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Business Skills Migration for Permanent Residency to Australia

Visa Categories, Requirements & General Information

 

The aim of the Business Skills Category is to attract people with a demonstrated record of business or investment activity who are committed to using their business and/or investment skills in Australia. Visa criteria constantly changes, please click the DIMA button to view the latest official booklet information. Click me at the end of each visa type on this page for more information


 Business Skills Migration for Permanent Residency to Australia:

Immigration Visa Service
Visit The Visa Bureau - Australian Website 		Immigration Visa Service
Visit The Sinclair-Ford Migration Agents Website

Who is Eligible?

There is provision for Business Skills entry for business owners, senior executives and investors.


Visa Pathways

The majority of business skills entrants will enter Australia initially on a provisional (temporary) visa for 4 years and, after satisfactory evidence of a specified level of business or investment activity, may apply for permanent residence. The pathway to permanent residence is designed to give clarity and certainty to provisional business migrants and relies upon the establishment and management of genuine business activity in Australia.

There is also provision for high caliber business migrants to obtain up front direct permanent residence in the Business Talent (Migrant) visa category if they have high level business attributes and are sponsored by a State or Territory.


Sponsorship

State/Territory government sponsorship is available for each visa category, so that states and territories can attract the kinds of business people they are seeking to assist in the economic development of specific areas. In particular, Australia is actively encouraging Business Skills entrants to set up business in regional, rural or low growth areas of Australia. Substantial concessions are available for these sponsored categories at both the provisional and permanent residence stages. For example, the State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner category provides for people who may not have owned their own business, but who have a background as a business employee in a management role. (State and Territory governments have their own criteria for deciding whom they will sponsor).


Business Services

State and Territory governments also provide a wide range of post arrival business-related services to assist Business Skills entrants in setting up their new business in Australia. Contact details for State/Territory sponsorship and information on business services provided by state and territories can be found on the departments website.



State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Provisional) Category

To be eligible you need to show that:

You have been sponsored by an appropriate regional authority of a State or Territory government;

You have an overall successful business career;

For at least 2 of the 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, you had an ownership interest in a main business, or main businesses that had an annual turnover of at least A$300,000; or

You have had a sound continuous business employment record in a senior management role in a qualifying business for at least 4 years immediately before the application is made and have demonstrated a high level of management skill as a senior manager. You would have operational and active management responsibilities, have management responsibility over other managers and would usually report directly to the general manager of the corporation. It is expected that the type of businesses which would be able to support such a management structure would usually be businesses with an annual turnover of at least A$1,000,000;

You (or you and your spouse's combined) business and personal assets have a net value of at least A$250,000 which are available for the conduct or establishment of a business in Australia and are lawfully acquired and available for transfer to Australia within 2 years of the grant of a State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Provisional) visa;

You (or you and your spouse together) have business and personal assets, in addition to the assets mentioned above, that are of sufficient net value to settle in Australia;

You are aged less than 55 years at time of application or you are proposing to establish or participate in a business that your sponsoring state or territory has determined is of exceptional economic benefit to the state or territory;

You have not been engaged in a business where the provision of professional, technical or trade services took up more than 50% of your time;

Neither you or your spouse have a history of involvement in business or investment activities that are of a nature that is not generally acceptable in Australia;

You have a realistic commitment to establish or participate in a qualifying business in Australia and maintain a substantial ownership and direct and continuous involvement in the management of that business;

You have demonstrated that there is a need to be temporarily in Australia to conduct or establish the proposed business activity;

You have signed a declaration that you understand your obligations as the holder of a State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Provisional) visa.

Click here to go direct to this booklet on the Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs web site. Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only.


