Australia - a Great Place to Live and Explore!

Australia's economic performance is among the best in the world and the outlook continues to remain bright.

Australia has enjoyed a 90 percent increase in the stock of foreign direct investment in the last five years to US$211 billion in 2005, and has been ranked the most resilient economy in the world for the fifth year in succession.

Australia's diverse, multicultural society has a very high standard of living and a long-standing democratic culture based on the rights of the individual and the rule of law. It has a high degree of social harmony, is politically stable and enjoys a quality of life that is among the best in the world.

Australia is an extremely cost competitive location, has high productivity, a stable business environment and access to highly skilled people and innovative technology. It is easy to see why over 400 multinational companies have chosen to call Australia ‘home’. According to KPMG Competitive Alternatives 2006, the cost of doing business in Australia was estimated to be 8 percent lower than in the USA.

In 2006, Australia jumped three places to be ranked the sixth most competitive country in the world according to the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook. Recording one of the most consistent improvements in terms of competitiveness, Australia is now ranked ahead of Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

As a ‘window’ to the Asia Pacific region, the Australian business environment is highly regarded by the international business community. Building on its position in the region with a network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Australia currently has FTAs in place with the United States, Singapore, Thailand, and New Zealand and is also negotiating FTAs with China, Malaysia and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

With Australia's immigration system covering a range of business needs, companies can bring specialist management and technical staff into Australia on either a temporary or permanent basis. Expatriates find Australia to be a very attractive and affordable posting, offering quality cultural activities and unparalleled leisure opportunities.

With a regulatory framework that keeps pace with financial market developments, Australia possesses an internationalised currency, no foreign exchange controls, and a highly effective regime for intellectual property rights.