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Bookkeeping for Canberra businesses

Canberra businesses can have their bank feeds reconciled and their bills and invoices matched each month, all inside the Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks file they already use. The ABS figures below are for the Australian Capital Territory as a whole, which is the area the ABS uses for the capital, followed by the territory's rules on payroll tax and long service leave.

  • By Book Keeping Pros
  • Sources checked 15 Oct 2026

Canberra businesses in figures

Estimated resident population of the Australian Capital Territory, 30 June 2025 (preliminary)
484,630 peopleAustralian Bureau of Statistics. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
Growth in the estimated resident population of the Australian Capital Territory, 30 June 2024 to 30 June 2025
1.3%Australian Bureau of Statistics. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
Actively trading businesses whose main business address is in the Australian Capital Territory, June 2025
36,910 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

Our work for Canberra businesses

  • Done in your accounting file

    We work directly in your Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks file, so you can follow the books as they're kept and nothing needs exporting.

  • Monthly rhythm

    Once a month we reconcile your bank accounts to their statements and match bill and invoice payments to the records they settle.

  • Clearing a backlog

    A backlog is cleared from the oldest open month forward, after which the books are kept current month by month.

Canberra businesses by industry

The ABS may perturb small counts to protect confidentiality, so the figures need not add up exactly.

  1. Professional, Scientific and Technical Services7,348 businesses
  2. Construction6,797 businesses
  3. Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services3,631 businesses
  4. Transport, Postal and Warehousing3,428 businesses
  5. Health Care and Social Assistance3,418 businesses
  6. Administrative and Support Services1,991 businesses
  7. Accommodation and Food Services1,934 businesses
  8. Retail Trade1,764 businesses
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

Canberra businesses by number of employees

The ABS may perturb small counts to protect confidentiality, so the figures need not add up exactly.

  1. Non-employing21,613 businesses
  2. 1 to 4 employees10,637 businesses
  3. 5 to 19 employees3,575 businesses
  4. 20 to 199 employees1,016 businesses
  5. 200 or more employees45 businesses
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

Payroll tax and long service leave in the Australian Capital Territory

Each state and territory sets its own payroll tax and long service leave rules. The payroll tax figures are for the 2026-27 financial year.

Annual payroll tax threshold in the Australian Capital Territory, 2026-27
$1,750,000ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
Long service leave in the Australian Capital Territory: years of service for the full entitlement
7 yearsACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

More locations

The territory

Other capital cities

Services for Canberra businesses

Canberra businesses often ask

Why do the figures cover the whole ACT and not just the city?
The ABS uses the whole Australian Capital Territory as its capital city area here, rather than drawing a separate boundary around the city. So the population and business figures on this page are for the territory.
Is Queanbeyan included in the figures?
No. Queanbeyan is across the border in New South Wales, so it falls outside the territory figures shown here.
Why is there a payroll tax threshold but no single rate?
The ACT sets its payroll tax rates in bands rather than as one figure, so the page shows the threshold only. Canberra businesses with staff can check the bands with the ACT Revenue Office or their accountant.
Can you work in our existing Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks file?
Yes. That's where we do the work: you share access to the file you already use, and your records stay put.
How do we find out what it would cost?
Get in touch through the contact page with your software and how up to date the books are, and we'll quote before any work begins.

Sources

  1. Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025 (32180DS0003_2001-25.xlsx)

    Australian Bureau of Statistics. Estimated resident population at 30 June, 2001 to 2025 (2022 to 2024 revised, 2025 preliminary), released 31 March 2026. Checked 15 October 2026.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year, licensed under CC BY 4.0 Licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8: Businesses by industry division by Statistical Area Level 2 by employment size ranges (8165DC08.xlsx)

    Australian Bureau of Statistics. Actively trading businesses at 30 June 2025, released 16 December 2025. Checked 15 October 2026.

    Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2021 to June 2025, licensed under CC BY 4.0 Licence: CC BY 4.0.

  3. Taxation Administration (Amounts and Rates-Payroll Tax) Determination 2026 (ACT), DI2026-151

    ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office. From 1 July 2026, released 30 June 2026. Checked 15 October 2026.

    © ACT Government, ACT Legislation Register Licence: ACT Legislation Register copyright policy: copyright, ACT Government.

  4. Long Service Leave Act 1976 (ACT), Republication No 29

    ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office. Republication No 29, effective 19 November 2025, released 19 November 2025. Checked 15 October 2026.

    © ACT Government, ACT Legislation Register Licence: ACT Legislation Register copyright policy: copyright, ACT Government.

  5. Correspondence, GCCSA 2021 to GCCSA 2026 (CG_GCCSA_2021_GCCSA_2026.csv)

    Australian Bureau of Statistics. ASGS Edition 4, July 2026 to June 2031, released 22 July 2026. Checked 15 October 2026.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 Licence: CC BY 4.0.