Australian patent filings rose at home as cross-border filings fell

A stable total masked a shift in applicants

The overall count fell by 139 applications. Australian resident filings rose by 232 while non-resident filings fell by 371. The resident share increased from 8.5% to 9.3% according to IP Australia. Source 1 Source 2

The United States remained the biggest origin

IP Australia reports that US applicants were named on 40.8% of 2025 standard complete applications, while China accounted for 9.7%. US-origin filings fell 5.0% from 2024 and China-origin filings rose 13.4%. Source 1

Fewer applications named parties in different countries

Applications involving applicants from different countries fell from 1,525 to 1,297. IP Australia found the United States, Switzerland and the United Kingdom accounted for about 70% of that reduction. A smaller group of foreign-origin applications including an Australian applicant edged up from 115 to 120. Source 1

Applications measure one point in the patent process

IP Australia tracks applications and grants separately. The filing counts show demand for patent protection in Australia and can include filings that will be examined in later years. They offer a narrower signal than measures of total research spending or product sales. Source 2 Source 1

Sources

• IP Australia 2026 report, applicant residency and locations of origin
• IP Australia 2026 report, overall standard application and grant trends