

	Startup Overseas France, Italy, Spain, USA, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and More..

Meet with scores of exhibitors offering advice and support in hundreds of specialist areas, including :

Starting a business in Australia?

Expanding your business in Australia?

Then you've come to the right place first!

Welcome to Business Startup Overseas. It's a brand new event launched specifically to help people like you - people planning to start a business abroad, expand a business internationally or trade overseas.

There’s never been a better time to trade in ‘the global market’ – and this is where you can learn all you need to know to succeed.

One place, hundreds of advisers, thousands of opportunities.

Startup Overseas will run alongside the established Business Startup event. Now in its seventh year, it's the first and undisputedly biggest and most comprehensive event for start-up and growing companies, bringing them together with hundreds of people and organisations which can help them to get going... and to succeed.

At Business Startup Overseas, in one single location you can:

Meet hundreds of public and private organisations which can help you start or expand your business abroad
Seek expert answers to the specific questions you have about your chosen destination and business
Choose from a range of seminars covering everything from banking abroad to web-enabled commerce, and every stop in between
Register for one of our specialist, interactive workshops, each of which explores the specific challenges and opportunities of a particular region
Review your business plans and ideas with enthusiastic experts
Meet the PLUs - 'people like us' who've tried and tested the theory of starting up overseas: learn from their fortunes and failings
Forge valuable new business and personal contacts for your new life
...and it's all FREE!

There's never been a better time to start or expand a business overseas... and there's never been an event like this anywhere in the world to help you.

See you there!

