In Short
The Background: Under Australia's foreign investment legislation, the Treasurer has 30 days to consider a foreign investment proposal, and a further 10 days to notify the outcome, subject to the review period being extended. Since 1 January 2025, Treasury has targeted deciding 50% of commercial proposals within that 30-day window.
The Result: Treasury's latest quarterly data shows a median processing time of 35 days, with 46% of proposals decided within 30 days. This was amidst a material increase in foreign investment value for Q1 2026, despite an over 10% fall in application numbers.
How Long Does FIRB Approval Take: What the Data Shows vs a Practical Perspective
Under section 40 of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 (Cth) ("FATA"), the Treasurer has 30 days to consider an application, and a further 10 days to notify of the outcome. If no decision is made within that period (and the period has not been extended), the application is taken to be approved