Australia Business or Investment Visa – Process Decoded

Australia gives foreign investors the opportunity to immigrate through their investment visa category. The Australian investor visa only allows foreign immigrants four years of temporary residency. After four years, the visa holder may apply for other visa types that could lead to permanent residency. 

Symbolic changes to Australian business visas came into effect in July 2012 following a comprehensive review of the Business Skills Program in 2011. As a result of the reforms, some visas were removed while others were consolidated into the three new visas that make up what is now called as the Business Innovation and Investment Program.

The Australia investment visa includes four streams:

• Business Innovation stream: Meant for people with business skills who want to establish, develop and manage a new or existing business in Australia. Applicants must be nominated by a state or territory government.

• Investor stream: meant 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. Applicants must be nominated by a state or territory government.

• Significant Investor stream: Meant for people who are willing to invest at least AUD 5 million into complying significant investments in Australia and want to maintain business and investment activity in the country. Applicants can be nominated by a state or territory government or Austrade on behalf of the Australian government.

• Premium Investor stream: Meant for those people who are willing to invest at least AUD 15 million into complying premium investments in Australia and want to maintain business and investment activity in Australia. Applicants must be nominated by Austrade on behalf of the Australian government.

To qualify for the Australia investment visa, applicants must:

• Make an AUD 1.5 million investment in an Australian company in which they have an ownership stake

• The investors must be less than 45 years old

• Have net assets of AUD 2.25 million

• Have a vocational level of English language proficiency

• Have at least three years of business management experience

• Have a positive business record.

How to apply

• Prepare your documents: You need to provide documents to prove claims you make in the application. The documents are listed in the Document checklist. Some documents could take time to obtain. You should have them ready when you lodge the application t reduce any delays in processing.

• Lodge your application online: Pay the visa application charge by credit card when you apply. You will also need to send your supporting documents.

The Australian business visa, once granted, will help you to

• Establish a new or develop an existing business and invest in Australia, make a designated investment with an Australian state or territory government or make and maintain complying investments in Australia.

• Travel in and out of Australia for the life of your visa

• Bring family members with you to Australia

• Seek permanent residence by applying for a Business Innovation and Investment visa.

The nature of Australian government towards its immigrants has been very patient and flexible which can be helpful for people seeking Australian business visa.