Opening a business in Australia starts with the decision on the type of entity that caters most to your needs in this country. A foreign investor can decide on partnerships, proprietary companies, limited liability companies, trusts or can act as sole traders in Australia. Depending on the chosen business entity, our company formation specialists in Australia will run the necessary steps for registering your business with the relevant authorities.
Please mind that when you will open a company in Australia, the company registration procedures will be mostly the same, regardless of the legal entity chosen for incorporation.
Differences can appear in the types of permits the investors must obtain, the tax obligations and reporting requirements, and the personal tax liability of the founders of the company (fully liable or liable only to the extent of the capital participation).
Investors who will set up a company in Australia have the possibility to operate here through a branch office, a subsidiary – generally, registered as a limited liability company, a representative office (which can’t enter any business activities).
One also has the possibility to operate through a limited liability partnership (this structure needs minimum 2 founders).
It is also possible to start a business here without having to incorporate any of the legal entities mentioned above. This can be achieved by purchasing a shelf company in Australia, a legal entity that has already been incorporated.
In most of the situations, this entity is registered as a limited liability company and has all the elements necessary for starting a business activity.
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How can I open an LLC in Australia?
The limited liability company or the private proprietary company (Pty) can be established by at least one shareholder and no minimum share capital. The following requirements are necessary to open a LLC in Australia:
- at least one director needs to be appointed in the company;
- the Articles of Association are the company’s main documents consisting of information about the owners, the purposes of the company, the business address;
- the Australian Business Number or ABN is the company’s identification code issued by the registration authorities;
- An Australian Company Number (ACN) will be issued by the same authorities;
- your company needs to align with the tax requirements and register for this purpose.
We mention that this is the most suitable business structure in Australia which addresses most of the activities you wish to run in this country. If you want to set up a company, we can also assist you in the process of opening a bank account in Australia from overseas.
How can I open an LLP in Australia?
The LLP or the Australian Limited Liability Partnership is the type of partnership that needs to respect the provisions of the Australian Partnership Act 1993. This business entity can be set up by a general partner who is liable for the activities in the firm and by a limited partner who is in charge of the financial contribution. As the main condition for forming an LLP, one of the partners must reside in Australia. There is no corporate tax for LLPs in Australia, as the business income is levied on the registered profit for each partner. Our company formation agents in Australia are at your disposal with complete assistance in forming an LLP in Australia.
Can I open a branch in Australia?
Yes, companies from abroad can easily set up branches in Australia with the condition of appointing a representative agent from this country. We mention that our consultants can act on behalf of your branch in Australia, so please feel free to address your inquiries in this direction at any time.
ROs in Australia
Foreign investors have the possibility of opening representative offices (ROs) in Australia and establish their marketing and research activities in the chosen business field. It is good to know that a representative office in Australia will not carry out any financial activity, as it is a structure meant for other purposes that generating profits. If you want to start a business in Australia, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team of advisors.
Costs for opening a company in Australia
If you decide on a Pty in Australia, you should consider the related costs for incorporations which sum up to approximately AUD 488. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission is in charge of company registration in this country.
Feel free to contact our team of company incorporation agents in Australia for complete support in registering your business.