Global Mobility Services

 

Related expertise

Employees are more mobile than ever before. Companies moving employees in and out of Australia are likely to have many questions about complying with local laws, particularly around work visas, employment contracts and tax requirements.

Our specialist team has experts in immigration and tax advisory services who can advise on all global mobility needs – for large multinationals through to small corporations.
We make it easy to grow, retain people, move people around the world and comply with Australian laws. We advise on issues including:

  • immigration (advising and preparing work visas);
  • employment documentation (preparing employment contracts) and ongoing employment and business migration advice;
  • tax (income tax, FBT, GST, PAYG, employment and FITO);
  • superannuation compliance and planning; and
  • employee tax affairs.

Immigration

  • If employees are sent to Australia, what visas do they need?
  • If an employee has a business tourist visa, can they work in Australia?
  • Are there differences between temporary and permanent visas?
  • Is there a minimum rate an employee needs to be paid in Australia?

Tax

  • What is the best way to package benefits for employees who are coming to work in Australia?
  • If companies provide housing, car, cell phone, computer and other benefits to an employee relocating to Australia – will this result in a Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) liability for the company?
  • How do companies comply with income tax, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and state-based taxes?
  • Are companies protected by double taxation agreements (DTAs) with Australia?
  • Will an employee be able to claim a Foreign Income Tax Offset (FITO)?
  • Do companies have obligations to provide a pension or ‘superannuation’ for an employee in Australia?
  • Will an employee have their own self-managed superannuation fund? Or will they use an industry superannuation fund?
  • Will an employee need assistance dealing with their tax planning and compliance with local/foreign income tax obligations?
  • Is an employee moving with their family and will they have time to address their own affairs relating to their global assets?
  • Will an employee be eligible for Medicare?
  • Companies planning on moving employees in and out of Australia need to understand these issues if they wanting to provide an attractive salary package to optimise their employees’ performance and comply with Australian laws.

Key contacts

Mark is an employment lawyer experienced in litigious and non-litigious applications of employment and industrial relations law.

Kristopher Kunasingam

Partner & Head of Migration

Head of Migration

Kristopher leads the firm's migration practice. He specialises in employment-related migration to Australia.

Related thinking

Global Mobility Services| 23 Aug 2023

Trends in the migration sector

In this video, Partner Kristopher Kunasingam outlines the growth in migration figures, what this means for the economy, and why employers may still struggle to find talent.

Global Mobility Services| 28 Apr 2023

Visa reforms: analysis of comments from Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil touched on visa reforms in her address to the National Press Club in Canberra.

Global Mobility Services| 03 Apr 2023

Migration update: changes affecting temporary visa-holders and migrant workers

Recent changes announced by the Federal Government will affect the employment of temporary visa-holders and migrant workers. We discuss alterations to the Working Holiday Maker program, work restrictions for student visa holders and the Temporary Graduate Visa.

Global Mobility Services| 07 Sep 2022

A view from the Summit: changes ahead for the IR and migration landscape

We examine the key initiatives that will be instrumental in shaping the Government’s industrial relations policy and immigration policies.