Individuals who have shown ability within business as business owners, investors, or senior executives are highly sought after by the Australian Government

The Business Skills Program, for those applicants sponsored by a State or Territory Government, provides 2 pathways to Australian permanent residence:

The first involves a 2-stage process in which a provisional temporary visa is granted initially. After a candidate has lived in Australia for a period of time and satisfies the relevant criteria (usually once a business has been established) permanent residency can follow.
The second involves ‘high calibre’ business candidates sponsored by a Territory or State Government being granted permanent residence immediately, via the Business Talent visa.

If you would like detailed information on the procedures for Territory or State Government sponsorship please visit the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) website.

State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Provisional) 163

This 4 year visa is worth considering if you:

Have had at least 10% ownership in a main business(es) with a yearly turnover of at least A$300,000 for at least 2 out of last 4 fiscal years , or can provide evidence of high level senior management employment and skills for at least 4 years before your visa application
Have at least A$250,000 of net personal and business assets lawfully acquired and capable of being transferred to Australia within 2 years after the grant of visa
Have had a successful career in business, and possess enough additional net assets to reside in Australia
Are younger than age 55, unless a sponsoring Government endorses the business as being of exceptional economic benefit
Can get sponsored by an Australian State or Territory Government
Have been involved directly and continually in daily management of your main business, and have made decisions affecting its direction and overall performance
Can show that in order to establish or do business you need to be in Australia
Can maintain substantial ownership in a qualifying business in Australia, and set up or take part in its active management

The State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Residence) visa is the permanent visa that this Provisional visa usually leads to.

State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional) 164

This 4 year visa is worth looking at if you:

Have had a successful career in business, and possess enough additional net assets to reside in Australia
Have held a position in the 3 highest management levels of a major business, with a yearly turnover of at least A10m, for at least 2 in the 4 years before your visa application, and was responsible for strategic policy development in that business
Have at least A$250,000 of net personal and business assets lawfully acquired and capable of being transferred to Australia within 2 years after the grant of visa
Are younger than age 55, unless a sponsoring Government endorses the business as being of exceptional economic benefit
Can get sponsored by an Australian State or Territory Government
Can show that in order to establish or do business you need to be in Australia
Can maintain substantial ownership in a qualifying business in Australia, and set up or take part in its active management

The State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Residence) visa is the permanent visa that this Provisional visa usually leads to.

State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Residence) 892

This is the permanent residency visa that you can apply for if you hold one of the provisional visas outlined above. It’s worth considering if:

At least 2 years immediately prior to your application, you have had at least 10% ownership in at least 1 main business in Australia
You have obtained an Australian Business Number, and submitted Business Activity Statements to the ATO for each business for the period outlined above
You can meet 2 out of 3 of the following requirements:

- Throughout the 1 year prior to application your net assets in your main business(es) were at least A$75,000

- Throughout the 1 year prior to application your personal and business assets were at least A$250,000

- Throughout the 1 year prior to application your business employed at least 1 full time staff member, who is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand passport holder, and not a member of your family unit

For 1 year prior to application your main business(es) had a turnover of at least A$200,000
For at least 1 year in the 2 years immediately prior to application you were in Australia as the holder of a Business Skills provisional visa or Temporary Business (Long Stay) Independent Executive visa.

State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) 165

With a history of business or investment success behind you this 4 year visa may be a good option. It’s worth investigating if you:

Have net personal and business assets throughout the 2 fiscal years immediately prior to application of at least A$1,125,000
Have a record of eligible investment activity and a successful overall career in business, with enough additional net assets to reside in Australia
Are younger than age 55, unless a sponsoring Government endorses the business as being of exceptional economic benefit
Can get sponsored by an Australian State or Territory Government
Have direct involvement in managing at least 1 qualifying business or eligible investments for a total of at least 3 years
Have been involved directly in managing a qualifying business with an ownership interest of at least 10% of its total value, or have maintained direct involvement in managing eligible investments valued at least A$750,000, throughout at least 1 of the 5 fiscal years before application
Can invest A$750,000 in a State and Territory Government interest bearing bond (a Designated Investment) prior to the granting of your visa. These funds must be legally owned by you and your spouse, unencumbered, and accumulated from the qualifying business or eligible investment activities

The State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Residence) visa is the permanent visa that this Provisional visa usually leads to.

State / Territory Sponsored Investor (Residence) 893

This is the permanent residency visa that you can apply for if you hold the Investor (Provisional) visa described above. It’s worth looking into if:

You intend to continue to maintain in Australia investment or business activity after grant of your permanent residence
For at least 4 years prior to application you have maintained a designated investment of A$750,000
For at least 2 in the 4 years immediately prior to your application you were in your sponsoring Territory or State as the holder of a State/Territory sponsored Investor (Provisional) visa.

Business Talent 132

If your overall business career has been successful, then you may be able to apply for a direct permanent residency visa. It’s a good option if: