If you have a successful background in business or investment, and would like to participate in business or investment activities in Australia, then you may be eligible for a range of different visas. These include:
- 1. Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa
This four-year visa can be a stepping stone to permanent residency. It has seven alternative streams:
- Business Innovation Stream – for people who want to own and manage a new or existing business in Australia.
- Business Innovation Extension Stream – for holders of a subclass 188 visa in the Business Innovation Stream to extend their stay in Australia for two more years.
- Investor Stream – for people who want to make a designated investment of at least AUD $1.5 million in an Australian State or Territory and maintain business and investment activity in Australia.
- Significant Investor Stream – for people who are willing to invest at least AUD $5 million into complying investments in Australia and maintain business and investment activity in Australia.
- Significant Investor Extension Stream – for holders of a subclass 188 visa in the Significant Investor Stream to extend their stay in Australia for four more years.
- Premium Investor Stream – for people who are nominated by Austrade and who invest at least AUD $15 million in Australian investments and/or philanthropic contributions.
- Entrepreneur Stream – for people who have a funding agreement from a third party to carry out entrepreneurial activities in Australia.
Business Visa and Investment Visas Immigration Lawyers Australia
- 2. Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (subclass 888) visa
This visa is the second stage of the subclass 188 visa. Once the requirements of the provisional visa have been fulfilled, this visa allows for permanent residency. Accordingly, this visa has five streams:
- Business Innovation Stream – for people who continue to own and manage a business in Australia.
- Investor Stream – for people who want to maintain business and/or investment activity in Australia after the designated investment required of the subclass 188 visa has matured.
- Significant Investor Stream – for people who are willing to maintain business and investment activity in Australia after the original complying investment required of the subclass 188 visa has matured.
- Premium Investor Stream – for people who wish to continue their investment activities in Australia.
- Entrepreneur Stream – for people who wish to continue their entrepreneurial activities in Australia.
Business Visa and Investment Visas Immigration Lawyers Australia
- 3. Business Talent (Permanent) (subclass 132) visa
This permanent visa comprises two streams:
- Significant Business History Stream -for successful business people who wish to manage a new or existing Australian business.
- Venture Capital Entrepreneur Stream – for people who can draw on at least AUD $1 million from a member of the Australian Investment Council (AIC) (formerly known as the Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association Limited (AVCAL)).
Business Visa and Investment Visas Immigration Lawyers Australia
- 4. Temporary work (Short Stay Specialist) (subclass 400) visa
This visa allows individuals to stay in Australia on a temporary basis to participate in short-term, highly specialised work that is non-ongoing.
This visa is generally available for stays in Australia of up to three months, but can be granted for six months in exceptional circumstances.
There are several other categories of potentially relevant visas, which Erskine Rodan & Associates can assist with. These include:
- Subclass 601 Electronic Travel Authority – to undertake ‘business visitor activities’
- Subclass 651 eVisitor visa – to undertake ‘business visitor activities’
- Subclass 890 Business Owner visa – if you hold an eligible visa
- Subclass 891 Investor visa – if you hold an Investor (Provisional) (subclass 162) visa
- Subclass 892 State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Residence) – if you hold an eligible visa
- Subclass 893 State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Residence) – if you hold a State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) (subclass 165) visa.
Business and investment visas, particularly those that are pathways to permanent residency, tend to be complex and require a high level of evidence. Applicants should be aware that there are several factors that, while potentially crucial to a successful application, are not widely known or published on the Department of Home Affairs’ website.
To discuss your different alternatives with a specialist immigration lawyer, and chart a clear strategy for securing your business visa, call us on +613 9329 8744.
