What is changing, and when will the change take place?
On 22 February, 2024, SANS Institute will start trading in Australia through our local legal entity, SANS Training Australia Pty Ltd, ABN 85646 466 024. (Previously, we did business in Australia though our US parent entity, Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies, Inc., trading as SANS Institute, ABN 57184 162 842.)
Registrations for the first local event to be priced in Australian Dollars – SANS Melbourne in August 2024 – will open on 22 February, 2024. All SANS live training events in Australia from August 2024 onwards will be priced in Australian Dollars.
Customers will also be able to invest in the SANS Voucher Program in Australian Dollars from 22 February, 2024.
Why make this change?
SANS began operating in Australia in 1999, and our presence in the Australian cybersecurity community has continued to grow significantly in recent years. This change will help alleviate customer concerns around the impacts of FX fluctuations on SANS course pricing and reduce the complexities for Australian customers when procuring training from SANS in a foreign currency.
Will all SANS Training and GIAC Certification products now be sold in Australian Dollars?
No. Only SANS live in-person and live online training events in Australia will be sold in Australian Dollars (AUD). Where a customer “bundles” add-ons like GIAC Certification Exams or NetWars cyber ranges with their course purchase at an Australian event, that too will be priced in AUD. Customers will have the option to make investments in the SANS Voucher Program in AUD, or to continue to invest in US Dollars (USD) as they have done in the past.
SANS OnDemand courses, stand-alone GIAC exams, stand-alone NetWars cyber range access, and some other products will continue to be sold in Australia through our US-based company and will be priced in USD.
Is the way you handle the GST changing?
Consistent with Australian GST legislation, GST applies to all sales made by SANS Training Australia for our live training events in Australia (whether live in-person or live online) for Australian customers. GST also applies to any bundles and add-ons included in these orders.
How will this impact my current orders?
The change to pricing in Australian Dollars (AUD) will not have any impact on existing orders you have completed with SANS Institute prior to 21 February 2024. In addition, SANS training events in Australia which are commencing prior to SANS Melbourne in August will continue to be priced in US Dollars. Only orders placed for SANS Melbourne Australia 2024 and onwards will be in priced in AUD.
Why are local events between now and August still priced in US Dollars?
As part of the process of transitioning from pricing in United States Dollars (USD) to Australian Dollars (AUD), please be advised that only our Australian training events from August 2024 will be priced in AUD. This provides our local customers with sufficient time to change or update their internal purchasing and procurement processes to reflect the change in both the currency and the legal entity with which contracting will now occur.
Why are OnDemand courses and other items still charged in US Dollars?
SANS OnDemand courses, stand-alone GIAC and NetWars registrations, and some other items will continue to be sold globally through our US-based parent entity and will be priced in US Dollars for international consistency.
We are existing SANS Voucher Program customers – what happens to our remaining US Dollar Voucher Account balance?
You can use your remaining US Dollar (USD) balance in your existing SANS Voucher Account for new registrations. For SANS OnDemand registrations and other items which continue to be sold in USD, there will be no change to the purchasing process. When you place an Australia in-person and live online training event which is priced in Australian Dollars (AUD), the amount will be converted to USD when debited from your Voucher Account. When your existing USD SANS Voucher Account runs out of credit, your SANS Account Manager will speak to you about options to open a new SANS Voucher Account in AUD, or to stick with purchasing from your existing USD account if you prefer.
Can I choose to continue with my US Dollars Voucher Account or to continue purchasing in Australian Dollars?
Organisations may choose to maintain multiple SANS Voucher Accounts. For example, a US Dollar currency voucher account for OnDemand courses and an AUD currency account for in-person training and live online training. If you require a new SANS Voucher Account, our team available to help you through the process.
Do you have new bank details?
Yes. Our new legal entity in Australia is SANS Training Australia Pty Ltd, ABN 85 646 466 024. If you have transacted with SANS in the past, this would have been through our US parent entity doing business in Australia as SANS Institute, ABN 57184 162 842.. If you require to set us up as a new vendor in your system, please contact us at anz@sans.org for details, including our new banking information.
Why can’t I make payment by credit card via the SANS website for live events in Australia?
Please contact the SANS Training Australia support team by emailing anz@sans.org or by phoning (02) 6174 4581 if you need assistance to make a credit card payment for our live events in Australia. Online credit card payment facilities will be made available at a later stage of the transition.
Where can I go for more information and assistance?
For more information, please reach out to your existing SANS Account Manager, call us on (02) 6174 4581or email anz@sans.org – our team is waiting to help you and your organisation with this transition.