General Information Why Australia? Australia almost seems the easy option for starting a business overseas. There are historical links with the UK, and still strong trade links between the two countries. The language is English, and the legal, business and cultural practices are very similar to those of the UK. Australians are renowned for ‘giving it a go’. They are therefore, probably more open than a lot of countries, to trying a new product or concept. It is a good base for business in the Pacific, but also for Asian markets. What are the currency and the exchange rate? The currency of Australia is Australian dollars. At the moment £1 = AU$2.0607 (June 2008). The Australian dollar is the 6th most-traded currency in the world. It has been popular because of appealing interest rates in Australia and the economic stability in the country. The Australian dollar is relatively stable, but is sometimes prone to change due to mineral prices. What sort of opportunities are there in Australia? Australia’s economy could be described as prosperous. Inflation is low and interest rates are interesting. The Per Capita GDP is very good – higher than that of the UK. But on the other hand, the country has a large current account deficit as a result of a lack of exports, especially in the manufacturing sector. However, this is negated to a certain extent to the high prices it receives for some of its exports. Small business is an important part of the Australian economy. There are 1.2 million small businesses in Australia, and they account for 42% of goods exporters. The main industries are mining, industrial equipment and transportation equipment. Some of the new and fast growing industries are: Science Financial Services Mining Minerals ICT Biotechnology Environment Agricultural Technology What’s the climate and weather like in Australia? The Australian climate varies dramatically as it is such a large country. Summer can be hot – very hot in the north. Winter can range between skiing in the Southern Mountains, to 24 degrees Celsius in the Northern States. One thing to be aware of in Australia, is that the sun is very strong, sunscreen is recommended. The seasons are basically the opposite of the UK Spring – September, October, November Summer – December, January, February Autumn – March, April, May Winter – June, July, August Average temperatures – degrees Celsius Jan (max)Jan (min)July (max)July (min)Adelaide 28.5 16.6 14.9 7.5 Alice Springs 36.1 21.2 19.5 4.0 Brisbane 29.2 21.0 20.6 9.5 Canberra 27.8 12.9 11.1 -0.2 Darwin 31.8 24.8 30.4 19.3 Hobart 21.5 11.7 11.5 4.5 Melbourne 25.7 14.0 13.3 5.8 Perth 31.5 16.8 17.7 8.1 Sydney 26.3 18.5 16.9 6.7 Where should I base myself? Probably best answered by visiting the various parts of Australia and seeing which place seems right for you. The climate, as well as the style of the city or town can vary a lot. A lot would also depend on the type of business you were thinking of. Obviously in the larger centres, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, there is more scope for larger businesses. Sydney (pop 4,336,374) – the capital of New South Wales. The oldest city in Australia, it is built around a harbour. Many beaches and some national parks. Melbourne (pop 3,806,092) – the capital of Victoria. An attractive city, with Victorian buildings set around parks. Probably the city with the most cultural activities – theatre, arts, music etc. Brisbane (pop 1.867.594) – the capital of Queensland. A river city, but very close to the coast. Surrounded by hills. Perth (pop 1,554,769) – the capital of Western Australia. The sunniest city, it is also quite isolated on the west coast. Many beautiful nearby beaches. Adelaide (pop 1,554,769) – the capital of South Australia. A calm city, split into two sides by the river running through it. Close to beaches and mountains Gold Coast (pop 583,657) – between Brisbane and New South Wales. A lot of tourism, with amazing surf beaches and a sub-tropical climate. Canberra (pop 388.072) – capital of Australian Capital Territory, but also the capital of Australia. Architecturally designed with lots of green areas. Near national parks for walking and skiing. Hobart (pop 207,467) – capital of Tasmania. History, mountains and rivers surround the city. The most southern major centre in Australia. Darwin (pop 117,395) – capital of the Northern Territory. An ex-gold mine town, there is still a lot of mining activity surrounding the city. Prone to cyclones. Business in Australia What are the main industries in Australia? The main industries in Australia are mining, industrial equipment and mining equipment. The last decade has seen GDP growth of 3.3% per annum. There are also low inflation rates in Australia 2-3%. According to the World Bank, the fastest place in the world to start a business is Australia – just two days worth of regulatory procedures. Another encouragement for some people could be the tax incentives for businesses who invest in research and development – up to 175%. Australia has also made an effort to become more trade friendly, lowering barriers to trade, and cutting or lowering protectionist tariffs. What does Australia export? Australia’s main exports are coal, iron ore, education, travel, gold, petrol etc. Its main export destinations are Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, the United States of America and New Zealand. Australia’s main exports to the UK are gold, alcohol, coal and travel. The UK imports 0.7% of their total imports from Australia, making them the 28th biggest importer into the