How to Start a Business in Australia as a Foreigner
If you’re an overseas entrepreneur, how to start a business in Australia usually comes down to two big questions:
- How do I set up the company properly?
- Which visa lets me live here and actually run it?
The good news: non-residents can own and set up a business in Australia, but you’ll need the right visa if you want to manage it on the ground or be employed by it.
Visa4you specialises in Australia and Canada. We help founders combine business setup and migration strategy, so your company structure, visa pathway and long-term plans work together instead of fighting each other.
- Step-by-step roadmap for how to start a business in Australia as a foreigner
- Explanation of current business & founder visa options (post-188 closure)
- Guidance on company structures, resident director rules and registrations
- Multilingual support in English, German, Dutch, online or in-office
Can a Foreigner Start a Business in Australia?
Yes. As a non-resident you can:
- Own shares in an Australian company
- Be a director (subject to residency requirements and local director rules)
- Register for an ABN, get an ASIC company number (ACN) and meet your tax obligations
Official Australian guidance makes it clear that if you’re not a citizen or permanent resident, you need a visa that allows you to run a business, your company itself doesn’t give you the right to live or workthere.
That’s why Visa4you treats “business” and “visa” as one combined project, not two separate decisions.
Choosing a Structure When You Start a Business
When you look at how to start a business in Australia, the usual structures are:
Proprietary Limited Company (Pty Ltd)
- The most common choice for foreign founders
- Separate legal entity, easier to bring in co-founders and investors
- Must register with ASIC, have a registered office in Australia, and at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Australia
Registering a Foreign Company / Branch
- You keep your overseas company and register it to do business in Australia
- Usually used by larger or more established overseas businesses expanding into the market
Sole Trader or Partnership
- Simple structures but much harder to manage if you’re offshore
- Less common for non-residents because of tax and residency complications
Whichever structure you choose, you’ll typically need to:
- Apply for an ABN and TFN
- Consider GST registration if your revenue will exceed the threshold
- Meet ASIC and ATO reporting obligations
Visa4you doesn’t replace your accountant or lawyer, but we help you choose a structure that makes sense for your visa plans.
Visas for Foreign Founders – What’s Changed?
Until mid-2024, many entrepreneurs used the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP) and the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa – subclass 188. That program is now closed to new applications.
In its place, Australia is reshaping business and talent migration:
- National Innovation Visa (NIV) – a new, invitation-only visa aimes at exceptional talent, entrepreneurs, investors and global achievers. It is being rolled out as a replacement for BIIP and the Global Talent visa, and provides a merit-based pathway to permanent residency.
- Employer-sponsored & skilled visas – many founders now use standard work visas like Skills in Demand (subclass 482), ENS 186 and regional 494, often by taking a genuine, skilled role inside their own or an associated company.
There is no simple “buy a business, get a visa” pathway anymore. Instead, you need to:
- Show you’re high-value talent / entrepreneur (for something like National Innovation Visa), or
- Fit into a work-based or skilled migration framework while you build your business.
Visa4you helps you understand which of these realistic options fit your profile, and which programs you can safely ignore.
Which Visa Can I Use to Run My Business in Australia?
Depending on your situation, an “entrepreneur in Australia” might be on:
1.National Innovation Visa (NIV)
- For people with internationally recognised achievements in innovation, academia, investment, arts, sport and related fields.
- Attractive if you’re building high-growth or IP-heavy ventures and can show elite performance.
2.Employer-Sponsored Visa (e.g. Skills in Demand 482, ENS 186, 494)
- If you have a genuine skilled role in your own or another company (CEO, CTO, specialist engineer, etc.).
- Often used when a startup already has enough structure and revenue to employ you on local market salary.
3.Skilled & State-Nominated Visas (189, 190, 491)
- Points-tested options based on your occupation, qualifications and experience, not your business alone.
- Useful for founders whose professional profile is strong even before the startup succeeds.
4.Partner, Family or Other Visas
- Some founders base their stay on a partner or family visa, then launch a business once they hold work rights.
5. Short-Term Options (Visitor / 400 / Business Visitor)
- For exploration trips, meetings or short specialist assignments, but not suitable to run a business long-term.
Visa4you assesses your current situation – skills, capital, family, and timeline and designs a practical combined plan: whether securing the visa first or establishing the company first, whichever is safer and more effective.
