Buying and Selling Australian Shares and Managed Funds from Overseas
Whether you are an Australian expatriate, or an overseas investor, you will generally find it difficult to buy or sell Australian shares when outside Australia - even if living in financial centres such as London, Singapore, Hong Kong or the UAE. Local markets will rarely deal in Australian shares and Australian online sharebroking accounts will require you to be resident in Australia.
We offer direct access, via the Inquiry form at the bottom of this page, to licensed Australian stockbrokers who can carry out buy or sell orders and provide investment advice. Please note that if you wish to buy Australian shares then you will need to establish an account with an Australian broker and, because of complexities associated with establishing non-residents accounts, minimum conditions will apply in terms of required trading volumes and values.
In contrast, selling Australian shares from overseas is usually a relatively simple process and can, if all the required information is made available, be completed on the same day an inquiry is made - with the proceeds remitted to a nominated Australian or overseas bank account, such as in London, Singapore or Frankfurt.
In any inquiry please provide details of the services required – for example, whether you wish the execution of an order for the sale of specific shares or advice from a broker regarding the building or construction of a portfolio of shares. Pure execution will attract brokerage costs similar to the following and initial account opening fees may apply - the exact amounts will be confirmed by the relevant broker before any transaction proceeds.
| Transaction Size | Indicative Brokerage Cost |
|---|---|
| All Transactions | 1.0% of value, minimum of AUD120 |
Brokerage with advice may cost more than the above rates, but this is very dependent on the volume, frequency and value of trades and should be discussed directly with the broker at the outset. In addition, extra costs may attach to the transfer of proceeds to overseas bank account or when dealing with estates - we regularly assist with the sale of Australian shares held in UK and other overseas estates. The broker will provide details of all costs in advance of any transaction.
| Please note that at the present time our broker cannot normally assist in arranging the sale or purchase of Australian shares by US citizens or permanent residents, or any individual considered a tax resident of the US - except in limited circumstances which include requests from Australian passport holders. This is because of the significant administrative and reporting requirements imposed by the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). |
As background, and an indication of the performance of the general Australian market, the chart below shows the month end status of the Australian All Ords indices since January, 2000.
Australian ALLORDS - January 2000 to November 2024 |
If you would like to arrange the sale of Australian shares or advice regarding the acquisition of a portfolio of Australian shares please complete the Inquiry form below providing details and you will be contacted promptly.
