Why Australia is a Strategic Base for Asia-Pacific Expansion 

The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is known for its fast-growing economies, large customer base, and skilled workforce. It’s a region that attracts global expansion interest, but the question becomes how to do so. 

Australia, known for its world-class infrastructure, progressive work policies, and highly sought-after lifestyle advantages, is part of the APAC region and has significant untapped potential as a base for Asia-Pacific expansion. Unlike other countries in the APAC region, Australia benefits from being a developed market with labour laws aligned with those in Europe and North America, allowing foreign entrepreneurs easier access to the region.   

What is the APAC Region? 

The APAC region encompasses East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, connecting countries across the Pacific Ocean’s western side. The largest country within the region is China, followed by India, Indonesia, Australia, and Mongolia. This region has more than half the world’s population, and includes large, growing economies such as China, Japan, and India.  

As these economies grow, so does a rapidly rising middle class, which leads to increased consumer spending. Asia’s middle class is anticipated to grow to 3 billion consumers by 2030 (Source: The Australian Trade and Investment Commission).  Because of this, many companies and entrepreneurs set their sights on the region as an area for expansion.  

The Australia Advantage 

Situated between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Australia offers world-class infrastructure, progressive work policies, and lifestyle benefits that support both the personal and professional sides of life. The country boasts a high standard of living, which attracts global talent. The OECD Better Life Index ranks Australia fourth out of 38 countries in terms of talent attractiveness.  

It also features a highly skilled workforce, a strong education system, favourable immigration policies, and 18 free-trade agreements. The government actively supports entrepreneurship through funding programs, tax incentives, and incubators that foster innovation.   

Australia is also known for being safe, prosperous, and having an open economy, which encourages investments from multinational companies, startups, and research organizations.  

For entrepreneurs from North America and Europe, Australia is considered an easier market to expand to because of its stable, trade-friendly, and globally connected economy.  Organizations such as Export Development Canada (EDC) note, “Its economy has a solid record of growth, and its business environment is trade-friendly, diversified and stable. Australia has strong connections to nearby markets, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan and India…  EDC believes these factors, along with the market’s overall strength, make Australia a great location for Canadian companies looking to establish a foothold in the Indo-Pacific and learn the ropes of doing business halfway around the world”.  

The Gateway to APAC 

While many companies and investors focus on the larger countries in the APAC region, like China, India, and Japan, Australia offers a unique advantage. The government is known for having Western business norms while possessing a strong understanding of Asian markets.  

As a member of the APAC region, Australia has a vast network of free-trade agreements with several countries, allowing companies to access surrounding markets easily. Their largest trading partners are in Northeast and Southeast Asia.  

Because of its geographic location, Australia is also seen as a natural bridge between North America and Asia. Australian business hours overlap with Asian markets, especially those in East and Southeast Asia, allowing for seamless communication between regions. Australia also has a workforce that is culturally familiar with conducting business in Asia and is known for being multilingual, both of which benefit companies wanting to expand into the region.  

A Strategic Place for Growth

Australia offers more than geographic proximity and inclusion with the APAC region; it provides businesses and entrepreneurs with a stable environment to launch their global expansion.  

For companies wanting to expand into the APAC region, Australia has deep ties to Asian markets, with trade agreements already in place to ease the transition.  

While not the largest market in the region, Australia’s combination of stability and accessibility makes it a strategic location for businesses to launch into the Asian market.  

The National Innovation Visa (NIV) Program 

For entrepreneurs looking to enter Australia, the National Innovation Visa (NIV) program is an efficient avenue to permanent residency for accomplished academics, researchers, innovative investors, and entrepreneurs. The program is tailored for talented individuals who would benefit Australia’s future prosperity by transferring skills, initiating innovation, and creating opportunities for Australians. Empowered Startups administers and manages the selection of candidates in collaboration with world-renowned scientists from Australia’s top research institutions. The program brings significant foreign direct investment to the Australian research sector and delivers innovation to Australia’s industry and economy. 

Empowered Startups operates within the R&D and startup ecosystem to commercialize important inventions that will impact Australia’s economy and society while having the potential to scale internationally and solve meaningful problems for the world. 

Contact us today to learn more about the program and to discuss your global expansion opportunities.  

Sources

• Export Development Canada (EDC): https://www.edc.ca/en/article/doing-business-australia-canadian-exporters.html 
• The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Australian Government): https://international.austrade.gov.au/en/why-australia  
• OECD Better Life Index: https://www.oecd.org/en/data/tools/oecd-better-life-index.html  
• World Population Review: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/apac-countries  
• Wikipedia – Asia-Pacific: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia-Pacific