Business Talent: Permanent Business Visa to Australia

To be eligible for the permanent Business Talent (Migrant) Visa to Australia, you will need to fulfil the following requirements:

• You have been sponsored by a State/Territory government;
• Had an overall successful business career;
• For at least 2 of the last 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, you had an ownership interest in a main business, or main businesses (2), with an annual turnover of at least A$3million (each year);
• For at least 2 of the last 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, you (or you and your spouse together) have net assets in a qualifying business (in which you held an ownership interest) of at least A$400,000;
• Your business and personal assets (including your spouse) have a net value of at least A$1.5million 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 your visa;
• You are aged less than 55 at time of application, or you are proposing to establish or participate in a business that your sponsoring State/Territory has determined is of exceptional economic benefit to the State/Territory;
• Neither you or your spouse has a history of involvement in business or investment activities of a nature not generally acceptable in Australia;
• You have a genuine and realistic commitment to establish or participate actively in a qualifying business in Australia and to maintain and hold a substantial ownership level.

About this visa

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.

Who is this visa for?

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 45 years of age.

How much will this visa cost?

You must pay a non-refundable visa charge when you lodge your visa application.

What does this visa let me do?

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.

How this visa works

This visa is a temporary visa, and the first step towards being granted a permanent Business Skills visa. You must be outside Australia when this visa is granted.
Exception: Secondary applicants may be in Australia when their visa is granted if they are on a student visa.

You may be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa after holding this visa for a minimum of two years. To be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa you must meet all the obligations of this visa and additional requirements of the permanent Business Skills visa you apply for. Meeting these requirements may take you longer than two years.

After two years you may be eligible to apply for one of the following visas:

• Investor (residence)
or
• State/Territory Sponsored Investor (residence)
• State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (residence)
• Business Owner (residence)

Visa validity period

This visa is valid for four years from date you first enter Australia on this visa. Your first entry to Australia must be made before the ‘entry expiry date’ which will be specified on your visa label or visa grant notification. For secondary applicants who are in Australia when their visa is granted validity will be four years from the date of grant.

Bringing family

The following people may be included in your application:

• your partner
• your or your partner's dependent children
• other dependent relatives living with you.

With this visa you are unable to access Medicare, the Australian Government medical expenses and hospital care scheme.
Private Health Insurance is available to you, but it is not a requirement for the grant of this visa.


Family assistance

With this visa you are unable to access family assistance.

Social security

With this visa you are unable to access social security payments.

Senior Executive (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 161)

To be eligible for the Australian Business Senior Executive (Provisional) Visa, you will need to show:

About this visa

This visa is for senior executive employees of major overseas businesses, who have significant net assets and a genuine and realistic commitment to participate in the management of a new or existing business. This visa is also the first step towards being granted a permanent Business Skills visa.

Who is this visa for?

Senior executives from overseas who through their experience have gained the skills to successfully manage a business in Australia, are less than 45 years old, and their family.

How much will this visa cost?

You must pay a non-refundable visa charge when you lodge your visa application.


What does this visa let me do?

With this visa you can:

• establish a new or existing business in Australia.
• 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. Your family includes your partner and any dependants.

How this visa works

This visa is a temporary visa, and the first step towards being granted a permanent Business Skills visa. You must be outside Australia when this visa is granted.
Exception: Secondary applicants may be in Australia when their visa is granted if they are on a student visa.

You may be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa after holding this visa for a minimum of two years. To be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa you must meet all the obligations of this visa and additional requirements of the permanent Business Skills visa you apply for. Meeting these requirements may take you longer than two years.

After two years you may be eligible to apply for one of the following visas:

• Business Owner (residence) 
or
• State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (residence)

Visa validity period

This visa is valid for four years from date you first enter Australia on this visa. Your first entry to Australia must be made before the ‘entry expiry date’ which will be specified on your visa label or visa grant notification. For secondary applicants who are in Australia when their visa is granted validity will be four years from the date of grant.

Bringing family

The following people may be included in your application:

• your partner
• your or your partner's dependent children
• other dependent relatives living with you.

With this visa you are unable to access Medicare, the Australian Government medical expenses and hospital care scheme.


Private Health Insurance is available to you, but it is not a requirement for the grant of this visa.

Family assistance

With this visa you are unable to access family assistance.


Social security

With this visa you are unable to access social security payments.

State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional) (Subclass 164)

How this visa works

This visa is designed is for senior executive employees of major overseas businesses, who have significant net assets and a genuine and realistic commitment to participate in the management of a new or existing business. This visa is also the first step towards being granted a permanent Business Skills visa.

Who is this visa for?

Senior executives from overseas who through their experience have gained the skills to successfully manage a business in Australia, are less than 55 years old, and their family.

How much will this visa cost?

You must pay a non-refundable visa charge when you lodge your visa application.
See: Business Development Visa Charges

What does this visa let me do?

With this visa you can:

• establish a new or existing business in Australia
• 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. Your family includes your partner and any dependants.

How this visa works

This visa is a temporary visa, and the first step towards being granted a permanent Business Skills visa. You must be outside Australia when this visa is granted.
Exception: Secondary applicants may be in Australia when their visa is granted if they are on a student visa.

