The Ultimate Guide to Australian Post International Shipping

Australian ecommerce businesses that wish to broaden their reach must definitely consider selling to customers across the globe. And if you sell to international customers, you should also be ready to ship the goods to them from Australia.

Australia Post (also known as AusPost) is a dependable courier with a very well-connected global shipping network.

We have put together a one-stop guide to shipping internationally with Australia Post, full of tips, prices, locations, and courier alternatives.

What is Australia Post?

Australia Post is a self-funded government business enterprise that has been operating for over 200 years. They help you send SKUs to customers in 220+ countries and territories, at different delivery speeds. 

Some of Australia Post’s notable services include competitive shipping rates, international parcel tracking services, one contract and point of contact, and a variety of shipping and packaging options.

It boasts over 4,300 post offices in Australia and allows for carbon-neutral shipping internationally.

Standard international shipping: a quick recap

When sending non-urgent parcels of up to 20 kg overseas, standard international shipping offers trackable solutions. Prices of this international shipping mode start from AUD $14.80.

Large and small businesses must fill in the CN23 customs form. And use their own packaging or Australia Post’s standard packaging that ranges from small to large sizes. They also have a box packaging option.

What services does Australian Post provide?

Shipping services offered by AusPost include international courier, international express, international standard, international economy.  

Where does Australia Post deliver to?

The courier delivers to five different zones, including New Zealand, Asia Pacific, US & Canada, and UK & Europe. Thanks to its reach of 220+ countries, your customers across the globe can be guaranteed delivery via Australia Post international. 

How long does Australia Post take to deliver?

Do you choose speed or cost savings for your parcel post shipments? Here are a bunch of courier options to choose from on the basis of what you decide.

International Courier

Get your parcels and letters sent from one major metro to another, within 2+ business days with Australia Post’s International courier. This option can be availed only at select retail outlets and locations.

Prices for this service start at AUD $89.80. And for smooth customs processing, be sure to fill in forms such as International Courier declaration and Courier airway bill.

International Express

Choose International Express for speedy delivery (with free tracking number, delivery date, and signature on delivery) at $26.80 for letters and documents and $29.80 for parcels. The CN23 customs form is essential to fill out with this shipping mode.

International Standard

If your customer is not in a hurry to receive the package but wants to be able to track it then International Standard would be ideal. The costs of this shipping option start at $14.80 and you can add on optional extras such as Signature on Delivery and Extra Cover. 

International Economy

Are you okay with no tracking and slow Australia Post delivery? The International Economy option offers affordable shipping options for letters and documents, printed material with no commercial value (500 grams), greeting cards (50 grams), and Economy Air Parcel (2 kg).

Customs forms such as CN22 or CN23 must be filled for the Economy Air Parcel. And costs for these delivery options range from AUD $2.60 for letters and documents, AUD $3 for postcards and greeting cards, and AUD $8.95 for parcels.

There is also a Sea Mail service for 2-20 kg parcels that costs upwards of AUD $51.40.

What international shipping destinations does Australian Post serve?

Some of the most popular destinations serviced by Australia Post include the US, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, China, Japan, India, and South Korea. Below is a snapshot of some of the most commonly shipped to destinations (and the shipping times). You can find the rest here.

