Provisional Business Owner &Â Investor Visas
The Australian Immigration Department understands that business investors can generate wealth and fortune for Australia. As such have made provisions for this through a variety of business visas and investor visas.
The Business visa process begins with the migrant submitting their interest in migrating to Australia for the purpose of business. If successful, they must be nominated by a State or Territory Government or Australian agency.
There are many different types of business visas. This is why it is so important to get professional advice to help decide what visa is best for your situation. Ready Migration, with a head office based on the Gold Coast, Australia has access to the latest legislation and local knowledge to ensure you will be given the best advice for your situation.
There are a number of business visas to choose from. Provisional visas can provide a pathway to gaining permanent residency, and permanent residency allows migrants to live and work in Australia indefinitely.
Ready Migration can provide you with more than just a visa, offering a complete service. We can assist you with Accommodation, Employment, Business Investment, Transferring Goods & Assets, Government & Business Regulations, Buying Property, Banking, Schooling of your children, the list goes on…
We are Licenced Real Estate Agents & Business Brokers with over 40 years experience in the Industry. We can assist you with all of your Private or Commercial Investments, including:
Business people wanting to establish a business, purchase an existing business or invest in Australia or New Zealand. For as little as a $100,000 investment, you can secure residence in Australia or New Zealand. With the exception of the business talent visa (direct permanent residence), most business visas are provisional for a period of up to 4 years (with options to extend), after which the visa holder may apply for permanent residency status.
Business Innovation Investment (Provisional) Visa (subclass 188)
This is a 4-year business visa that is made up of 4 streams and requires different levels of investment into business within Australia.
You must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect and be nominated by a state or territory government or Austrade on behalf of the Australian government before being invited to apply for this visa.
The visa includes five streams:
Business Innovation (Owner) Visa stream
For people with business skills who want to establish, develop and manage a new or existing business in Australia. Applicants must be nominated by a state or territory government.
Investor Visa stream
For people who want to make a designated investment of at least AUD1.5million in an Australian state or territory and maintain business and investment activity in Australia. Applicants must be nominated by a state or territory government.
Significant Investor Visa stream
for people who are willing to invest at least AUD5million into complying significant investments in Australia and want to maintain business and investment activity in Australia. Applicants can be nominated by a state or territory government or Austrade on behalf of the Australian government.
Premium Investor Visa stream
for people who are willing to invest at least AUD15million into complying premium investments in Australia and want to maintain business and investment activity in Australia. Applicants must be nominated by Austrade on behalf of the Australian government.
Holding the 188 visa is the first stage before becoming eligible to qualify for a Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888).
Entrepreneur Visa stream
You must:
A Complying Entrepreneur Activity is an activity that relates to an innovative idea that will lead to the commercialisation of a product or service in Australia, or the development of an enterprise or business in Australia.
This activity must not relate to any of the following excluded categories:
An activity is a complying entrepreneur activity if all of the following requirements are met:
Points Test
You must score at least 65 points (the pass mark) in the points test to be eligible to apply for a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Business Innovation (Owner)Â stream or the Investor stream.
The points test does not apply to you if you are applying in the Significant Investor stream, the Premium Investor stream, the Entrepreneurial stream or for an Extension stream.
The test gives points for various elements of human capital and business innovation and includes objective measures of business performance.
Points are awarded for:
Points are awarded on the basis of the factors listed in the following table. All factors are assessed as at the time you are invited to apply for this visa, unless otherwise noted.
Factor | Description | Points |
Age | 18–24 years | 20 |
25–32 years | 30 | |
33–39 years | 25 | |
40–44 years | 20 | |
45–54 years | 15 | |
55 and older | 0 | |
English language ability | Vocational English | 5 |
Proficient English | 10 | |
Qualifications | Australian trade certificate, diploma or bachelor degree by an Australian education institute; or
a bachelor qualification recognised by an education institution of a recognised standard |
5 |
Bachelor degree in business, science or technology by an Australian institution; or a bachelor qualification by an education institution of a recognised standard | 10 | |
Special endorsement | The nominating state or territory government agency could decide that your proposed business is of unique and important benefit to the state or territory where the nominating government agency is located | 10 |
Financial assets | Net business and personal assets of you, your partner or you and your partner combined in each of the preceding two years of at least: | |
AUD800 000 | 5 | |
AUD1.3 million | 15 | |
AUD1.8 million | 25 | |
AUD2.25 million | 35 | |
Business turnover | Annual turnover in your main business during a period of at least two years of the preceding four fiscal years of at least: | |
AUD500 000 | 5 | |
AUD1 million | 15 | |
AUD1.5 million | 25 | |
AUD2 million | 35 | |
Business Innovation stream only
Business experience |
You have held one or more businesses before you were invited to apply for the visa for: | |
Not less than four years within the preceding five years | 10 | |
Not less than seven years within the preceding eight years | 15 | |
Investor stream only
Investor experience |
Eligible investment of at least AUD100 000 held for: | |
At least four years before the time of invitation to apply for the visa | 10 | |
At least seven years before the time of invitation to apply for the visa | 15 | |
Business innovation qualifications
At the time of invitation to apply for the visa: |
Evidence of registered patents or registered designs | 15 |
Evidence of registered trademarks | 10 | |
Evidence of formal joint venture agreements | 5 | |
Evidence of export trade | 15 | |
Evidence of ownership interest in a gazelle business | 10 | |
Evidence of receipt of grants or venture capital funding | 10 | |
State or territory nomination | Special endorsement (limited places) | 10 |
Permanent Business Visa Options
Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Visa (Subclass 888)
Once you have complied with all the requirements on the temporary Business Innovations and Investment visa (subclass 188) you can apply for a permanent business visa that will enable the person/s to migrate to Australia permanently.
