Start a business in Australia as a foreigner

Apply for a visa

You need a visa that lets you run a business in Australia.

You can apply for a permanent visa if you already have a provisional visa and meet certain conditions.

The Department of Home Affairs issues Australian visas. Visit the department’s website to see all the visas available.

Once you’ve got the right visa, you can start your business in Australia.

Our guide to starting a business has the main steps you should follow.

Some things that might be different in Australia compared to your home country:

Registering a business – use our tool to work out the registrations you need to start your business.
Licences – the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) helps you find the licences, permits and approvals your business needs.
Tax – find out about the different taxes that might apply to your business.
Business laws – read about the main laws your business needs to follow.
Importing – understand government requirements if you’re planning to import goods from another country.