How to Start a Business in Australia
Step-by-Step
1
Clarify Your Goals & Timeline
- Are you testing the market, relocating fully, or building a regional HQ?
- When do you realistically want to be physically in Australia?
- Do you plan to hire Australians in the first 12–24 months?
Your answers shape whether you aim for National Innovation, employer-sponsored, or more gradual skilled migration options.
2
Choose the Right Visa Strategy
Before you spend money on structures, you should understand how you’re allowed to stay in Australia:
- Do you currently hold a visa that allows you to work or run a business?
- If not, which pathway is most achievable based on your background and budget?
Visa4you runs through realistic scenarios and gives you a migration roadmap that matches your business plan.
3
Pick a Business Structure
With the visa strategy in mind, decide whether you will:
- Form an Australian Pty Ltd company
- Register a branch / foreign company
- Use an alternative structure temporarily
You’ll then:
- Register with ASIC
- Obtain an ABN, TFN and any required licences
- Set up a registered office and meet local director requirements
This is where your accountant, lawyer and Visa4you should all be talking to each other, not working in silos.
4
Sort Tax, Banking & Compliance
- Open an Australian business bank account (often easier once you or a director can attend in person)
- Put basic bookkeeping and payroll tools in place
- Confirm your tax residency status and obligations with a qualified tax adviser
These choices affect how you structure your own Director’s salary vs. dividends vs. consulting fees, which can in turn impact your visa and future PR options.
5
Build Your Local Presence
To support both your business and visa case, you’ll want evidence of:
- Genuine commercial activity: early customers, pilots or partnerships
- A real presence in Australia if you’re aiming for certain visas (especially innovation or employer-sponsored routes)
Visa4you can flag what immigration decision-makers look for to distinguish a real business from a paper company.
Pitfalls When Starting a Business in Australia as a Foreigner
Some of the most expensive mistakes we see:
- Setting up the company first to discover you’re ineligible for a visa to operate it
- Assuming there is still a simple “188 Business Visa” for new applicants (it’s closed)
- Using a Visitor Visa while effectively working full-time in the business, a serious compliance risk
- Ignoring resident director and local agent requirements
- Forgetting about family members (partner and kids) when planning the visa budget and timeline
Visa4you’s role is to help you avoid these traps and sequence your moves properly.
Why Choose Visa4you for Business & Founder Visas
-
Australia focus – We track the ongoing shift from BIIP to National Innovation and the growing reliance on Employer-Sponsored / Skilled Visas for entrepreneurs.
- Business-savvy migration advice – We speak both “immigration” and “startup / SME”, so your visa plan supports your growth strategy.
- End-to-end view – From exploratory visits to long-term PR pathways, we help you map a realistic multi-year plan.
- Multilingual support – Advice in English, German and Dutch, online or in our offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can usually own shares or be an offshore director without an Australian visa, but if you want to live in Australia and actively run or work in the business, you must hold a visa that permits this (for example, a Skilled, Employer-Sponsored, Partner or National Innovation type visa). Official guidance is clear that non-citizens and non-permanent residents need a visa that allows them to operate a business.
No. The old Business Innovation and Investment Program (subclass 188) is closed to new applications. Business-focused pathways are shifting toward the National Innovation Visa for exceptional talent and innovators, plus standard work and skilled visas.
You can form a company while overseas, but if your goal is to move and
operate
the business from inside Australia, it’s risky to separate the two.
You should assess your visa options first to avoid creating a business structure you cannot practically use.
There’s no fixed minimum investment for “permission” to start a business. Instead, you’ll need enough to cover:
- Company setup and compliance costs
- Early operating expenses and salaries
- Your personal living costs (which also matter for some visas)
Some visas (like innovation or investor routes) may have their own financial thresholds, which we’ll explain during your consultation.
In many visa categories, yes, partners and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants and get their own work or study rights, depending on the visa. The exact rules depend on whether you’re using a National Innovation, Employer-Sponsored, Skilled or Partner pathway.
Ready to Explore How to Start a Business in Australia?
If you’re serious about building a company here, you need more than a registration form and a checklist, you need a joined-up plan that covers both your business and your visa.
Tell us about your business idea, your current country of residence, and who needs to move (just you, or your family too). We’ll help you understand how to start a business in Australia as a foreigner, which visa pathways are realistic, and what steps to take in the next 3–12 months.