UK. What does Australia import? Australia’s main imports are crude petrol and motor vehicles. Most imports come from China, the United States of America and Japan. The UK is 5th on the list of import countries. The most popular commodities imported from the UK are pharmaceuticals, books and cars. Probably the biggest link between the two countries is foreign investment. They are each other’s 2nd largest source of foreign investment. Any good trade opportunities? Australia has several trade agreements with other countries. - CER (closer economic relations) means that with a few exceptions there is free trade between Australia and New Zealand. Goods and services sold in one country can also be sold in the other. - APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) – agreement between 21 countries for free trade by 2015. - Free trade agreement with Singapore - Free trade agreement with Thailand - Free trade agreement with the United States of America - Talks in progress for free trade agreements with China, Malaysia, Japan, Chile, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) What do I have to do if I want to import goods to sell in Australia? You don’t need to hold an importing licence to bring goods into Australia, however Australian Customs does recommend that you use a Customs Broker, as the process can be complicated and if documentation is incorrect they will hold your goods. - Most imports into Australia will need an Australian Customs Invoice. These can be obtained from certain stationers. - Depending on what it is that you are importing, you may need permits to get your goods cleared, you will need to check with Australian Customs or a Customs Broker. - You will also need to pay a fee for you imports being processed – between Au$40 - $70 per declaration depending on whether they have come by sea or air, and whether it is an electronic or manual process. - You also need a valuation of the goods being imported in order to work out customs duty and GST (goods and services tax) to be paid. - If the goods are from a country with a free trade agreement (not the UK) you will need proof of this. - You will need to supply an ABN (Australian Business Number) for GST purposes (you need to be GST registered). - The goods need to be correctly labelled. For more detailed/further information go to the Australian Customs website; HYPERLINK "http://www.customs.gov.au" www.customs.gov.au Australia has very strict controls as far as imports of foods, plants, animals, seeds etc are concerned. This is in order to avoid the introduction of any new diseases into the country. What other things should I consider? If your product is original, then you should consider applying for patents and trademarks. Generally, UK citizens must already have the patent or trademark registered in the UK before they can apply to have them registered and protected in Australia. Once that is done you need to contact IP Australia who deals with both patents and trademarks. Patents – you can apply for a standard patent, which lasts 20 years. Or you can apply for an innovation patent which is fast and less expensive but lasts 8 years. To gain a patent you must pay the fee and describe your invention – this information is then made public. For both patents you will need to pay an official fee and then continue paying to maintain the patent. Trademarks – once registered, last for 10 years. If renewal fees are paid every ten years your trademark can be registered indefinitely. HYPERLINK "http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au" www.ipaustralia.gov.au What is the employment situation in Australia? Unemployment was at 4.6% in January 2007. Australia has a highly skilled workforce. There is an internationally acclaimed tertiary system, and reforms in the 1990s have dramatically reduced labour disputes. Australia also has a multilingual workforce if you are planning on using Australia for a base; about 3 million Australians speak another language, 1.1 million are fluent in a European language, and 1.5 million are fluent in an Asian language. There are many recruitment agencies in Australia to make things a little easier. If, however you can’t find the right person in Australia, you can apply to become a sponsor to recruit someone from overseas. There are certain requirements; such as the position must be one of the nominated skill positions (the department of immigration have a list of skill shortage areas), and the salary must be a certain level. There are a few different visa options: The Temporary Business (Long Stay) application – lasting between 3 months and 4 years The Employer Nomination Scheme – when a highly skilled position can’t be filled within Australia The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme – when skilled positions in regional Australia can’t be filled locally Fees, or course, apply. You can find more information on the website for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship HYPERLINK "http://www.immi.gov.au" www.immi.gov.au What is the minimum wage / holiday entitlement? The Federal Minimum wage (over 21) is Au$13.74. An employee is entitled to at least the Federal Minimum wage if there is no appropriate ‘Australian Pay and Classification Scale’ that applies to their job. There are lists of pay rates for different jobs in different states. These can be found on the ‘Workplace Authority’ website HYPERLINK "http://www.workplaceauthority.gov.au" www.workplaceauthority.gov.au Annual leave is 4 weeks. What is a workplace agreement? These are documents which set out conditions