Business Owner (Provisional) Category

To be eligible you need to show that:

You have an overall successful business career;

For at least 2 of the 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, you (or you and your spouse together) have net assets in a qualifying business of at least A$200,000;

For at least 2 of the 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, your main business, or main businesses together, had an annual turnover of at least A$500,000;

Your (or your and your spouse's combined) business and personal assets have a net value of at least A$500,000, which are lawfully acquired and available to transfer to Australia within 2 years after the grant of a Business Owner (Provisional) visa;

You (or you and your spouse together) have business and personal assets, in addition to the assets mentioned above, that are of a sufficient net value to settle in Australia;

You are aged less than 45 years at time of application;

You have vocational English;

You have not been engaged in a business where the provision of professional, technical or trade services took up more than 50% of your time;

Neither you or your spouse have a history of involvement in business or investment activities that are of a nature that is not generally acceptable in Australia;

You have notified the appropriate regional authority of a state or territory of your business history and intentions to develop a business in that state or territory;

You have a realistic commitment to establish or participate in a qualifying business in Australia and maintain a substantial ownership and direct and continuous involvement in the management of that business;

You have demonstrated that there is a need to be temporarily in Australia to conduct or establish the proposed business activity;

You have signed a declaration that you understand you obligations as the holder of a Business Owner (Provisional) visa.

Click here to go direct to this booklet on the Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs web site. Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only.


State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional) Category

To be eligible you need to show that:

You have been sponsored by an appropriate regional authority of a State or Territory government;

You have an overall successful business career;

For at least 2 of the 4 years immediately before the application is made, you have occupied a position in the 3 highest levels of the management structure of a major business* in which you were responsible for strategic policy development affecting a major component or a wide range of operations of that major business;

You (or your and your spouse's combined) business and personal assets have a net value of at least A$250,000, which are lawfully acquired and available to transfer to Australia within 2 years after the grant of a State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional) visa;

You (or you and your spouse together) have business and personal assets, in addition to the assets mentioned above, that are of a sufficient net value to settle in Australia;

You are aged less than 55 years at time of application or you are proposing to establish or participate in a business that your sponsoring State or Territory has determined is of exceptional economic benefit to the State or Territory;

Neither you or your spouse have a history of involvement in business or investment activities that are of a nature that is not generally acceptable in Australia;

You have a realistic commitment to establish or participate in a qualifying business in Australia and maintain a substantial ownership and direct and continuous involvement in the management of that business;

You have demonstrated that there is a need to be temporarily in Australia to conduct or establish the proposed business activity;

You have signed a declaration that you understand your obligations as the holder of a State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional) visa.

* A major business for this category means a business (other than a Government Business Enterprise) the annual turnover of which was not less than the equivalent of A$10,000,000 in each of any 2 of the 4 fiscal years immediately preceding the making of the application.


Click here to go direct to this booklet on the Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs web site. Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only.


Senior Executive (Provisional) Category

To be eligible you need to show that:

You have an overall successful business career;

For at least 2 of the 4 years immediately before the application is made, you have occupied a position in the 3 highest levels of the management structure of a major business* in which you were responsible for strategic policy development affecting a major component or a wide range of operations of that major business;

You (or your and your spouse's combined) business and personal assets have a net value of at least A$500,000, which are lawfully acquired and available to transfer to Australia within 2 years after the grant of a Senior Executive (Provisional) visa;

You (or you and your spouse together) have business and personal assets, in addition to the assets mentioned above, that are of a sufficient net value to settle in Australia;

You are aged less than 45 years at time of application;

You have vocational English;

Neither you or your spouse have a history of involvement in business or investment activities that are of a nature that is not generally acceptable in Australia;

You have notified the appropriate regional authority of a State or Territory of your business history and intentions to develop a business in that State or Territory;

You have a realistic commitment to establish or participate in a qualifying business in Australia and maintain a substantial ownership and direct and continuous involvement in the management of that business;

You have demonstrated that there is a need to be temporarily in Australia to conduct or establish the proposed business activity;

You have signed a declaration that you understand your obligations as the holder of a Senior Executive (Provisional) visa.

