A few Fast CUSTOMS LESSONS FOR AUSTRALIAN SMES

Despite being just about the most attractive export markets in Asia Pacific, Australia isn’t always the best place to conduct business. When it comes to cross-border trade, the country ranked 91st out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Conducting business report for 2017 – well below other regional powerhouses like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan. To achieve Australia, goods-based businesses need to have a solid idea of how its numerous customs and trading rules sign up for them.


“The best choice for some Australian businesses, particularly Australian SME, is usually to make use of a logistics provider that can handle the heavier complexities from the customs clearance process on their behalf,” says Ben Somerville, DHL Express’ Senior Manager of Customs & Regulatory Affairs for Oceania. “With a little effort though, now you may learn motor the basic principles to take their cross-border operations to the next level.” Listed here are five quick lessons to have any organization started:

1. GST (and its particular deferral)

Most Australian businesses will face the 10% Services and goods Tax, or GST, on the products they offer along with the goods they import. Any GST that the business pays might be claimed back being a refund from Australian Tax Office (ATO). Certain importers, however, can merely not pay the tax instead of being forced to claim it back, under just what the ATO identifies as “GST deferral”. However, your organization has to be registered not only for GST payment, also for monthly Business Activity Statements (BAS) to get qualified to apply for deferrals.

“You don’t reduce any costs by deferring your GST, but you do simplify and streamline your cash-flow,” advises Somerville. “That may prove worthwhile for businesses to modify up to monthly BAS reporting, specifically those who’ve saddled with the more common quarterly schedule so far.”

Duty is 5% and pertains to goods value while GST is 10% and refers to sum of goods value, freight, insurance, and duty

SMEs must be sure they do know the gap between duties along with the GST.

2. Changes on the LVT (Low Value Threshold)

Up to now, Australia had the greatest Low-Value Threshold (LVT) for imported goods on the globe, exempting most pieces of $1000 and below from GST. That’s set to switch from 1 July 2018, because the Govt looks to scrap the LVT for all those B2C (read: e-commerce) imports. B2B imports and B2C companies with below AU$75,000 in turnover shouldn’t have the modifications.

“Now that this legislation has been passed through Parliament, Australian businesses should start get yourself ready for the modifications eventually,” counsels Somerville. “Work using your overseas suppliers on registering for a Vendor Registration Number (VRN) using the ATO, familiarize yourselves with how to remit GST after charging it, and make preparations to include it into your pricing models.”

The modern legislation requires eligible businesses to register together with the ATO to get a Vendor Registration plate (VRN), utilized to track GST payable on any overseas supplier’s goods. Suppliers have the effect of GST payment on the consumer in the Pos, then remitting it for the ATO on a regular basis.

3. Repairs and Returns

“Many businesses come to us with questions on whether they’re liable for import duty and tax whenever they send their goods abroad for repair, or receive items away from overseas customers for repair or replacement,” says Mike Attwood, Customs Duty Manager at DHL Express Australia. “The key question we should instead inquire is: are you conducting the repairs under warranty?”

Should your business repairs or replaces a product as part of its warranty obligations, you spend neither duties nor taxes on the product – provided that your documentation reflects this. Include the words “Warranty Replacement” or “Repair”, record the item’s value as “No Charge”, and ensure you still enter a “Value for Customs” – everything you paid to generate an item originally – inside your documents.
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