of employment between an employer and an employee. They are governed by federal workplace law regulations. They must be lodged with the Workplace Authority. Information on Immigration Do I need a visa to go to Australia? If you are going to live and work in Australia you will need a visa. Even to visit Australia you must have a visa. A visit to Australia would be a good idea, and then you can see which part of the country appeals to you. There are two options: ETA visa – an electronic visa which gives you automatic entry to Australia for any three months out of 12 for the life of your current passport. Tourist visa – a one-off visa for three months (you can apply for 6 or 12 months in special circumstances). You can apply for these visas either on-line or at the Australian High Commission in London. Can I immigrate – what type of visa do I need, and can I get a visa? There are several ways to get a visa, but there are more opportunities for visas if you are starting up your own business in Australia: Business Development Provisional If you are setting up a business in Australia you can apply. It is valid for 4 years and you can include your family in the application. You don’t, however, have welfare, healthcare, or family assistance rights. You must: be less than 45 years old have a certain English level have notified the authorities of a state in Australia your intention to start a business there meet monetary and asset obligations in a qualifying business have a certain amount of total assets have had a successful business career intend to own and be directly involved in a business in Australia Business Development Permanent This follows on from the provisional visa. You must: have been in your business in Australia for at least two years have an Australian Business Number and submit Business Activity Statements have net business assets of at least Au$ 100,000 have combined net business and personal assets of at least Au$250,000 have turnover of at least $300,000 in 12 months have employed 2 Australians or New Zealanders Investor Visa You can get provisional and then permanent visas as an investor. The requirements are similar to the business owner visa. You will have to show proof of a business career and experience in investment. You should have assets of $2,250,000. You will also need to have made a Government Approval Investment of Au$1,500,000 in Australia. Senior Executive Visa Along with many of the requirements for the Business Development Visa, you will have to meet other requirements. You must: notify the authorities of your intention to develop a business have had experience in the three highest levels of management in a major business have total net assets of Au$500,000 bring $100,000 to settle in Australia commit to an ownership interest and management of a business in Australia If you meet certain obligations during your initial stay in Australia, after no less than 2 years, you may apply for a Permanent Business Skills Visa. Apart from the business visas you can also apply to stay in New Zealand under other categories; Employer Nomination Scheme This visa can apply if you have the skills in an area of shortage listed by the Australian Government. For this visa you must have a job offer from an Australian Employer. The Visa can be either temporary o permanent. General Skilled Migration Programme If you’re not sponsored by an employer, but you have skills in one of the occupations required by Australia you can apply for this visa. You must be between 18-45 years of age. A list of the professions required can be found on the Department of immigration and Citizenship Website. Working Holiday Visa Available for one year for people between 18-30 years of age. For more information on visas you can have a look of the website for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship HYPERLINK "http://www.immi.gov.au" www.immi.gov.au Information on Taxes What is the tax like in Australia? For companies (2006-2007) 30 % - no tax free threshold For sole traders / individuals (2007-2008) $0 – 6,000 – Tax free threshold $6,001 – 30,000 – 15 % of the amount of $6,000 $30,001 – 75,000 - $3,600 plus 30% of amount over $30,000 $75,001 – 150,000 - $17,100 plus 40% of amount over $75,000 over $150,000 - $47,100 plus 45% of amount over $150,000 How does the tax system work in Australia? First of all you will have to decide what sort of ‘structure’ your business is: Sole trader one person is controlling and managing the business tax is paid by the sole trader on the business income an individual tax file number is used you may apply for an ABN and use this number for business dealings the tax rates are the same as for individuals you must register for GST if turnover is more than $75,000 Partnerships an association of people who work together as business partners / receive joint income a partnership needs its own tax file number you may apply for an ABN the partnership does not pay tax – the individual partners pay tax on their own share a partnership must, however, submit an annual partnership tax return to show income, expenses, and each partners share of the profits individual partners pay PAYG on their individual shares must register for GST if turnover is more than $75,000 Company a company is a separate legal entity – so it’s income and tax liability is separate from the people working there the company must have a tax file number a registered company is entitled to an ABN the company must lodge an annual tax return If PAYG is paid – it is credited against income tax liability A company must