You may be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa after holding this visa for a minimum of two years. To be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa you must meet all the obligations of this visa and additional requirements of the permanent Business Skills visa you apply for. Meeting these requirements may take you longer than two years.

After two years you may be eligible to apply for one of the following visas:

• Business Owner (residence)
 or
• State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (residence)

Visa validity period

This visa is valid for four years from date you first enter Australia on this visa. Your first entry to Australia must be made before the ‘entry expiry date’ which will be specified on your visa label or visa grant notification. For secondary applicants who are in Australia when their visa is granted validity will be four years from the date of grant.

Bringing family

The following people may be included in your application:

• your partner
• your or your partner's dependent children
• other dependent relatives living with you.

With this visa you are unable to access Medicare, the Australian Government medical expenses and hospital care scheme.

Private Health Insurance is available to you, but it is not a requirement for the grant of this visa.

Family assistance

With this visa you are unable to access family assistance.

Social security

With this visa you are unable to access social security payments.

Business Owner (Provisional) Visa 160

About this visa

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

Who is this visa for?

This visa is for business owners from overseas who intend to own a business in Australia, and are less than 45 years of age.

How much will this visa cost?

You must pay a non-refundable visa charge when you lodge your visa application.
See: Business Development Visa Charges

What does this visa let me do?

With this visa you can:

• establish a new or existing business in Australia
• 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.

How this visa works

This visa is a temporary visa, and the first step towards being granted a permanent Business Skills visa. You must be outside Australia when this visa is granted.
Exception: Secondary applicants may be in Australia when their visa is granted if they are on a student visa.

You may be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa after holding this visa for a minimum of two years. To be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa you must meet all the obligations of this visa and additional requirements of the permanent Business Skills visa you apply for. Meeting these requirements may take you longer than two years.

After two years you may be eligible to apply for one of the following visas:

• Business Owner (residence)
 or
• State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (residence)

Visa validity period

This visa is valid for four years from date you first enter Australia on this visa. Your first entry to Australia must be made before the ‘entry expiry date’ which will be specified on your visa label or visa grant notification. For secondary applicants who are in Australia when their visa is granted validity will be four years from the date of grant.

Bringing family

The following people may be included in your application:

• your partner
• your or your partner's dependent children
• other dependent relatives living with you.

With this visa you are unable to access Medicare, the Australian Government medical expenses and hospital care scheme.
Private Health Insurance is available to you, but it is not a requirement for the grant of this visa.

Family assistance

With this visa you are unable to access family assistance.

Social Security

With this visa you are unable to access social security payments.

State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Provisional) Visa 163

About this visa

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

Who is this visa for?

This visa is for business owners from overseas who intend to own a business in Australia, and are less than 55 years old.

How much will this visa cost?

You must pay a non-refundable visa charge when you lodge your visa application.
See: Business Development Visa Charges.

What does this visa let me do?

With this visa you can:

• establish a new or existing business in Australia
• 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.

How this visa works

This visa is a temporary visa, and the first step towards being granted a permanent Business Skills visa. You must be outside Australia when this visa is granted.
Exception: Secondary applicants may be in Australia when their visa is granted if they are on a student visa.

You may be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa after holding this visa for a minimum of two years. To be eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa you must meet all the obligations of this visa and additional requirements of the permanent Business Skills visa you apply for. Meeting these requirements may take you longer than two years.

After two years you may be eligible to apply for one of the following visas:

• Business Owner (residence)
 or
• State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (residence)

Visa validity period

This visa is valid for four years from date you first enter Australia on this visa. Your first entry to Australia must be made before the ‘entry expiry date’ which will be specified on your visa label or visa grant notification. For secondary applicants who are in Australia when their visa is granted validity will be four years from the date of grant.

Bringing family

The following people may be included in your application:

• your partner
• your or your partner's dependent children
• other dependent relatives living with you.

With this visa you are unable to access Medicare, the Australian Government medical expenses and hospital care scheme.
Private Health Insurance is available to you, but it is not a requirement for the grant of this visa.


Family assistance

With this visa you are unable to access family assistance.

Social security

With this visa you are unable to access social security payments.

The Australian Business Visa Program encourages successful business owners, investors and senior executives to settle in Australia while developing new or existing opportunities in Australian business. This is the route to take to emigrate to Australia if you are a business owner or senior executive within a business.

There are 2 pathways for Business Skills entry to Australia

• As a Provisional Visa holder with eligibility for permanent residence after establishing a business in Australia; or
• Direct Permanent Residence for high calibre business applicants sponsored by a State/Territory government.

Business migrants taking the first pathway must undergo a 2-stage progression to obtain residency. As such, visa holders are first granted a Business Skills (Provisional) Visa for 4 years and, after establishing the requisite level of business or maintaining their suitable investment, will be eligible to make an application for a Business Skills (Residence) Visa.

The second pathway leading to direct permanent residence is only open to high-calibre business migrants sponsored by a State/Territory government. This category of emigrating to Australia is known as the Business Talent Visa (see below).

The Business Skills Program is divided into 4 categories

• Business Owner
  Category for owners or part-owners of a business;
• Senior Executive
  Category for senior executive employees of major businesses;
• Investor
  Category for investors/business people willing to invest in Australia; and
• High-Calibre Business People
  Business Talent category for high-calibre business people who have sponsorship from a State/Territory government