Country	Courier parcels & letters	Express parcels & letters	Standard parcels	Economy parcels	Economy Air & International Post Registered letters
Colombia	Not available	8-12 business days	15-25 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: 2-3 months	25+ business days
China	3-10 business days	10-18 business days	15-25 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: Not available	25+ business days
Canada	2-4 business days	4-8 business days	6-10 business days	Air: 15+ business days Sea: 2-3 months	15+ business days
France	2-3 business days	6-10 business days	8-12 business days	Air: 20+ business days Sea: 2-3 months	20+ business days
Germany	2-3 business days	6-10 business days	8-12 business days	Air: 20+ business days Sea: 2-3 months	20+ business days
Hong Kong	2-3 business days	4-8 business days	6-10 business days	Air: 15+ business days Sea: Not available	15+ business days
Iceland	Not available	6-10 business days	10-18 business days	Suspended	25+ business days
India	5-7 business days	Suspended	8-12 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: Not available	20+ business days
Indonesia	2-3 business days	8-12 business days	10-18 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: Not available	20+ business days
Italy	2-3 business days	6-10 business days	8-12 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: 2-3 months	20+ business days
Jamaica	Not available	Suspended	Suspended	Air: Suspended Sea: 2-3 months	Suspended
Japan	2-3 business days	4-8 business days	6-10 business days	Not available	15+ business days
New Zealand	2-3 business days	4-8 business days	8-12 business days	Air: 15+ business days Sea: Not available	15+ business days
South Korea	2-3 business days	4-8 business days	10-18 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: Not available	20+ business days
Spain	Not available	8-12 business days	10-18 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: 2-3 months	20+ business days
Sri Lanka	2-4 business days	6-10 business days	8-12 business days	Not available	20+ business days
Sweden	Not available	8-18 business days	15-25 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: 2-3 months	25+ business days
Switzerland	2-3 business days	8-12 business days	10-18 business days	Air: Suspended Sea: 2-3 months	20+ business days
Thailand	2-3 business days	4-8 business days	8-12 business days	Not available	20+ business days
United Kingdom	2-3 business days	4-8 business days	6-12 business days	Air: 15+ business days Sea: 2-3 months	15+ business days
USA	2-4 business days	4-8 business days	6-10 business days	Air: 15+ business days Sea: 2-3 months	15+ business days

*This information was taken from the Australia Post website in January 2023.

Australian Post international shipping: prohibited & restricted items

When shipping internationally, it is important to know that a lot of goods are banned or restricted from exiting the country. This table communicates common parcel limitations and restrictions:

Type of limitation	Examples of goods that limitations are imposed on
Common prohibited or restricted articles	AUD $2,000 or more in value	Aerosol	Ammunition	Arsenic
	Acetylene	Alcohol	Animals	Ignitors
Dangerous goods prohibited/permitted in postal services	Lithium batteries	Corrosives	Radioactive materials	Infectious substances
	Organic peroxides	Flammable solids/liquids/gasses	Toxic gasses
Other goods prohibited or restricted in postal service	Bank notes and coins	Bullion	Perishable foodstuffs	Narcotics
	Sharp and pointed objects	Offensive or indecent material
Goods prohibited or restricted in International Post	National heritage items	Drugs and pharmaceuticals	Native flora	Military goods
	Sporting firearms	Articles more than AUD $2,000 in value

How to pack an international shipment for Australian Post

Choosing the right packing goods can make a real difference in the safety of your goods during transit and also save costs. Here are steps, guidelines, and best practices for efficiently, safely, and legally packing shipments and parcels before using Australian Post for international deliveries.

Prepaid envelopes

Buy and keep International Standard and International Express Post prepaid satchels handy for whenever an order needs to be shipped at a flat rate. These prepaid envelopes also come with postage stamps so that shipping is a stress-free process.

Shipping label automation

It is possible to integrate your MyPost Business account with your preferred eCommerce partner. With just a few clicks, labels with the customer’s name and address are created and printed. 

This means, with shipping label automation, you don’t ever have to manually write out customer details. 

How to calculate international postage from Australia Post

This section gives you a snapshot of the common shipping destinations, their international delivery times, and pricing when shipping from Australia. You may also use this postage calculator for Australia Post. 