be GST registered if annual turnover is $75,000 or more GST registration and tax file numbers can be applied for on the ABN application What sort of registrations will I have to complete for tax? You will probably need to apply for an ABN (Australian Business Number), a Tax File Number, as well as registering for GST and PAYG. What’s an ABN? An Australian Business Number is an 11 digit number which identifies a business with the Tax Office, other Government Departments, and other businesses. Not everyone is entitled to an ABN. Individuals not running a business (such as employees) don’t need one. Registered Companies are entitled to an ABN. You need an ABN as well as GST registration to claim GST credits. If you supply goods or services you need an ABN so other businesses don’t withhold tax at the top rate (46.5%) when they pay you. What’s GST? Goods and Services Tax – a bit like VAT in the UK. It’s 10% added to the selling price / market value. You have to register for GST if your annual turnover is more than $75,000, or you can register voluntarily. If you are registered you will add 10% to the price people pay for your service/product. This extra 10% is paid to the government – but you can claim against this any GST you have paid to suppliers. It is the consumer who pays GST. Registering for GST can be done at the same time applying for you ABN. It can be done electronically on the internet, by filling in forms ordered from the Tax Office, or through your accountant. There are two ways of accounting for GST. Cash basis – you pay/claim GST in the same period as you pay/receive the money. Use this method if annual turnover is less than Au$2 million. Non-cash basis – you pay/claim GST in the period you receive/send the invoice or you make/receive any part payment. When do I pay / file my GST returns? To a certain extent it depends on what you prefer; either monthly, quarterly or annually. Monthly – obligatory if annual turnover is more than Au$20 million Quarterly – if annual turnover is less than $20 million Annually – if you are voluntarily registered for GST (i.e. you are earning less than $75,000 p.a.) What is PAYG? Pay as You Go is a tax you take off anything you pay to employees, and in general, directors (sometimes contractors as well). You then send this money to the Tax Office. Tables showing how much to take off are available on the Australian Tax Office website. What is a Tax File Number? A number issued by the Tax Office to individuals and businesses. Partnerships, companies and trusts need their own TFN. You can get a number at the same time as getting your ABN. For more information on taxes, have a look on the Australian Tax Office Website HYPERLINK "http://www.ato.gov.au" www.ato.gov.au Day-to-day information What about banking in Australia? Banking in Australia is straight forward. The central bank is the Reserve Bank. There are many major commercial banks in Australia. Some of the more major banks are as follows: ANZ Bank of Queensland Citibank Commonwealth Bank National Australia Bank (the largest) St. George Bank (mostly in NSW and SA) Suncorp-Metway Ltd Westpac Setting up a bank account in Australia is not difficult, but setting one up before you go could be a good idea – many UK banks offer links with Australian banks and can help you to set up an account before you leave, or you could contact the bank directly. Internet and telephone banking services are widely available in Australia. Inflation was at 4.2 % for the year to March 2008 Interest rates for April 2008: 1 month term deposits – 2.9% 1 year term deposits – 7.60% small business 3 year fixed loan – 9.90% (source: Reserve Bank) What’s the television like? In the cities you will find a wide choice of television services. The more remote areas have more limited choice. In general, Australia has a wide choice and variety of television. There are 54 licensed commercial television services in Australia. There are 3 national networks. There is also a lot of focus on regional areas. Imparja Television features some indigenous programming. SBS Television features programmes in 60 languages. There are 3 main paying television providers; the largest is Foxtel, with more than 100 channels. Current affairs/news will be found on the various channels, generally between 5-8pm depending on the channel. Another interesting point to note is that the ‘Australia Network’ broadcasts to 41 countries in the Pacific and Asia, with 6.5 million viewers per month. And radio? SBS also has a national radio network – with programmes in 68 languages. There are 274 commercial radio licences in Australia. Major networks are: OMG Radio, Macquarie Regional Radioworks, Southern Cross Broadcasting, the Australian Radio Network, and Austereo. The newspapers? Australia has one of the highest newspaper and magazine circulations per capita. The Australian Consolidated Press alone has 65 titles across a wide range of interests. A few newspapers to look out for: - National – Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review - Adelaide – The Advertiser - Brisbane – Courier Mail - Canberra – Canberra City News - Hobart – The Mercury - Melbourne – Age, HeraldSun - Perth – West Australia, Post - Sydney – Daily telegraph, SunHerald, Sydney Morning Herald What is the health system like? The public health system is called Medicare. All Australian citizens and permanent residents have access to health care which is either free or subsidised. Although the National Government contributes financially and determines a lot of the policies for national health care, local