Eligibility criteria

Applications open

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We welcome applications from businesses that meet the following criteria:

Business

Eligible businesses must:

• earn foreign income
• hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• operate as a separate business if part of a larger organisation
• maintain appropriate business ethics and demonstrate a commitment to legal obligations including anti-bribery laws and laws to combat modern slavery, both in Australia and overseas markets.

Ineligible businesses include:

• Government entities as defined in the “A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999” are not eligible, except where they are registered education and training providers.
• sponsors of a state or territory Export Awards program or the Australian Export Awards program are not eligible to apply.

Products or services

Eligible exported products or services must include significant (at least 50%) Australian content or value-add. This may include product or services:

• made in Australia from Australian primary products
• made overseas, mainly using Australian primary products
• made in Australia from Australian and imported components
• elaborately transformed in Australia
• made overseas using substantial Australian value-add, intellectual property (IP) or know-how, including design
• delivered in Australia to foreign individuals or entities
• delivered overseas using substantial Australian value-add, IP or know-how.

Financial

Eligible applicants must:

• demonstrate delivery of net foreign economic returns to the Australian economy in terms of profit repatriation and employment in Australia
• provide 3 years of export income, unless they are applying for the Emerging Exporter Award which requires up to 3 years of export income

Applicants that are unable to provide actual export income for the 2024-25 financial year must provide a genuine estimate that support their demonstrated export efforts. 

Applications containing incomplete financial details will not be assessed.

Applications

The Awards program operates as a two-stage process: 

• Stage 1: A business applies to their home state or territory Export Awards program, where they are judged on their selected national and state-based categories (where applicable).
• Stage 2: A business that wins a national category in their home state or territory, and meets the eligibility criteria, progresses to judging as a national finalist in the Australian Export Awards.

A business can only submit one application; it must be in the state or territory Export Awards program where the business’ head office is located or where the majority of operations are established.

Applications are only accepted online via the Export Awards application portal.

Previous winners 

Past Australian Export Award national winners are eligible to apply, except for inductees in the Australian Export Awards national Hall of Fame.

Where a business is a state or territory Hall of Fame inductee, they should check with their State or Territory Awards Coordinator for eligibility criteria.

Category-specific criteria

A business can apply in one or more of the 14 national categories.

Winners at the state or territory Export Awards will only be eligible to progress as a national finalist in one national category.

Some states and territories include additional award categories that are not recognised as part of the Australian Export Awards. Winners in a state or territory award category are not eligible to progress as national finalists.

The following Award categories, which are not sector specific, have specific or additional eligibility criteria: 

• Regional Exporter: a business with a non-metropolitan Head Office or majority of operations is eligible to apply for this award.
• Small Business: a business with total annual sales not exceeding A$10 million is eligible to apply for this award.
• Emerging Exporter: a business which has been exporting for 3 years or less is eligible to apply for this award.
• First Nations Exporter: a business which is at least 50% indigenous owned, in line with the Australian Government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy.

Eligible applications

Eligible applications must meet the following criteria to enter the awards:

• a business can only submit one application
• an application must be submitted in the state or territory Export Awards program where the business’ head office is located or where the majority of operations are established
• an application is only accepted online via the Export Awards application portal.

Have a question?

If you have any questions on eligibility, please contact the Export Awards Coordinator in your state or territory.