Property Learning Hub
How to BuyGuidesGlossaryFAQAboutSearchStart the guide
Western Australia

FIRB Approval: What Foreign Buyers Need Before They Purchase in WA

Who counts as a 'foreign person', the current ban on established dwellings, the application process, fees, and what happens if you skip it.

Updated 1 August 20269 min read

General information, not advice. Foreign investment rules, duties and taxes change and depend on your personal circumstances (visa status, entity structure, property type). Always confirm current requirements with FIRB, RevenueWA, and a licensed conveyancer, migration agent, or tax adviser before acting.

Before you sign anything, most foreign buyers need approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) to purchase residential property in Australia, including in Western Australia. Buying without approval when it’s required is a serious offence — so this is the first thing to sort out, not an afterthought.

Are you a “foreign person”?

Under Australia’s foreign investment framework, you’re generally treated as a foreign person if you are:

  • Not an Australian citizen, and not a permanent resident who has lived in Australia for 200+ days in the previous 12 months
  • A temporary visa holder (student, skilled worker, partner, graduate, and similar visas)
  • A foreign-incorporated company, or an Australian company/trust in which foreign persons hold a substantial interest

New Zealand citizens and some visa categories have specific rules that don’t map neatly onto a short summary — including a notable exemption for buying jointly with an Australian citizen or permanent resident spouse. See our breakdown by visa and residency status if you’re unsure which bucket you fall into, and check your status using FIRB’s own guidance before relying on anything else, including this page.

The established dwelling ban (current as of 2026)

Since 1 April 2025, foreign persons — including most temporary residents — have generally been banned from purchasing established (previously lived-in) dwellings in Australia. This was originally legislated as a two-year measure to 31 March 2027, but the 2026–27 Federal Budget extended it further, to 30 June 2029, subject to government review.

This is a live policy area and the exact end date, and the exceptions to it, can change. Always confirm the current status on firb.gov.au before acting on anything here.

Limited exceptions exist — broadly for redevelopments that increase housing stock, commercial-scale developments, build-to-rent projects, and buying jointly with a citizen or permanent resident spouse as joint tenants (see our visa and residency status breakdown). Don’t assume you qualify for an exception; get it confirmed in writing as part of your application.

What this means practically for most foreign buyers in Perth right now: your realistic options are a new dwelling, an off-the-plan purchase, or vacant residential land that you commit to building on within the approved timeframe (commonly around four years, confirmed at approval).

The approval process

  1. Apply before you’re locked into an unconditional contract. Either apply and get approval first, or make your offer conditional on FIRB approval — WA contracts don’t have a statutory cooling-off period (see our legal process guide), so this matters more here than in states that do.
  2. Apply online through the ATO’s foreign investment portal, which administers applications on behalf of the Treasurer/FIRB.
  3. Provide identity, visa and property details, and pay the application fee upfront — fees are generally payable regardless of whether the application is approved.
  4. Decision timeframe: the statutory target is around 30 days, but complex cases or high application volumes can take longer. You can request the vendor extend the finance/FIRB condition date if needed.
  5. Conditions: approvals are typically conditional — e.g., a requirement to build within a set period on vacant land, or to only rent out (not leave vacant) a new dwelling.

Fees (indexed every 1 July)

FIRB application fees are tiered by purchase price and indexed annually. As a guide, for applications relating to new or near-new dwellings and vacant residential land between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the lowest published tier (properties under $75,000) sits at $4,600, rising in steps as the price increases — six and seven-figure properties attract substantially higher fees.

Because these figures change every financial year, treat any number you read (including this one) as indicative only, and confirm the exact fee for your purchase price and settlement date using the official fee schedule before budgeting.

After you own it: the annual vacancy fee

If you’re a foreign owner and your dwelling isn’t genuinely occupied (lived in or rented out) for at least 183 days in a year, the ATO can charge an annual vacancy fee, separate from your FIRB application fee. You need to lodge a vacancy fee return every year you hold the property, even if it was occupied.

What happens if you don’t apply

Buying without required approval, or breaching your approval conditions (e.g. not building within the required timeframe), can lead to civil penalties, infringement notices, and in some cases a forced divestment order requiring you to sell the property. It is not a risk worth taking to save time or the application fee.