Australia Business Owner Visa

Eligibility for migration to Australia on a Australian business visa is judged on the business skills of the applicant. There are several qualifying criteria for this visa subclass and these are outlined below.

Duration

The initial four year provisional Australian business visa subclass can lead to Australian permanent residence.

Eligibility Criteria

Age:

The main Australian business visa applicant must be under the age of 45 at the time of lodging an Australian visa application.

Business Experience

An overall successful business career. This is a fairly subjective criteria. It is good to show an overall history of owning a business or managing a business. In two of the last four fiscal years the Australian business visa applicant has had ownership in a qualifying business that had a turnover of at least AUD$300,000 (two of the last four - the best two years out of the last four fiscal years). Combined business and personal assets have a net value of AUD$250,000 which are available for the running of a business in Australia and were lawfully acquired. They must also be available for transfer within two years of the grant of the Australian visa.

• The Australian business visa applicant must also have sufficient assets for settlement and use in Australia.

• The Australian business visa applicant must not have been engaged in a business where the provision of professional, technical or trade services takes up more than 50% of their time.

• The Australian business visa applicant must not have been involved in business or investment activities considered unacceptable in Australia.

• The Australian business visa applicant must have notified the appropriate authority of a state or territory of their business history and intentions to develop a business in that state or territory.

• The Australian business visa applicant must have a genuine and realistic commitment to participate, as a substantial owner, in the management of a new or existing business which will benefit Australia.

• The Australian business visa applicant must have demonstrated that there is a need to be temporarily in Australia to conduct business.

• A 'qualifying business' is a business defined as one which is actively operating for the purposes of making profit and is not set up primarily for passive or speculative purposes, i.e. the sale of goods/services must be distinguished from passive investment. For example rental income from investment property.

Health & Character

Australia has strict health and character requirements that must be met before any permanent visa of more than 12 months will be granted. People attempting to migrate to Australia on an Australian business visa will be required to:

• Undergo a medical examination and chest X-ray undertaken by one of a panel of doctors selected by the Australian authorities, and;

• Obtain police certificates for all countries in which they have lived for more than 12 months in the 10 years leading up to the application.

Processing Times

The current processing time for migration to Australia on a business owner visa is 9 - 12 months, from the start of the process. A Global Visas consultant will be able to advise you of the latest processing times.