government has most of the responsibility for providing the health care services. The UK has a reciprocal agreement with Australia concerning healthcare. Visitors from the UK are eligible for Medicare assistance for immediate medical care, but not for pre-arranged care. Hospital care is available in public hospitals. However, the health system is being reviewed after federal elections (Nov 2007), so it would be wise to make sure this has not been changed before you leave for Australia. You could contact the Department of Health and Ageing for more information. Will my English appliances work in Australia? The electricity supply is 240 volts AC. Plugs have 3 prongs, so you will need a few adaptors. How about internet and phones? The international code for Australia is 0061. Australia’s telecommunications network is very comprehensive and very competitive. As in the UK, you can get cost-effective packaging including telephone, mobile telephone and internet services. Mobile use is one of the highest around, and this has been a very fast-growing industry. Computer use is high, and a large percentage of Australians have either dial-up or broadband internet. What are the hours of shops and businesses? Business hours are pretty standard, and shopping hours are good. Businesses are generally open between 9am and 5-5.30pm weekdays Banks are generally open between 9.30-4pm Monday-Thursday, and 9.30-5pm on Fridays. Some banks in shopping malls may have extended hours Shops are generally open from 8.30am to 5-6pm on weekdays. And depending on what sort of shop it is they can also be open on Saturdays 8.30am until either 12pm or 4/5pm, and sometimes Sundays 9-10am until about 4pm. Shopping malls have longer hours. They are generally open until about 6-7pm, some shut a little earlier on a Sunday. Often they will also have a ‘late night’ once a week, when they are open until about 9-10pm. How do I get around? You’re most likely to fly into Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane airports. – Sydney has the ‘Airport link’ train service from Terminals 1, 2, and 3 into the central station – you can get off on one of the stops, or change at the central station to another train. Melbourne has the ‘skybus’ – the shuttle which works with the airport. It operates a service between the airport and hotels in the CBD. There are also buses from the airport to other destinations. Brisbane’s official shuttle is called ‘coachtrans’. It operates a service between the airport and the hotels and CBD, but it also has services to the Gold Coast. You can also try other shuttle operators and taxi’s to get to your destinations. As for transport while you’re in Australia, it will depend on the place you’re living. A few of the major centres have monorails, and you will also find trains and buses in the cities. When travelling within Australia, there are several options: Planes are a popular way to travel between the major centres, especially as Australia is such a large country and distances between cities can be huge. Try Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue. You can very often find specials / reduced prices in the internet. Trains run between the major centres, but it isn’t a comprehensive network. It is not the most popular way of travel as they can be quite expensive and it can take quite a while to get to your destination. However, it could be an option if you’re travelling overnight. Buses. There are several long-distance companies; however, Greyhound Australia is the only ‘national’ service. It services 1100 destinations, with many options as far as ticketing and stops are concerned. Cars are probably your best bet. Have a shop around for car rentals, and because of the distance between towns, most of them cater for people who want to pick up a car in one town and leave it in another. The other option if you’re staying, is buying a car. The ‘Red Book Australia’ can give you guideline prices for different models of cars – it gives you an idea what the price of car should be if it is being traded or sold in a private sale. You have several options for buying a car; through a dealership, newspaper classified advertisements, a car auction house, or an internet site such as ‘Car markets Australia’. Getting there How do I get to Australia? It’s going to be a long trip; usually about 23 hours – longer or shorter depending on stop-overs, directions etc. You will have a stop-over, normally in Los Angeles, Dubai or Asia. You might have a higher baggage allowance via LA. If you have the time, these stop-overs are a great opportunity to see another country all within the price of your ticket. The major international airports in Australia are; Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The smaller international airports are Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin and Cairns. The following airlines are some of the many who fly to Australia from the UK: Qantas Virgin Atlantic British Airways Malaysia Airlines Cathay Pacific Thai Air Emirates Singapore Airlines Air China Etihad Airways Air New Zealand How do I move myself and my belongings to New Zealand? There are several companies which specialise in moving belongings from the UK to Australia, from a few t-boxes to a household. Here are a few: Anglo Pacific Movers Excess International Movers J.A. Coles Overseas Movers Abels International Moving Services Ltd Sterling Relocation Simpsons Removals and Storage Doree Bonner International Movecorp Aspin International Removals Inter Cargo

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