What are Australian Business Visa?
The provisional Business Innovation & Investment visa provides a pathway to permanent residency for business people who want to own and manage a business in Australia, or make an investment here. If you wish to apply for this visa, which is valid for up to four years, you must first lodge an Expression of Interest. If this is successful, and you are nominated by a State or Territory, you will be invited to lodge an application for this visa.
There are FOUR different streams under which an applicant may qualify for this visa:
Business Innovation stream
The Business Innovation Stream is for applicants who have had a successful business career, and wish to manage own and manage a new or existing business in Australia.
At the time that you are invited to apply for this visa, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be under the age of 55
- Genuinely wish to own, and maintain a major management role in, a business in Australia
- Score at least 65 on the innovation points test (which takes into account your age, English competency, qualifications, experience, turnover and assets, amongst other factors)
- Be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency
- In at least two out of the last four financial years, your main business(s) must have had an annual turnover of at least AUD 500,000 in each of those years
Investor stream
The Investor Stream is for applicants who have experience in managing a business or investments, and wish to make a designated investment in Australia for at least 4 years.
At the time that you are invited to apply for this visa, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be under 55 years of age
- Score at least 65 on the innovation points test (which takes into account your age, English competency, qualifications, experience, turnover and assets, amongst other factors)
- Be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency, and genuinely intend to live for at least two years in that State or Territory
- You must have a high level of skill (and a successful record) in managing eligible investments and/or qualifying businesses, with no involvement in unacceptable business activities
- You must have a minimum of three years of direct involvement in the management of at least one qualifying business or eligible investment
Significant investor stream
The Significant Investor Stream is for applicants who are willing to invest at least AUD 5 million, which can be used to make your complying significant investment in Australia
You must invest at least AUD 5 million into a complying significant investment in Australia. The investment must be made:
- Directly in your name (or in the names of you and your spouse or de facto partner together) OR
- Through a company in which you (and your spouse/de facto partner, if applicable) own the total amount of issued shares OR
- Through a valid trust for which you are the trustee (or you and your spouse/de facto partner together are the trustees), and you are the beneficiary (or you and your spouse/de facto partner together are the beneficiaries)
Premium investor stream
The premium investor stream is For applicants who are willing to invest at least AUD 15 million in a complying premium investment in Australia for at least 4 years and 3 months (excepting philanthropic contributions), and who are nominated by Austrade on behalf of the Australian Government. No age limit, points test or English requirement applies. There are no residence requirements for this visa, which provides a fast track to permanent residency.
At the time that Austrade on behalf of the Australian Government invites you to apply for this visa:
- You (or you and your spouse/de facto partner, if applicable) must have legally acquired net personal, business and/or investment assets totaling at least AUD 15 million, which can be used to make your complying investment in Australia
- You (or you and your spouse/de facto partner, if applicable) must not have been involved in unacceptable business or investment activities
- Directly in your name (or in the names of you and your spouse or de facto partner together) OR
- Through a company in which you (and your spouse/de facto partner, if applicable) own the total amount of issued shares OR
- Through a valid trust for which you are the trustee (or you and your spouse/de facto partner together are the trustees) and you are the beneficiary (or you and your spouse/de facto partner together are the beneficiaries)