Every industry in Australia has its regulations, compliance, and license requirements that businesses operating in the sector must fulfill. Australia’s federal government imposes some of these requirements, while others are regional. The Australian Business License and Information Service (ABLIS) is the primary online resource for this information.

These regulatory oversights fall into three categories in Australia:

Regulatory Obligations: This covers all the industry-specific regulations that fall under a specific law.

License: This includes the licenses businesses must obtain to perform a specific activity.

Code of Practice: This defines the good practices and approaches a business has to adopt to remain compliant.

The regulations and license requirements vary significantly from one industry to another. However, not all businesses within an industry may need the same set of licenses or need to adhere to the same set of regulations, as their operational activities govern it.

Government Services

While most government service-related businesses are controlled and regulated by the government, there can be a significant overlap between the government and private sectors. Private businesses may need to acquire specific licenses, especially if they wish to fund part or all of their services with government grants and funding. Some examples include:

• Australian Government Approval of Childcare Service Providers. This includes daycare services like in-home or family care.
• Residential Aged Care Services. Additional licenses may be required if providing medical care in addition to senior care.
• An Air Traffic Service license is required by all businesses providing aviation services.
• A broadcasting service license is required for TV channels and other media-related businesses.
• Rehabilitation service providers need licenses for occupational, speech pathology, rehabilitation, and even social workers.
• Initial teacher training providers need a license to offer a program publicly.
• Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutes would need a license for each course.

Government services overlap with several other industries (apart from education and care), each of which may require a different license.

Healthcare

Healthcare can be considered a part of government services, but it’s a license and regulation-rich segment that deserves its own category. Some of the licenses required for businesses associated with the healthcare industry in Australia are:

• Pathology labs, practitioners, providers, and centers each require their license, especially if they wish to engage with patients that qualify for Medicare benefits.
• Whether serving as independent practitioners or connected to a larger facility, the specialists require a specific license to prove they are accredited.
• Nurses working in a healthcare facility are required to be licensed. Private healthcare facilities and Medicare providers also need their individual licenses.
• Acupuncture facilities need a license for the city they are operating in.
• Diagnostic services providers need a license for operating and maintaining imaging equipment.

Healthcare is a sensitive industry in almost any country and may have stricter regulations and license requirements.

Mining

Mining is a massive industry in Australia, and license requirements may be influenced significantly by factors like what you are mining, location of mining, equipment use, environmental hazard, etc. Some license requirements that businesses associated with the mining industry in Australia need to comply with are:

• A basic mining license is needed for any mineral mining. Its requirements may vary from one region to another. This license is granted for 21 years in Western Australia.
• An offshore mineral mining license is needed by companies in off-the-coast mining and is granted for a specific area.
• Mining companies also need to lease the land they are mining on.
• Developing relevant infrastructure on the mining site requires a miscellaneous license.
• Then, there are licenses and technical requirements associated with mining activities like surveyors. They may serve as a prerequisite to obtaining the other license, like a mining license.

Banking and Financial

Banks and other financial institutions must also adhere to a range of regulations and compliance requirements to operate in Australia. The licenses required may vary based on the nature of the financial business as well as the jurisdiction it operates in.

• Companies offering taxation services and advice may require a Recognition of a Professional Association from the relevant board.
• Insurance providers must be licensed as general insurers and may need separate licenses for insurance divisions like health and life.
• Financial companies that offer remittance services, i.e., transferring cash to other countries on behalf of Australian residents, need a remittance license.
• Financial institutions that offer any banking services and wish to market themselves as banks, credit unions, or even a building society will require a banking license.

Retail

The retail service licenses are governed by what the business intends to retail, their operations timing, location, etc. For example, each city/town in Western Australia has its own pet meat retail license, so if a pet meat retail chain were to operate in the region, it might need to obtain separate permits for all the jurisdictions. Other retail permits include:

• Audio manufacturing license for any retail business that wishes to reproduce and sell music in various physical and digital forms.
• Tobacco sellers’ licenses would be needed by shops selling things like cigarettes and cigars.
• If a shop needs to remain open after regular trading hours in certain areas, it will need an extended trading permit.
• Special retail shops like pharmacies, vehicle parts, arts and crafts, etc., require their license.

Professional Services

Companies that are providing professional services like accounting, engineering, taxation, etc., may need to ensure that the professionals they have hired have the requisite credentials and are licensed to practice in that area and the domain. The businesses may also need a separate license.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing facilities require separate licenses based on their manufacture and the type of professionals they hire. The requirements may vary from highly restrictive to mild based on what they are manufacturing. Chemicals, explosives, narcotics, drugs, and handling radioactive materials all require different licenses. Businesses may even require additional licenses on a single manufacturing line. When it comes to establishing your business presence in a foreign country, navigating the maze of legal requirements and local regulations can be daunting. But worry not! Aadmi is here to guide you every step of the way. We leverage our extensive network, local insights, and industry expertise to help you shave off valuable time in the authorization process. Contact our team of experts today for a free consultation!