Doorway to Your Future

Business skills visa encourage successful business owners who are keen on establishing or purchasing a business within Australia.

Since 1 July 2012, business skilled applicants are required to meet the passmark of 65 points under the SkillSelect program. Points are awarded for age, English ability, qualifications, experience in business or investment, net personal and business assets, business turnover and innovation.

Business skills visa now comprises of three visa subclass categories:

• Business Talent (Permanent) (Subclass 132)

• Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (Subclass 188)

• Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (Subclass 888)

Business Talent (Permanent) (Subclass 132)

Is suitable for affluent owners or part owners who want to have a major management role in a new or existing business in Australia, or for people who have obtained at least AUD1 million in funding from an Australian venture capital firm. A nomination from an Australian state or territory government is required for this visa.

Visa contains two streams:

• The Significant Business History stream

The significant business history stream is intended for high calibre business people who are owners or part owners of an overseas business and have a genuine and realistic commitment to participate in the management of a new existing business in Australia.

• The Venture Capital Entrepreneur stream

The venture capital entrepreneur stream is intended for migrant entrepreneurs who have sourced at least AUD 1 million for early phase start-up, commercialisation of a product, or business development and expansion

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (Subclass 188) and Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (Subclass 888)

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (Subclass 188) is suitable for successful business innovators and investors who intend to invest or enter into business in Australia and contribute to the growth of the Australian economy.

Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (Subclass 888) is the second stage of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (Subclass 188) visa. It allows business owners to continue business and investment activity in Australia. Applicants can apply for the permanent visa after having fulfilled the requirements of the provisional visa.

Both visas contain three streams:

• The Business Innovation stream

The business innovation stream allows people to establish a new or develop an existing business in Australia.

• The Investor stream

The investor stream is intended for people who want to make a designated investment in an Australian state or territory. These people are also required to maintain business and investment activity in Australia after the original investment has matured.

• The Significant Investor stream

The investor stream is intended for people who are willing to invest at least AUD5 million into complying investments in Australia. These people are also required to maintain business and investment activity in Australia after the original investment has matured