A financial adviser for Australian expats earning overseas.
Non-resident lending, CGT on the main residence, property bought remotely, and the year-of-return plan. Done by one adviser who has run this work for medical and corporate clients in the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong and the US.
Six conversations that come up for expats.
The expat file is fiddly. The variables compound: country, currency, employer type, tax residency status, length of posting, and what the person plans to do on return. The job is keeping it on one file rather than four.
Non-resident lending
Fewer lenders accept foreign income, conversion ratios differ between currencies, and LVR caps are usually tighter. The job is matching your income, currency and country to a lender that will actually fund.
Australian tax obligations
Tax residency under the resides test and the 183-day test, the main residence CGT rules for non-residents, withholding on rental income, and the double-tax agreements that prevent paying twice.
Property from overseas
Off-market sourcing through the licensed buyer's agent partner, remote inspections, conveyancing handled in Australian time zones, and settlement coordinated while you sleep.
Super while non-resident
What you can still contribute, what you cannot, what happens to insurance inside super while overseas, and the legacy funds that quietly close cover when contributions stop.
Return-to-Australia plan
Tax residency in the year of return, foreign assets to clean up, savings parked offshore that need to come back, and timing the sale of any offshore property against the move.
Insurance that follows you
Most Australian income protection policies stop paying after a period overseas. Trauma and life cover are easier to keep. We work out what stays in force and what needs a different solution while abroad.
Non-resident lending is fiddly. We will not pretend otherwise.
Fewer lenders accept foreign income. Those that do apply currency conversion haircuts to the figure they will use for servicing, and LVR caps are tighter, typically 60 to 70 percent rather than the 80 to 95 percent available to resident borrowers. Rates are often a touch higher and documentation is heavier.
That is the honest baseline. There are still good outcomes available, particularly for medical clients in the UK and Singapore on stable employment, and for corporate clients in the US and Hong Kong on PAYG-equivalent payroll. The match between your situation and the right lender on the panel is the whole job.
On the planning side, the same honesty applies. Tax residency and the main residence CGT rules are genuinely complex. We work alongside your tax agent rather than replacing them. If you do not have one, we can point to people who do this work properly. Structural decisions inside the file usually sit under tax-effective investing, and the property-buying side runs through the investment-property buyer's agent service with non-resident-friendly investment lending sitting next to it.
Where Opes expat clients tend to be based.
Each country has quirks. The general shape is below. The specifics come out in the first call once we know your employer and contract type.
GBP income
NHS doctors, City solicitors and corporate roles. Several lenders accept GBP. DTA in force. Conversion typically 70 to 80 percent of GBP gross.
SGD income
Banking, consulting and medical clients. Stable currency view from lenders. Low personal tax on the Singapore side. Strong DTA position.
HKD or USD income
Banking, asset management, regional management. HKD is pegged to USD which simplifies the lender view. Tax residency on return is the bigger conversation.
USD income
Tech, finance, academic medicine. Most lenders comfortable with USD W-2 income. 401(k) and US property holdings need attention on the return plan.
This is general orientation only. Lender policies and DTAs change. Personalised work happens in the consultation with your actual contract and payslip on the table.
The year-of-return plan is the highest-leverage piece.
The financial year a long-term expat returns to Australia is usually the most consequential twelve months on the file. We map it backwards from the move date.
Review offshore investments, retirement accounts and any property. Identify what should be realised while non-resident versus brought across.
Pre-approval for any planned Australian purchase. Currency strategy on the move funds. Insurance reviewed for the return.
Tax residency date matters. CGT on offshore assets, super contributions inside the cap, and the new role's salary packaging if any.
Questions expat clients ask first.
Fewer than you would think. The major banks have non-resident policies but they apply currency conversion haircuts of 20 to 40 percent and cap LVRs around 60 to 70 percent. Some second-tier lenders are more flexible on currency and employer type. The match depends on your country, currency, employer, and how you receive income. We work through the panel rather than guessing.
Usually not, because Australia has double-tax agreements with most major countries including the UK, the US, Singapore and Hong Kong. The DTA generally allocates taxing rights to one country and gives a credit in the other. The detail matters and the rules for tax residency, the main residence CGT exemption, and rental withholding sit outside a page like this. Speak to a registered tax agent for the personal return.
Yes. Australian citizens can buy without FIRB approval at any time. The mechanics of viewing, due diligence and settlement run through the licensed buyer's agent partner. Most expat clients never see the property in person before settlement. It is unusual the first time and routine after that.
The main residence CGT exemption has been restricted for foreign tax residents since 2020. If you became a non-resident and sell while non-resident, the exemption may not apply for any of the ownership period. Selling either before leaving, or after returning and becoming an Australian tax resident again, is usually the better answer. The specific situation needs proper tax advice before signing a contract.
Yes, non-residents can still make personal contributions to Australian super within the annual caps, and many do. Whether it makes sense depends on your country's rules on offshore retirement contributions. Some countries treat the contribution as taxable income. We can walk through the trade-off, not file the tax return.
Sooner than you think. The financial year of return is often the highest-leverage planning window for the next decade: realising offshore gains while still non-resident, timing contributions, and dealing with any property holdings. Twelve to eighteen months ahead is a comfortable runway.
Continue reading
- Finance broking50+ lender panel including those that accept foreign income.
- Investment property loansInvestment lending including from overseas, with non-resident policy in mind.
- Investment property buyer's agentOff-market sourcing handled remotely for expat clients.
- Financial planningStatement of Advice work for Australian-resident and returning clients.
- Tax-effective investingStructures, deductions, and tax-aware portfolio decisions.
Cross-border tax and residency advice on this page is general only. Personal tax returns and residency determinations should be handled with a registered tax agent. Opes works alongside your tax adviser; we do not replace them.
One file. Two time zones. One adviser.
Whether you are three years into a posting or twelve months from coming home, the first call is free. Virtual, scheduled around your time zone where possible.