# Self-employed and ABN



## Jesper Tverskov (Oct 1, 2009)

Hi

I'm a self-employed consultant doing on-site computer training in Scandinavia. What would I need in order to go to Australia now and then to do some on-site training there for a few days?

I think a tourist visa would do (self-employed).
Do I need an Australian Business Number (ABN)?

What else?

Cheers,
Jesper


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Welcome to the forum Jesper and I think you'll be better off with a Business Visa for any form of paid work, be it self employed contractual on a tourist visa is a No No!.

Business Visit Visa Options - Business - Visas & Immigration lists the options and the Business Short Stay 456 would seem about the right fit, the ETA and eVisitor not really seeming to be for work and more for meetings, negotiations or training as purposes are stated, with


> Short-term work is only permitted in strictly limited circumstances.


 stated for the ETA though not for the eVisitor visa [possibly an oversight].

If you use the Visa Wizard [blue pad on left of home page] - Australian Visa wizard - Visas & Immigration , you'll get a comparative table but the links kind of route you back to separate visas you'll find under the /business - visas area of immi site.

I would not think that you would be restricted from doing occasional training from time to time as that does happen with international companies though there could be a slightly different arrangement where a fee is paid to an overseas company that actually has an employee employed in their own country.

It could be a clearer and cleaner arrangement if you already have a company established in Scandinavia, be it your own and then you make your trip under an eVisitor or Business Visa as an employee of that company with any payments being direct to the company.

If you want the money paid in Australia you will still need to get a Tax File Number and an ABN I suspect - Australian Taxation Office Homepage and you would want to look into the best business arrangement re company Vs Personal taxation here and/or in Scandinavia [latter obviously subject to your own laws].

For payment here you'll also need to have a local bank account and whereas the major banks here allow visitors to open personal accounts, there is a requirement with some for a stay of 12 months though they could again do things differently for a business account.
Probably best for you to have a look at sites of our four major banks, ANZ, Commonwealth, National and Westpac and there are a few more reasonable size local and international banks, so a google on Bank Business Accounts will likely bring up a full selection of what is available.

I would also ask your own bank as they may have an affiliation with a bank in Australia.


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## ElizabethQ (Oct 21, 2010)

Thank you very much from this post. I am a newbie expat and it sure helps a lot. As a result of the financial times, there are seemingly millions trying for making a self-employed living. Why paying yourself first should be your first concern. Small Businesses are the basis of the American economy. With more individuals aiming for creating their own cottage industry companies, this could possibly be a good thing. The hardest lesson in industry is one that often leaves thousands working to end up back on the treadmill.


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