This visa is designed to attract business people to assist in the economic development of Australia.

The visa allows you to stay in Australia on a permanent basis for the purpose of owning a new or existing business. You must have held one of the qualifying provisional visas, be sponsored by a state/territory authority, and meet the requirements to be eligible for this visa.

With this visa you can:

• work in a new or existing business in Australia
• travel in and out of Australia any number of times as long as the visa is valid
• study in Australia
• have your family accompany you to Australia. They will have access to work and study rights
• become a permanent resident of Australia.
• live in Australia as a permanent resident for five years (after 5 years, you will need to apply for a resident return visa).

To be eligible for this visa you must have met the obligations of the provisional visa you held, as well as meeting the following requirements-

Provisional visa holder

You are the holder of one of the following visas:

• Business Owner (Provisional) (subclass 160)
• State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Provisional) (subclass 163)
• Senior Executive (Provisional) (subclass 161)
• State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional) (subclass 164)
• Investor (Provisional) (subclass 162)
• State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) (subclass 165)
• Business (Long Stay) Independent Executive visa
• Skilled – Independent Regional (Provisional)

Health

You must meet certain health requirements and may need to undergo a health examination.

Character

You must be of good character for you to enter Australia.

Sponsorship

You have been sponsored by an appropriate regional authority of a State/ Territory government.

Ownership interest

You have had and continue to have, an ownership interest and direct and continuous management, in up to two actively operating main business in Australia for at least two years immediately before you apply.

For each of these businesses, an Australian Business Number has been obtained for all Business Activity Statements (BAS) required by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and you can provide evidence that the BAS were lodged to the ATO for the 2 years before you lodged your visa application.

Acceptable business record

You (or your spouse) have never been involved in unacceptable business activities.

Other requirements

You must also meet at least two of the following three requirements (unless the appropriate state/territory authority has determined there are exceptional circumstances).

• Net business assets. The net value of your (or your and your spouses combined) assets in the main business (or two main business) in Australia is at least A$75,000 throughout the 12 months immediately before you apply.
• Net personal and business assets. The net value of your (or you and your spouse’s combined) personal and business assets in Australia has been at least A$250,000 throughout the 12 months immediately before you apply.
• Provided employment

Throughout the 12 months immediately before you apply your (or your and your spouses) business or two main businesses employed at least the equivalent of one full-time employee who are:

• Australian citizens
• Australian permanent residents
• New Zealand passport holders
• not members of your family

Annual Turnover

Your main business (or two main businesses together), had a turnover of at least $200,000 in the 12 months immediately before you apply.

This may not apply if you meet all of the following conditions:

1. you met at least two of the three requirements above (Net Business Assets, Net personal and business assets, Provided employment)
2. the appropriate State/Territory authority has determined there are exceptional circumstances
3. both your business and residence is located in a designated regional or low growth area

Australian Values Statement

If you are aged 18 years or over, you are required to sign an Australian values statement. The statement is included in your visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and over will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to have read, or had explained to you, material made available by the government on life in Australia which is contained in the Life in Australia book.

This visa is designed to attract business people to assist in the economic development of Australia. The visa allows you to stay in Australia on a permanent basis for the purpose of owning a new or existing business. You must have held one of the required provisional visas and meet the requirements to be eligible for this visa.

With this visa you can:

• work in a new or existing business in Australia
• travel in and out of Australia any number of times as long as the visa is valid
• study in Australia
• have your family accompany you to Australia. They will have access to work and study rights
• become a permanent resident of Australia.
• live in Australia as a permanent resident for five years (after 5 years, you will need to apply for a resident return visa).

To be eligible for this visa you must have met the obligations of the provisional visa you held, as well as meeting the following requirements-

Provisional visa holder

You are the holder of one of the following visas:

• Business Owner (Provisional) (subclass 160)
• State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Provisional) (subclass 163)
• Senior Executive (Provisional) (subclass 161)
• State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional) (subclass 164)
• Investor (Provisional) (subclass 162)
• State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) (subclass 165)

You must have been in Australia as the holder of one of the qualifying visas for a total of at least one year in the two years immediately before you apply

Ownership interest

In your main business (or two main businesses) in Australia, you have had and continue to have an ownership interest and direct and continuous management for at least two years immediately before you apply.

For each of these businesses, an Australian Business Number has been obtained and all Business Activity Statements required by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) have been submitted to the ATO and certified copies of these are included in your application.

Net business assets

The net value of your (or your and your spouses combined) assets in the main business (or two main businesses) in Australia is at least A$100,000 throughout the 12 months immediately before you apply.

Net personal and business assets

The net value of your (or you and your spouse’s combined) personal and business assets in Australia has been at least A$250,000 throughout the 12 months immediately before you apply.

Annual turnover

Your main business (or two main businesses together), had a turnover of at least $300,000 in the 12 months immediately before you apply.

Provided employment

Throughout the 12 months immediately before you apply, your (or your and your spouses) business (or two main businesses) employed at least the equivalent of two full-time employees who are:

• Australian citizens
• Australian permanent residents
• New Zealand passport holders

not members of your family.

Lawful business record

You or your spouse (if any) have never been involved in illegal business activities.

Health

You must meet certain health requirements and may need to undergo a health examination.

Character

You must be of good character for you to enter Australia.

Australian Values Statement

If you are aged 18 years or over, you are required to sign an Australian values statement. The statement is included in your visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and over will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to have read, or had explained to you, material made available by the government on life in Australia which is contained in the Life in Australia book.

This visa is for people who have a successful business or investment career, and have a genuine and realistic commitment to be involved in investing or business in Australia. This visa is also the first step towards being granted a permanent Business Skills visa.

This visa is for investors/business people from overseas who are willing to invest funds in a designated investment in Australia for four (4) years, and are less than 55 years of age.

With this visa you can:

• make a designated investment
• travel in and out of Australia any number of times as long as the visa is valid
• have your family accompany you to Australia. They will have access to work and study rights
• establish a pathway to permanent residence.

You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for this visa.

Age

You must be less than 55 years old. There are exceptions that can be granted to the age requirement.

Sponsorship

You must be sponsored by an appropriate regional authority of a State or Territory Government.

Designated Investment

At the time of the decision you made a government approved Designated Investment of at least A$750,000 in a state or territory of Australia.

Business career

For at least one of the five fiscal years immediately before you apply:

• 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 you and your spouse’s combined (eligible investments, the total value of which was at least A$750,000.

Business experience

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

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

Business record

You (or your spouse) have never been involved in unacceptable business or investment activities.

Committed to business in Australia

You have a commitment to develop and maintain an ownership interest in a business in Australia and you must maintain direct and continuous involvement in the management of that business.

Net assets

The net value of your (or your and your spouse’s combined) assets was at least A$1,125,000 for the two fiscal years immediately before you apply.

Health

You must meet health requirements to enter Australia.

Character

You must be of good character to enter Australia.

Australian Values Statement

If you are aged 18 years or over, you are required to sign an Australian values statement. The statement is included in your visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and over will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to have read, or had explained to you, material made available by the government on life in Australia.

Australia encourages experienced Business owners to migrate to Australia.

The path to permanent residency is a two step process. Initially a provisional visa is granted for up to four (4) years. During that period if the visa holder meets certain minimum criteria they can apply for a permanent visa.

The maximum age is 45 years unless you are sponsored by an AustralianState or Territory government which allows applicants up to 55 years of age.