Business visas

The Business visa program is for people with a demonstrated record of business or investment activity, who are committed to use these skills in Australia. Under this program the following people are eligible: business owners, senior managers, senior executives and investors.

Most business entrants initially enter Australia on a provisional (temporary) visa for 4 years, and after satisfactory evidence of a specified level of business or investment activity, they may apply for permanent residence. State/Territory government sponsorship is available for each visa category in this program.

Business visas subclasses

Business Talent (Migrant) subclass 132 visa
This permanent visa is for business people who are owners or part owners of an overseas business and have an overall successful business career, significant business assets and have a genuine and realistic commitment to participate as a principal in the management of a new or existing business. This category must be sponsored by a State/Territory government.

Business Owner (Provisional) subclasses 160/163
This provisional visa is for people with a successful business career, including senior management and ownership that have significant business assets and have a genuine and realistic commitment to participate as a principal in the management of a new or existing business.

Senior Executive (Provisional) subclasses 161/164
This provisional visa is for senior executive employees of major overseas businesses who have been responsible for strategic policy development affecting a major component or a wide range of operations of that business. The person must have significant assets and a genuine and realistic commitment to participate as a principal in the management of a new or existing business.

Investor (Provisional) subclasses 162/165
This provisional visa is for investors/business people who have an overall successful path of business or investment activities, who have significant net assets, are willing to invest funds in a designated investment in Australia for 4 years and have a genuine commitment to maintain business and investment activity in Australia.

Business Owner (Residence) subclasses 890/892
This permanent visa is for people who hold a Business Skills (Provisional) visa and have had an ownership interest in business in Australia for at least 2 years. They must have a significant personal and business assets, turnover and employment record.

Investor (Residence) subclasses 891/893
This permanent visa is for people who hold an Investor (Provisional) visa and a Designated Investment for a minimum of 4 years. They must demonstrate they lived in Australia for at least 2 years in the 4 years immediately before applying.

Established Business in Australia
This permanent visa is for people who hold a temporary substantive visa and have been present in Australia for certain period of time, have ownership of business in Australia and have been actively involved and responsible for management of the business in Australia.

State/Territory Sponsored Regional Established Business in Australia
This permanent visa is for people who hold a Business (Long Stay) visa, have been a temporary resident in Australia, have ownership of business in Australia and have been actively involved and responsible for management of the business in Australia. They must have been sponsored by the relevant State/Territory government business agency.

Investor Retirement subclass 405 visa
This temporary visa is for retired business and professional people with significant assets, who are prepared to invest their money in Australia and have no dependants, except their spouse. Visa is initially granted for 4 years after that there is a possibility to reapply as long as the requirements are met by the applicant. The applicant must be sponsored by State/Territory government. The sponsorship is not available from the New South Wales Government.

Application Costs and Processing times

Application fee for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for provisional visas is currently: AUD $3,360 currency converter. There is also required payment of AUD $7,040 currency converter for State/Territory Sponsored provisional visas, where the applicant has less than functional English.

Application fee for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for Business Talent (Migrant) subclass 132 visa is currently: AUD $4,905 currency converter.

Application fee for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for other permanent visas is currently: AUD $1,410 currency converter. This amount is reduced by AUD$195 if the applicant is a holder of a Skilled-Independent Regional (SIR) (Provisional) visa.

Also all visas have an additional payment of AUD $3,510 currency converter for any dependants that are included in application that are 18 years and over and have less than functional English.

Application fee for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for Investor Retirement visa is currently: AUD$230 currency converter. Each applicant must also pay second visa application charge of currently AUD$10,440 currency converter.

Processing time depends on personal circumstances. Sponsored applications will have priority in processing. Processing time for business visas is approximately 3 to 6 months, for permanent visas may take to 10 months. Processing time for Investor Retirement visa is approximately 2 to 6 months.

Do I meet the criteria?

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