Australia’s strong economy in recent years has made it one of the most popular places to set up a business. The fact that Australia’s economy has managed to stay strong while the economies of the United States and many European countries have struggled has endeared the land Down Under to the business community. Many business experts agree that there has never been a better time to enter into the Australian market than right now. This is an especially good time for small businesses to succeed. The following article will outline the various steps that you needs to follow in order to successfully open a business in Australia. Following these steps will ensure that your business is operating legally, thus preventing any temporary shutdown of your business for failing to file the proper documents.
In order to start a business in Australia, it will be necessary for you to deal with territory/state, local and federal agencies. Proper registration is required of all Australian businesses. The primary reason for this is so the taxes that all businesses pay can be carefully monitored. Your business name and the domain name of your Internet website both need to be registered. Certain businesses will also need to apply for a business license, depending on the type of business it is and where it is located.
Register the name of your business
The name of every company that operates in Australia is required to be registered and on file with the government of the state or territory where that company is currently operating. Registration is needed if the name of the business is different than the name of the person operating it. If you want to have a .com.au domain name for your company’s website, the only way to acquire one is to register your company’s name. The Internet represents a huge stream of revenue for many companies. Because of this, registration of a company is a critical part of being successful in Australia. A company is only allowed to register a name that has not already been registered.
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) is the government agency that is in charge of the national business names index. This list consists of the names of all associations and businesses that are currently registered to operate legally within Australia. You can look at this list for free in order to find out if your company name has already been registered. It is important that you are sure that the name of your business doesn’t infringe on any trademarks prior to sending in your application for registration.
An employer’s legal responsibilities
There are a few legal obligations that must be satisfied by all companies that employ people in Australia. Registration with the Australian Taxation Office is required. Health and safety standards need to be complied with. The company must also keep employment records that are accurate, pay wages based on Federal and State awards, pay superannuation contributions and make sure all employment terms and conditions are abided by.
Talk to a migration agent
Citizens of foreign countries should consult with a migration agent to make sure all of the proper forms have been filled out. If business visas kits or employer sponsored visa kits are required, your migration agent will let you know. A migration agent’s job is to ensure that you do not run into any problems while you are trying to become a legal resident of Australia. Make sure you apply for any business visas kits or employer sponsored visa kits long before they are needed to allow time for them to be processed.
