Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement

The Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement reduces trade barriers, making it easier for Australians to do business in Malaysia.

The Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA) opens up new opportunities for Australian investors and suppliers of goods and services, bringing our economies closer together. This high-quality free trade agreement improves access to the Malaysian market for Australian businesses and makes it easier for Australian workers and their families to live and work in Malaysia.

"MAFTA is a game changer. It's one of the best free trade agreements we've seen and AMBC is 150 per cent behind it."

Larry Gould | National President, Australia Malaysia Business Council (AMBC)

Why Malaysia?

Malaysia is one of Australia's closest regional partners and one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing economies. MAFTA further strengthened and expanded Australia's economic relationship with Malaysia, and created export and investment opportunities for Australian businesses.

How does this FTA build on AANZFTA?

While both Australia and Malaysia are parties to AANZFTA, MAFTA built on that agreement to further liberalise the commercial relationship between our two countries. MAFTA contains a number of 'AANZFTA-plus' elements that give Australian exporters, businesses and individuals greater flexibility and improved access to the Malaysian market. It also eliminated all remaining tariffs on Malaysian goods exported to Australia.

What will MAFTA do for Australian businesses?

MAFTA makes it easier for Australian goods exporters to enter the Malaysian market. It does this by lowering or eliminating the tariffs that Malaysia imposes on imports from Australia. This helps make Australian businesses more competitive in Malaysia. MAFTA lowers the cost of Malaysian products and inputs for Australian consumers and businesses, as no tariffs are imposed on Malaysian goods entering Australia. MAFTA gives Australian service providers better access to the Malaysian market and reduces a number of other barriers to trade. Skilled Australian workers will find it easier to take up employment opportunities in Malaysia.

How do free trade agreements benefit Australia?

Free trade agreements provide a framework for Australia's commercial relationship with trading partners, increase trade and investment opportunities, bring money into the Australian economy and help create jobs. Australia pursues high-quality, comprehensive trade agreements when they offer net benefits to Australia, are World Trade Organization-consistent, and support the global trade system.

"MAFTA provides an opportunity for Australian agricultural producers to capitalise on the increasing Malaysian demand for Australia's top quality food and fibre."

National Farmers' Federation 

"These changes will generate growth and employment in services industries in which Australia has specialist skills. Australia's expertise in professional services and financial services can now more easily be exported to Malaysia."

James Bond | President of Australian Services Round Table

Five benefits of MAFTA

• As of 2017, 99 per cent of Australian goods currently exported to Malaysia are eligible for tariff-free treatment.
• Australian investors benefit from increases in foreign equity limits for specified services in the education, financial services, telecommunications and professional services industries.
• MAFTA addresses non-tariff barriers to trade. For example, Australian milk exporters benefit from a liberalised import licencing regime allowing imports of higher value retail packs.
• MAFTA increased the number of Australian managers and specialists allowed to work in Malaysia and enabled Australian workers and their families to acquire Malaysian visas more easily.
• MAFTA allows exporters to use a simple declaration of origin to state where their goods came from when trading under the Agreement.