Australian professional service providers are important contributors to the Australian economy, with exports including world-class legal, accounting, engineering, architecture, surveying and urban planning, and research and development services.

The Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA) provides a strong platform for growth in Australian exports of professional, technical and other business services to Peru and, potentially, to other countries in Latin America. It will provide for more transparent and predictable operating conditions in Peru, and enable suppliers to benefit from future market reforms.

Australia and Peru have also agreed to work cooperatively to foster enhanced recognition of professional qualifications, and improved licensing and recognition arrangements in professional services sectors.

Key outcomes

Legal services

Australian lawyers and law firms will benefit from the following commitments by Peru:

• Australian lawyers will be able to provide advice on Australian, international or third party law on a fly-in, fly-out basis. This will be an enabler for exports of transnational commercial and business legal services to Peru;
• Australian law firms will be able to bid for government procurement contracts for legal services in Peru; and
• Australian lawyers will be guaranteed the ability to temporarily enter and work in Peru either as intra-corporate transferees or independent professionals, without being subject to labour market testing.

Construction, architecture, engineering and surveying services

Australian providers of construction, architecture, engineering and surveying services will benefit from the following commitments:

• Australia has secured first-time commitments which guarantee access arrangements for Australian engineers (including for integrated engineering services), urban planners and architects (including landscape architectural services) in Peru;
• Australian architecture, engineering and other technical service suppliers will be able to bid for government procurement contracts in Peru; and
• Australian construction service suppliers will be able to bid for government procurement construction projects in Peru.

Accounting and auditing services

Australian providers of accounting, auditing and book-keeping services will benefit from the following commitments:

• Peru has guaranteed that it will not introduce new measures that could discriminate against, or limit the licenses available to, Australian accountants, auditors and book-keepers;
• guaranteed access for Australian providers of taxation services; and
• Australian suppliers will be able to bid for government procurement contracts for accounting, auditing and book-keeping services, along with taxation services contracts, in Peru.

Fact sheet last updated September 2018