You might be able to apply for this visa if:
In addition:
Other requirements depend on the stream in which you held your provisional Business Innovation and Investment visa (subclass 188).
If you are applying via the Business Innovation stream, you must have been in Australia and held:
for at least one year in the two years immediately before you apply.
In addition, you must be able to show ongoing business involvement, meet certain financial requirements, and have a history of employing Australian workers.
Ongoing business involvement
You must be able to show that you (or you and your partner together) have:
You (or your partner, or you and your partner together) must also demonstrate that you have achieved at least two of the following requirements:
Permanent Investor Visa stream
If you are applying for this visa in the Investor stream, you must have been in Australia and held your provisional visa in the Investor stream for at least two of the four years immediately before you apply.
In addition, you (or you and your partner combined) must have held a designated investment with an Australian state or territory for at least four years.
Business Talent (Permanent) Visa (Subclass 132)
The business talent visa allows the person/s to immigrate to Australia on a permanent residence visa, providing they fulfil the criteria below;
You, your partner, or you and your partner combined must have all of the following:
You must also be younger than 55 years of age, although a state or territory can waive this requirement if your proposed business will be of exceptional economic benefit to the region where it will operate.
Venture Capital Entrepreneur stream
You must have received at least AUD1 million in funding from an Australian venture capital firm.
The funding must be for the start-up, product commercialisation or business development of a promising high-value business idea.
The venture capital firm must be a member of the Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association Limited (AVCAL). AVCAL has information about the venture capital category of membership in its Venture Capital entrepreneur visa factsheet.
You must have entered into a formal agreement with the venture capital firm for the funding.
As with all visas, even if you have complied with all the necessary criteria, there is still a lot to consider. To be successful with your Migration or Investment into a new country, you require more than just a visa. With so many things to consider, entering a new country can be a daunting process.
Ready Migration will be able to go through the Business Visa and Investor Visa and work out the best route for your immigration to Australia.
Business Visitor Visas
Business visitor visas are for business people to visit Australia for business purposes.  For example, to attend a conference or training session, to conduct business with an Australian based organisation, to conduct business negotiations or for an exploratory business visit.
Business activities do not include acting, musical performances or commercial film making.
There are a variety of visa options in this category to explore.
Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601)
You might be able to get this ETA if:
Your ETA lets you:
Business visitor activities include:
Business activities do not include short-term work. If you want to work in Australia, you can apply for a Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) visa (Subclass 400).
eVisitor (subclass 651)
You may be eligible for an eVisitor if you:
Your eVisitor lets you:
Business visitor activities include:
Volunteer work tourism schemes
In general, an eVisitor does not allow you to work in Australia. However, you might be able to work as a volunteer if:
Visitor visa (subclass 600)
For people who do not hold an eligible passport for an ETA or eVisitor Visa
You might be able to get this visa if you are travelling to Australia:
In Australia you can apply for the Tourist stream of the Visitor visa online provided you currently have a valid visa that does not have condition 8503 imposed.
If you are outside Australia only certain passport holders can apply for this visa online otherwise you can lodge a paper application at your nearest Immigration Office.
All the categories of visa have many subclasses and strict criteria that you must meet in order to be eligible for migration to Australia. It is advisable that you consider what visa is right for your circumstances. Ready Migration head office is based on the Gold Coast and our impeccable success rate in visa approvals. This is due to our expert knowledge, advice and Registered Practice in the Industry since 1999.
No matter what your circumstances we can assess your eligibility for migration to Australia whether it be for a temporary or permanent stay. If you would like expert and affordable advice tailored to your individual circumstances, simply complete a No obligation Free Visa Assessment. One of our experienced, registered migration agents will be in touch with you to advise you of your options.
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