Thinking of moving my web biz to AU from US

What are the pros and cons?

[Khensu]

How hard is it to set up a business? Cost? I have a sole proprietorship in US but can go larger. Banking?

How much is hosting there? Presently I use a terabyte of transfer per month (free downloads with ads) and pay $100 to a Dallas ISP.

I have a regular product line also, what is the deal with the cost of shipping/exporting CDs/DVDs?

How are taxes? Living expences? etc...

Just wondering...

[np2003]

I believe the US is probably better in all aspects for doing business (e.g. audience, you'll find more people with similar interests, bigger focus groups, more of everything). However, I think trying to secure a long term stay visa would be hard. Last time I enquired you can only stay 3months or 6months on a visa?

Its hard to get perm where you can stay for a long time, you'll have to go back and forth eevry 3/6months. Can anyone confirm this is true and if its possible to stay longer?

Besides that I'd say US gives better business opportunity over Australia. Maybe the weather would just be worst and no nice beaches there? :)

[anallawalla]

The business is better off in the US for the reasons the other chap mentioned. You would move to Oz for quality of life reasons (e.g. clean air, cheap medical care, low crime etc), not material ones. Almost everything you need for the business is more expensive and taxes are higher.