This is not Canada’s ban — it is more durable
Australia did not prohibit foreign residential purchase outright. It banned the segment that is most of the market. Foreign persons — including temporary residents and foreign-owned companies — cannot buy established (second-hand) dwellings until 30 June 2029. The original two-year measure from 1 April 2025 was extended by two years and three months in Budget 2026–27 (ato.gov.au, as of 2026-05). International counsel has called that a durable response to housing concerns, not a cooling-off they expect to unwind.
Canada’s urban ban runs only to 1 January 2027 and is already being reviewed with the Australian template in mind (mpamag.com / BLG commentary, as of 2026-07). Readers comparing the two should not treat Australia as the milder cousin. For established stock in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, Australia is closed for longer. The Canada briefing is /insights/canada-foreign-buyer-ban-2027. The market file is /markets/australia.
What remains open — new builds, vacant land, FIRB
New dwellings and vacant land for development generally remain permitted, subject to Foreign Investment Review Board approval before completion (ato.gov.au, as of 2026-05). Limited exceptions to the established-dwelling ban exist for investments that significantly increase housing supply. New Zealand citizens retain a distinct exemption. The policy channels foreign capital toward adding supply rather than bidding for existing stock. That is coherent. It also concentrates foreign buyers in the segment with the highest developer margin and the weakest resale discount.
FIRB approval is case-by-case and required before completion. Unlike some Canadian categorical exemptions, a permitted Australian purchase still waits on a review board. That adds time, cost and execution risk. The ATO states it will continue to enforce the ban through enhanced screening of foreign investment proposals relating to residential property (ato.gov.au, as of 2026-05).
State surcharges sit on top of the federal bar
Australian states levy foreign purchaser surcharge duties and absentee or foreign-owner land tax surcharges in addition to the federal FIRB regime. Approval to buy is not the end of the cost story. Verify the surcharge stack in the state where the new-build sits before treating FIRB consent as a green light. Those surcharges survive even if the established-dwelling ban is later redesigned.
There is no property-linked residency. A foreign buyer who is willing to work in the new-build segment, accept FIRB timing, and pay state surcharges is still participating in a deep, well-governed market. They are not buying an immigration product, and they are not buying the house that already exists on the street.
Where capital goes if established Australia is closed
For readers blocked from established Australian dwellings and from Canadian CMA stock, the Gulf opening is the relevant comparison — not a search for an Australian suburb that might be outside the ban. The UAE still permits freehold in 60+ Dubai zones with a 4% DLD transfer fee and a 10-year Golden Visa from AED 2,000,000 of qualifying property (dubailand.gov.ae / visahq.news, as of 2026-05–2026-07). That is the corridor this site is licensed to transact: /corridors/canada-to-uae is the closest analogue for a Commonwealth buyer leaving a closed Anglo market.
This insight is research on Australian foreign-investment rules, not personalised legal advice. CoreSpaces is not licensed to broker Australian property. The 30 June 2029 date and FIRB practice can change. Verify current ATO guidance and state surcharge rates with Australian counsel before assuming any exception applies.