Moving from Australia to Dubai: How Your Business Is Valued for Tax and Residency

By Bill Anderson, FCCA, Chief Executive Officer, Assetica — 2026-07-08

Direct Answer: An Australian business owner relocating to Dubai typically needs an independent business valuation at three points: when ceasing Australian tax residency triggers CGT event I1, under which the ATO deems you to have disposed of your CGT assets, including private company shares, at market value on the date you stop being a resident; when applying for the UAE Golden Visa business route, which requires an independent valuation confirming your equity is worth at least AED 2 million (roughly AUD 800,000); and when actually selling the Australian business before the move. The ATO-side and UAE-side reports serve different authorities, but the market value underneath them must be consistent.

Australia to Dubai is a fast-growing relocation route, driven by zero personal income tax, a dollar-pegged currency and a ten-year residency visa. The Dubai setup is simple. The part that surprises Australian owners is the exit: ceasing Australian tax residency is itself a capital gains event, and the ATO wants a market value for the business you are leaving.

Moving from Australia to Dubai: How Your Business Is Valued

CGT event I1: why leaving Australia triggers a valuation

When you cease to be an Australian tax resident, CGT event I1 happens: the ATO treats you as having disposed of each of your CGT assets at their market value at the moment you stop being a resident, and taxes the gain. Shares in a private Australian company are CGT assets, so their market value on your departure date directly determines the tax. Taxable Australian property, such as real estate, is excluded and stays in the Australian net. For most business owners this means the value of the company on the day you leave is a number the ATO cares about, and a guessed figure invites adjustment. You can elect to disregard the deemed gain and instead be taxed when you actually sell the asset, but that keeps those assets inside the Australian CGT system, which is often not what a relocating owner wants. Either way, the decision and the tax both rest on a defensible market valuation.

Getting your tax residency change right

The exit charge only bites once you have genuinely ceased Australian tax residency, which the ATO assesses through the residency tests, including where you reside, your domicile, and the pattern of your life and assets. Relocating to Dubai for zero income tax only works if the residency break is real and documented. A clean valuation dated to the cessation date supports the position: it evidences the market value that triggered or was deferred under CGT event I1, and it sits in your file alongside the other proof that your tax home genuinely moved.

The UAE Golden Visa: the AED 2 million threshold

The UAE Golden Visa business route requires an independent valuation confirming your shareholding is worth at least AED 2 million net of debt, roughly AUD 800,000, formatted for the GDRFA. This is a separate report from your ATO valuation: it isolates your specific stake and must come from an independent valuation firm working to recognised standards. An Australian accountant's letter does not satisfy the GDRFA, just as a UAE visa report does not satisfy the ATO. Most relocating owners need both, built from one consistent underlying value so the ATO number and the Golden Visa number agree.

Selling the business, or keeping it

Some owners sell the Australian business as part of the move; others keep it and manage it from Dubai. A sale needs a defensible price that a buyer and their financier will accept, with earnings normalised for owner salaries and non-market costs. Keeping the business means CGT event I1 still applies to your shares on departure unless you elect to defer, and any later restructuring into a UAE or offshore holding company must be priced at a market value both the ATO and the UAE Federal Tax Authority can test. Our guide to cross-border valuation covers how these structures are valued consistently across jurisdictions.

How the valuation is actually built

For an Australian owned business the evidence set spans both countries: Australian financial statements, the shareholding and any shareholders agreement, management accounts and bank statements, and the UAE entity's licence once it exists. Certified valuers apply the income approach (a discounted cash flow), the market approach (comparable multiples adjusted for Australian market conditions) and the asset-based approach as a floor, reconciling them into a defensible range. For the Golden Visa the report isolates your specific stake against the AED 2 million threshold. Assetica prepares these to RICS and IVS standards, recognised by Australian tax advisors and the GDRFA alike. See our dedicated Australia to UAE business valuation service, and for a valuation that holds up on both sides of the move, talk to our team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I pay CGT in Australia when I move to Dubai?

Ceasing Australian tax residency triggers CGT event I1: the ATO deems you to have disposed of your CGT assets, including private company shares, at market value on your departure date and taxes the gain. Taxable Australian property such as real estate is excluded. You can elect to defer the gain until actual sale, but that keeps those assets in the Australian CGT net. Either way you need a defensible market valuation of the business.

Is an Australian accountant's valuation accepted for the UAE Golden Visa?

No. The GDRFA expects an independent valuation from a recognised valuation firm, isolating your specific shareholding net of debt and formatted for the UAE. An Australian accountant's letter serves the ATO side but does not satisfy the GDRFA. Most relocating owners need both reports, built from one consistent underlying value.

How much is the AED 2 million Golden Visa threshold in Australian dollars?

Roughly AUD 800,000 at current exchange rates (AED 2 million is about USD 545,000). The threshold applies to your own equity in the business net of debt, not the company's total value or its revenue.

How long does the valuation take and what does it need?

Typically 5 to 7 business days from receiving your Australian financial statements, shareholding details, management accounts and bank statements, plus the UAE licence if the entity is set up. Expedited 2 to 3 day delivery is available for visa or transaction deadlines.

Relocating from Australia to Dubai?

Assetica prepares independent valuations for Australian owners moving to the UAE: CGT event I1 market valuations for the ATO, GDRFA-accepted Golden Visa reports, and numbers consistent across both jurisdictions. Free consultation, 5 to 7 day delivery.

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This article is general information on valuations for Australia to UAE relocations, not tax, legal or immigration advice. ATO and GDRFA rules change; confirm current requirements with your advisors before acting.