Mr's quick answer
A New Zealand company that carries on business in Australia must register with ASIC as a foreign company, receive an ARBN, appoint a local agent resident in Australia and keep an Australian registered office. Directors of registered foreign companies need a director ID. Australian GST at 10% applies once GST turnover connected with Australia reaches $75,000. Many Kiwi owners instead set up an Australian company to build a local track record for borrowing.
Key points
- ASIC registration as a foreign company, with an ARBN, a local agent and a registered office.
- NZ companies registered in Australia have some lodgement relief compared with other foreign companies.
- Directors of registered foreign companies need an Australian director ID, applied for before appointment.
- Australian GST at 10% once GST turnover from sales connected with Australia hits $75,000.
- Australian lenders usually prefer an Australian borrower with Australian records or security.
- Register with
- ASIC (foreign company)
- Identifier
- ARBN
- AU GST
- 10%, register at $75,000
- Director ID
- 15 digits, before appointment
Australia is a much bigger market and only a short flight away, so it’s no wonder so many Kiwi businesses eventually look west. Customers there will feel familiar. The paperwork will feel almost familiar, which is exactly what catches people out. Mr’s guide for New Zealand owners crossing the Tasman starts with the registrations and ends with the money.
What has to happen before you start trading?
If your New Zealand company is going to carry on business in Australia, ASIC is your first stop. ASIC says foreign companies must be registered with it to conduct business in Australia. The checklist:
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| ASIC registration | Apply as a foreign company (Form 402 with supporting documents) |
| ARBN | Your Australian Registered Body Number, issued on approval |
| Local agent | An individual or Australian company, resident in Australia, authorised to accept documents for you |
| Registered office | An Australian registered office, open during set hours |
| Name and ARBN on documents | Shown correctly on public documents |
| Director IDs | Every director of a registered foreign company needs one |
| Keep details current | Changes notified to ASIC |
ASIC also notes that New Zealand companies registered as foreign companies don’t have to lodge certain documents that other foreign companies do. Handy, but read the detail with your adviser.
Foreign company, or a brand-new Australian company?
Many Kiwi owners skip foreign registration and incorporate an Australian company (often a subsidiary of the New Zealand one) instead. Both work. The trade-off:
- Registering the New Zealand company keeps everything in one entity, but that entity now carries Australian obligations, including financial statements lodged with ASIC.
- An Australian subsidiary is a local company with its own ACN and ABN, its own bank account and its own track record. Australian customers, landlords and lenders often find it easier to deal with. It needs at least one Australian-resident director, and each director needs a director ID before appointment.
Either way, ASIC’s director ID rule matters: if you plan to become a director, you must apply before you’re appointed. For more, see ASIC vs the Companies Office.
What about Australian GST and the ABN?
Australian GST is 10%. The ATO says businesses must register when GST turnover reaches $75,000, and sales not connected with Australia aren’t counted. Non-residents may need to register depending on their activities, and there are specific regimes for imported services, digital products and low value imported goods (those of $1,000 or less) sold to Australian consumers.
You’ll usually need an ABN for Australian GST and business dealings. The Australian Business Register is clear that not everyone is entitled to one, so make sure your Australian activity qualifies.
The flip side: New Zealand exports are generally zero-rated for New Zealand GST when goods are exported within 28 days of the time of supply. Our GST on trans-Tasman sales page puts both sides together.
Need funding to open the Australian door? Mr’s people consider expansion funding case by case on both sides, and asking doesn’t touch your credit file. Pick your country and start a 60-second enquiry.
What changes when you hire in Australia?
Hiring in Australia brings Australian payroll rules: PAYG withholding, super guarantee at 12% and, since 1 July 2026, Payday Super, which requires contributions to hit funds no later than 7 business days after payday. That’s a big shift for Kiwi employers used to KiwiSaver at 3.5%. The super vs KiwiSaver side-by-side has the numbers.
There are also state-based obligations in Australia, such as payroll tax once wages pass a state’s threshold, and workers’ compensation insurance. Your Australian accountant will map these for the states you’ll operate in.
How do Kiwi businesses fund an Australian launch?
The honest pattern Mr sees:
- Early days: the New Zealand business funds the launch, using its New Zealand trading history and, if needed, New Zealand property security. This conversation starts on the New Zealand side.
- Once the Australian entity has a track record: six to twelve months of Australian bank statements, BAS lodged, maybe an Australian lease. Now local Australian working capital becomes realistic, starting on the Australian side.
- Property changes everything: if you or the business own Australian property, property-secured lending (between $20,000 and $5,000,000) can open up on the Australian side much earlier.
Unsecured and cash-flow options, usually between $5,000 and $500,000, depend on the borrower’s own turnover and bank statements, which is why a young Australian entity often has to wait a little. Our which country to apply in page covers more scenarios.
Illustrative example
Illustrative only. A Nelson outdoor apparel brand gets picked up by retailers in Queensland. It sets up an Australian subsidiary with a Brisbane-based operations manager as resident director (director ID first), registers for Australian GST and uses a third-party warehouse. The first two seasons of stock are funded on the New Zealand side against the founders’ property. By year two, with Australian bank statements and BAS history, the Australian company applies locally for a stock facility.
Your first-month checklist
- Choose: register the New Zealand company with ASIC, or form an Australian company.
- Line up a local agent or resident director, and director IDs.
- Check ABN entitlement and GST registration.
- Set up Australian payroll, super and state obligations before your first hire.
- Open an Australian business bank account to start your local track record.
- Plan funding by entity and by country.
Ready to back the big move?
Opening in Australia is a big step and a great story to tell a lender. When you’re ready, the first move is easy: there’s no credit check on an enquiry, your details aren’t dealt out to lenders like cards, and a real person on the right side of the Tasman reads it. Be clear on the form about the borrowing entity and any property, and Mr’s people can point you the right way first time. Start with your country here.
Frequently asked questions
Does my New Zealand company need to register with ASIC?
If it carries on business in Australia, yes. ASIC says foreign companies must be registered to conduct business in Australia. Once approved, you receive a registration certificate and an ARBN, and you must keep a local agent and a registered office in Australia.
Is it better to register as a foreign company or set up an Australian company?
It depends on your plans. Registration keeps a single company but brings Australian obligations to it. An Australian subsidiary is a separate local company that can build its own trading history, sign local contracts and borrow from Australian lenders more easily. Your advisers on both sides can weigh the tax and liability effects.
Do I need an ABN to trade in Australia?
If you're carrying on an enterprise in Australia, you may be entitled to one and will often need one, particularly if you register for Australian GST. Not everyone is entitled to an ABN, so check with the Australian Business Register or an adviser.
Will an Australian lender look at my New Zealand trading history?
Some will consider it, especially alongside group accounts, but most prefer an Australian borrower with Australian bank statements and, where relevant, Australian property security. Early on, funding is often easier on the New Zealand side, with local Australian facilities following once the Australian entity has its own history.
Do New Zealand occupational licences work in Australia?
Many do, thanks to trans-Tasman mutual recognition under ANZCERTA, which DFAT says removes impediments to the movement of skilled people without full harmonisation of standards. Check the specific occupation and state, as registration steps can still apply.