apostille and time zones.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from South Africa
South African (Pty) Ltd setting up in Australia? SARB exchange control for outward investment, the 1999 tax treaty and 2008 protocol, FIRB, apostilles and SAST.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from Taiwan
Taiwan company opening an Australian Pty Ltd: the 1996 ACIO-TECO tax agreement, FIRB without an FTA, certifying documents without an apostille and romanisation.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from the Philippines
Philippine corporation or OPC opening an Australian Pty Ltd: the 1979 tax treaty, the FIRB band, apostilles since 2019 and signing on Manila time.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from the United Arab Emirates
UAE owners forming an Australian Pty Ltd: no comprehensive tax treaty, what CEPA does and doesn't change, FIRB thresholds and certifying documents.
- Country
Setting up an Australian company from Vietnam
Vietnamese JSC or LLC opening an Australian Pty Ltd: the 1992 treaty and its amendments, CPTPP FIRB thresholds, the new 2026 apostille and ICT signing times.
- Country
Setting up an Australian subsidiary from Brazil
Brazilian Ltda or S.A. forming an Australian Pty Ltd? No tax treaty in force, Central Bank CBE reporting, FIRB, apostilles, translations and a 13-14 hour gap.
- Country
Setting up an Australian subsidiary from Germany
For German GmbH and AG groups opening an Australian Pty Ltd: the 2015 tax treaty, FIRB thresholds, apostilles, time gaps and the resident director rule.
- Country
Setting up an Australian subsidiary from Japan
Japanese company opening an Australian Pty Ltd? The 2008 tax treaty, FIRB thresholds for Japan, apostilles, year-end alignment and the expat-director trap.
- Country
Setting up an Australian subsidiary from Switzerland
Swiss parent forming an Australian Pty Ltd? The 2013 tax treaty, why there's no FTA band, Kollektivunterschrift and parent signing, apostilles and time gaps.
- Country
Setting up an Australian subsidiary from the United States
Australian Pty Ltd from the United States: the resident director rule, the US tax treaty, FIRB thresholds for US investors, apostilles and time zones.
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