* A major business for this category means a business other than a Government Business Enterprise) the annual turnover of which was not less than the equivalent of A$50,000,000 in each of any 2 of the 4 fiscal years immediately preceding the making of the application.


Click here to go direct to this booklet on the Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs web site. Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only.


State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) Category

To be eligible you need to show that:

You have been sponsored by an appropriate regional authority of a State or Territory government;

You have a total of at least 3 years experience of direct involvement in managing one or more qualifying businesses or eligible investments;

For at least one of the fiscal years immediately before the application is made:

You have maintained direct involvement in either managing a qualifying business in which you (or you and your spouse together) had an ownership interest of at least 10% of the total value of the business; or

You maintained direct involvement in managing your (or your and your spouse's combined) eligible investments, the total value of which was at least A$750,000;

For the 2 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, the net value of your (or you and your spouse's) assets was at least A$1,125,000;

You have demonstrated a high level of management skill in relation to an eligible investment or qualifying business activity;

At the time of decision, you have made a Designated Investment of A$750,000;

You are aged less than 55 years at time of application or you are proposing to establish or participate in a business that your sponsoring State or Territory has determined is of exceptional economic benefit to the State or Territory;

Neither you or your spouse have a history or involvement in business or investment activities that are of a nature that is not generally acceptable in Australia;

You have a realistic commitment to continue to maintain a business or investment activity in Australia after the designated investment has matured;

You have signed a declaration that you understand your obligations as the holder of a State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) visa.

Click here to go direct to this booklet on the Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs web site. Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only.


Investor (Provisional) Category

To be eligible you need to show that:

You have an overall successful record of eligible investment or qualifying business activity;

You have a total of at least 3 years experience of direct involvement in managing one or more qualifying businesses or eligible investments;

For at least one of the 5 fiscal years immediately before the application is made:

You have maintained direct involvement in either managing a qualifying business in which you (or you and your spouse together) had an ownership interest of at least 10% of the total value of the business; or

You maintained direct involvement in managing your (or your and your spouse's combined) eligible investments, the total value of which was at least A$1,500,000;

For the 2 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, the net value of your (or your and your spouse's combined) assets was at least A$2,250,000;

You have demonstrated a high level of management skill in relation to an eligible investment or qualifying business activity;

At the time of decision, you have made a Designated Investment of A$1,500,00; you are aged less than 45 years at time of application;

You have vocational English;

Neither you or your spouse have a history of involvement in business or investment activities that are of a nature that is not generally acceptable in Australia;

You have notified the appropriate regional authority of a State or Territory of your business history and intentions to develop a business in that State or Territory;

You have a realistic commitment to continue to maintain a business or investment activity in Australia after the designated investment has matured;

You have signed a declaration that you understand your obligation as the holder of an Investor (Provisional) visa.

Click here to go direct to this booklet on the Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs web site. Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only.


Business Talent (Migrant) Category

To be eligible you need to show that:

You have been sponsored by a State or Territory government;

You have had an overall successful business career;

For at least 2 or the 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, you (or you and your spouse together) had net assets in a qualifying business, in which you had an ownership interest, of at least A$400,000;

For at least 2 of the 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, your main business, or main businesses together, had an annual turnover of at least A$3,000,000;

Your (or your and your spouse's combined) business and personal assets have a net value of at least A$1,500,000, which are lawfully acquired and available for transfer and capable of being transferred to Australia within 2 years after the grant of a Business Talent (Migrant) visa;

You are aged less than 55 years or you are proposing to establish or participate in a business that your sponsoring state or territory has determined is of exceptional economic benefit to the state or territory;

Neither you or your spouse has a history of involvement in business activities that are of a nature that is not generally acceptable in Australia;

You have a realistic commitment to establish or participate in a qualifying business in Australia and maintain a substantial ownership and direct and continuous involvement in the management of that business;

You sign a declaration acknowledging that your obligations as the holder of a Business Talent visa.

Click here to go direct to this booklet on the Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs web site. Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only.

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