The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has introduced new convenient measures for foreign investors! On June 26th, the ATO will launch a new online service for foreign investors. This new service will be used to support the registration of foreign ownership of Australian assets (register), and it is expected to be officially implemented on July 1st. The purpose of this service is to make it easier for foreign investors to fulfil their obligations.
This article will now provide a detailed overview of the specific impacts that this service will bring:
What's driving the move to the new service?
The new service will provide foreign investors with a modern online service channel, consistent with the online services provided by the ATO to other customer groups. Starting from July 1st, 2023, foreign investors will have additional registration obligations, including some acquisitions that currently do not require foreign investment approval. The online service for foreign investors brings numerous benefits to ATO customers, including data integrity, increased transparency, automation, and support for compliance with Australia's foreign investment framework.
What's going to be different?
If you have previously used related foreign investment services on the ATO official website, you will notice significant differences in the new interactive methods to be implemented. Firstly, the online service provided to foreign investors requires foreign investors and corporate representatives to log in using myGovID. In most cases, only basic identity verification is required. This means that foreign investors only need to provide their name, date of birth, and email to set up myGovID. Starting from June 26th, 2023, most existing ATO forms related to Australian foreign investment will be synchronized with the new secure system, the Register of Foreign Ownership of Australian Assets. With the implementation of the register, foreign investors will need to register their assets in Australia according to the online service process for foreign investors.
What stays the same for now?
Platform Construction: Providing a modern online service platform for foreign investors and further enhancing and improving the platform in the future.
Retention of Existing Forms: Some forms will be retained and synchronized with the new system. The retained forms include the developer fee reduction requests and reports for holding New Dwelling Exemption Certificates (NDEC).
Data Retention: Foreign investors can still find links to forms not synchronized with the new system on the ATO official website.
How can foreign investors and their representatives get ready?
The first step is to visit ato.gov.au/osfi to explore the Foreign Investor Online Service and learn detailed information about setting up myGovID. The Australian government will update the website starting from June 26th and provide more information to help investors get started. The government will also update information on foreign investment in Australia, including detailed information about changes in registration requirements and asset registration.
The transition from the old system to the new system can be a complex process. However, please rest assured that Wis Australia will continue to monitor the latest compliance reports released by the ATO and promptly inform our clients. If you are a foreign investor and have any questions regarding this policy, please feel free to contact us. We will provide you with professional information and updates.
This article is reproduced from ATO, click the link to view:Understanding Online services for foreign investors | Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au)
Comentarios