Destination Country	Parcel service options	Delivery timelines	Costs starting from (in AUD)
China	Courier parcels & letters	3-10 business days	$93
	Express parcels & letters	10-18 business days	$33
	Standard parcels	15-25 business days	$18
Canada	Courier parcels & letters	2-4 business days	$94.95
	Express parcels & letters	4-8 business days	$34.95
	Standard parcels	6-10 business days	$19.95
	Economy air	15+ business days	$14.20
	Economy sea	2-3 months	$46.90
France	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$99.75
	Express parcels & letters	6-10 business days	$39.75
	Standard parcels	8-12 business days	$24.75
	Economy air	20+ business days	$15.10
	Economy sea	2-3 months	$52.40
Germany	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$99.75
	Express parcels & letters	6-10 business days	$39.75
	Standard parcels	8-12 business days	$24.75
	Economy air	20+ business days	$15.10
	Economy sea	2-3 months	$52.40
Hong Kong	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$93
	Express parcels & letters	4-8 business days	$33
	Standard parcels	6-10 business days	$18
	Economy air	15+ business days	$10.10
India	Courier parcels & letters	5-7 business days	$93
	Standard parcels	8-12 business days	$18
Indonesia	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$93
	Express parcels & letters	8-12 business days	$33
	Standard parcels	10-18 business days	$18
Italy	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$99.75
	Express parcels & letters	6-10 business days	$39.75
	Standard parcels	8-12 business days	$24.75
	Economy sea	2-3 months	$52.40
Japan	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$93
	Express parcels & letters	4-8 business days	$33
	Standard parcels	6-10 business days	$18
New Zealand	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$89.80
	Express parcels & letters	4-8 business days	$29.80
	Standard parcels	8-12 business days	$14.80
	Economy air	15+ business days	$8.95
South Korea	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$93
	Express parcels & letters	4-8 business days	$33
	Standard parcels	10-18 business days	$18
Sweden	Express parcels & letters	8-18 business days	$39.75
	Standard parcels	15-25 business days	$24.75
	Economy sea	2-3 months	$52.40
United Kingdom	Courier parcels & letters	2-3 business days	$99.75
	Express parcels & letters	4-8 business days	$39.75
	Standard parcels	6-12 business days	$24.75
	Economy air	5+ business days	$15.10
	Economy Sea	2-3 months	$52.40
USA	Courier parcels & letters	2-4 business days	$94.95
	Express parcels & letters	4-8 business days	$34.95
	Standard parcels	6-10 business days	$19.95
	Economy air	15+ business days	$14.20
	Economy Sea	2-3 months	$46.90

*This information was taken from the Australia Post website in January 2023, for parcel delivery from East Perth, WA, 6004.

International zones: charges explained

For the convenience of understanding pricing and timelines of shipping, Australia Post divides the globe into different shipping zones.

• Zone 1: New Zealand
• Zone 2: Asia Pacific
• Zone 3: US & Canada
• Zone 4: UK & Europe
• Zone 5: Rest of World

Click here to know which countries fall under which international zone.

ShipBob helps Australian ecommerce businesses with their fulfilment needs

Australia-based readers who need a 3PL and fulfilment solution need look no further. Whether your business is situated in Adelaide, Central Coast, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, and Brisbane, ShipBob facilitates local and global shipping with added convenience.

ShipBob fulfils orders in Australia (and across the world) and works with Australia Post to ship packages using our standard boxes and satchels, as well as allowing brands to use their own custom-branded packaging. 

ShipBob customers can strategically distribute their inventory between both the Sydney and Melbourne fulfilment centres, and automatically fulfil customer orders from the location nearest to the order’s destination to achieve fast and cost-effective domestic delivery, as well as international shipping. 

This distribution network serves the country’s two most populated metro areas that makeup over 40% of the country’s entire population and easily ship packages across the entire country.

Brands like The Betoota Advocate, SubSubmarine, Karst, Sharkbanz, Black Claw, The Adventure Challenge, and Postal.io partner with ShipBob for fulfilment. Check out this case study to understand how ShipBob’s Australian fulfilment services add value in real-life situations.

“The biggest logistical problem that our organisation has had in recent years is one faced by hundreds of businesses around Australia. The tyranny of distance. With ShipBob, we’ve been able to remove that. With hubs in Sydney and Melbourne, which are two of our largest markets, we’ve been able to put our products closer to those who want them. We’ve been able to cut our freight and postage spend while removing labour costs. For Betoota Outfitters, working with ShipBob has been easy and affordable. It’s been the perfect growth partner for our organisation and we look forward to working with them for years to come.”

Errol Parker, Editor-at-Large, The Betoota Advocate

Get started with ShipBob

If you’re ready to outsource fulfilment to a global logistics partner, request a quote to speak with the ShipBob team.

Australian Post international shipping FAQs

Below are answers to frequently asked questions about Australian Post international shipping.