Visa Categories Business Skilled Migration
The Business Visa Program encourages successful business owners, investors and senior business executives with a track record in their own country to establish or develop a business or participate in investment activity in Australia.
There are a number of different pathways:
Business Owner (Provisional)
This visa is granted for a provisional period of 4 years and can be subsequently converted (provided required criteria are met) to permanent residency.
- The applicant has had an overall successful business career
- The applicant has a net asset value in the business of at least AU$200,000
- The applicant has a net business and personal asset value of at least AU$500,000
- The applicant’s main business has had an annual turnover of at least AU$500,000 for at least 2 out of the 4 fiscal years before application
- The applicant has sufficient net assets to settle in Australia
- The applicant’s had a minimum of a 10% shareholding in the main business
- The applicant intends to establish or participate in active management of a business in Australia and maintain a substantial ownership
- The applicant is under 45 years of age
- The applicant has functional English
State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner/Senior Manager (Provisional)
This visa is granted for a provisional period of 4 years and can be converted (provided required criteria are met) to permanent residency.
- The applicant has had an overall successful business career
- The applicant has, for at least 2 of the 4 fiscal years immediately before application, had an ownership interest in a business that had an annual turnover of at least AU$300 000; or
- Is a Senior Manager in a business
- The applicant has a net business and personal asset value of at least AU$250,000
- The applicant has sufficient net assets to settle in Australia determined by the sponsoring appropriate regional authority
- The applicant has sponsorship by the appropriate State/Territory Government
- The applicant intends to establish or participate in active management of a business in Australia and maintain a substantial ownership
- The applicant is under 55 years of age
Business Owner (Residence)
This visa grants permanent residency to the applicant.
- The applicant has had an ownership in a business for at least 2 years
- The applicant has had net business assets of at least AU$100,000 for 12 months
- The applicant has had net business and personal assets of at least AU$250,000 for 12 months.
- The applicant’s business employs at least 2 full time employee
- In the 12 month period prior to application, the applicant’s business has had an annual turnover of at least AU$300,000
- The applicant has been resident in Australia as the holder of one of the qualifying visas for at least 1 year in the 2 years before application
State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Residence)
This visa grants permanent residency to the applicant.
- The applicant has had an ownership in a business for at least 2 years
- The applicant satisfies 2 out of the following 3 criteria, unless the appropriate regional authority provides a waiver:
- The applicant has net business assets of at least AU$75,000
- The applicant has net business and personal assets of at least AU$250,000
- The applicant’s business employs at least 1 full time employee
- In the 12 month period prior to application, the applicant’s main business has had an annual turnover of at least AU$200,000
- The applicant has resident been in Australia as the holder of one of the qualifying visas for at least 1 year in the 2 years before application
- Sponsorship has been obtained from the appropriate State/Territory Government.
Senior Executive (Provisional)
This visa is granted for a provisional period of 4 years and can be converted to permanent residency.
- The applicant has had an overall successful business career
- The applicant has lawfully acquired and can transfer AU$500,000 to Australia within 2 years
- The applicant has sufficient net assets to settle in Australia
- For at least 2 out of 4 fiscal years immediately prior to application, the applicant has occupied a position within the top 3 levels of management of a company, and is responsible for strategic policy development in a major business with a turnover of at least AU$50 million per annum
- The applicant is committed towards establishing or participating in the management of a qualifying business in Australia and intends to maintain a substantial ownership interest
- The applicant is under 45 years of age
- The applicant has functional English
State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional)
This visa is granted for a provisional period of 4 years and can be converted to permanent residency.
- The applicant has had an overall successful business career
- The applicant has lawfully acquired and can transfer AU$250,000 to Australia within 2 years
- The applicant has sufficient net assets to settle in Australia as determined by an appropriate State/Territory Government.
- For at least 2 out of 4 fiscal years immediately prior to application, the applicant has occupied a position within the top 3 levels of management of a company, and is responsible for strategic policy development in a major business with a turnover of at least AU$10 million per annum
- The applicant is committed towards establishing or participating in the management of a qualifying business in Australia and intends to maintain a substantial ownership interest
- Sponsorship has been obtained from the appropriate State/Territory Government.
- The applicant is under 45 years of age unless the business has been endorsed by the sponsoring State/Territory government as being of exceptional economic benefit
Investor (Provisional)
This visa is granted for an initial period of 4 years and can be converted to permanent residency.
- The applicant can demonstrate an overall success business background in a qualifying business activity or eligibility investment activity
- The applicant has net business and personal assets of at least AU$2,500,000 which have been lawfully acquired and can be transferred to Australia within 2 years
- The applicant has sufficient net assets to settle in Australia
- For at least 1 of 5 fiscal years immediately before application, the applicant has had direct management in a qualifying business where the applicant has had at least a 10% ownership or has managed eligible investments to the value of at least AU$1,500,000
- The applicant has directly managed one or more qualifying business or eligible investments for at least 3 years and can demonstrate a high level of management skill in a business or investment activity
- The applicant has a genuine business commitment to maintain a business or investment activity in Australia
- The applicant is under 45 years of age
- The applicant has a functional level of English language
State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional)
This visa is granted for an initial period of 4 years and can be converted to permanent residency.
- The applicant can demonstrate an overall success business background in a qualifying business activity or eligibility investment activity
- The applicant has net business and personal assets of at least AU$1,250,000 which have been lawfully acquired and can be transferred to Australia within 2 years
- The applicant has sufficient net assets to settle in Australia as determined by an appropriate regional authority
- For at least 1 of 5 fiscal years immediately before application, the applicant has had direct management in a qualifying business where the applicant has had at least a 10% ownership or has managed eligible investments to the value of at least AU$750,000
- The applicant has directly managed one or more qualifying business or eligible investments for at least 3 years and can demonstrate a high level of management skill in a business or investment activity
- The applicant has obtained sponsorship from the appropriate State/Territory Government
- The applicant has a genuine business commitment to maintain a business or investment activity in Australia
- The applicant is under 55 years of age unless the business is endorsed by the sponsoring state/territory government as being of exceptional economic benefit
- The applicant has a vocational level of English language
Investor (Residence)
This visa grants permanent residency to the applicant.
- The applicant has been resident in Australia for at least 2 of the 4 years before application
- The applicant has a realistic commitment to continue to maintain a business or investment activity in Australia
- The applicant has continuously held a designated investment in Government Bonds for at least 4 years
State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Residence)
This visa grants permanent residency to the applicant.
- The applicant has been resident in Australia (in the state/territory of sponsorship) for at least 2 of the 4 years before application
- The applicant has a realistic commitment to continue to maintain a business or investment activity in Australia
- The applicant has continuously held a designated investment in State Government Bonds for a period of at least 4 years
- The applicant has obtained sponsorship from the appropriate State/Territory Government