Initially, you must apply for a Business Skills (Provisional) visa, which will be granted for a period of four years.

The Business Skills (Provisional) visa category also provides for State/Territory government sponsorship for each visa, to enable States and Territories of Australia to have more influence over the number and skill levels of business migrants they are seeking to attract.

If an applicant has sponsorship from a State or Territory government and applies under the State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner, State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive or State/Territory Sponsored Investor visas, they are considered against lower level criteria.
State and Territory governments have their own criteria for deciding whom they will sponsor.

These are specialized processing centers for applications in the Business Skills visa categories.

After you have been granted a visa in the Business Skills (Provisional) category, you are expected to either establish or buy into a business in Australia or maintain a designated investment for four years. After you have successfully operated a business for two years or maintained your designated investment for four years, you will be eligible to apply for a permanent Business Skills (Residence) visa. You must apply for this in Australia. A direct permanent residence visa, that is, a migrant visa, will still be available for high-caliber business migrants sponsored by State/Territory governments. It is known as the Business Talent (Migrant) visa.

If you are seeking short-term entry to Australia for a stay of up to three months to undertake business activities to assist you in establishing a business in Australia, such as business meetings or negotiations, building inspections or equipment installation, you will need to obtain a short stay business visa.

This visa does not permit the applicant to engage in work that might otherwise be carried out by an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

If you are seeking long term entry to Australia for a stay of over three months to establish a business in Australia, you will need to obtain a Business Skills visa.

There is provision for Business Skills entry for business owners, senior executives and investors. From 1 March 2003, the majority of Business Skills entrants will enter Australia initially on a Business Skills (Provisional) temporary visa for four years and, after satisfactory evidence of a specified level of business or investment activity, may apply for permanent residence.

The pathway to permanent residence is designed to give clarity and certainty to provisional business migrants and relies upon the establishment and management of genuine business activity in Australia. There is also provision for high-caliber business migrants under the Business Talent visa to obtain direct permanent residence if they have high-level business attributes and are sponsored by a State or Territory government.

You must pay the first installment of the visa application charge at the time of your application.

If members of your family unit are included in your application, only one application charge is payable for the entire family unit.

In addition, depending on the Business Skills visa you are applying for, you and your family members may also be required to pay the second installment of the Visa Application Charge, if you have less than 'functional' English. This charge must be paid prior to the grant of your provisional visa and will entitle you and your family members to attend English language classes in Australia. You are also responsible for any costs associated with health assessments and obtaining relevant penal clearances for you and your family as part of your visa application.

PROVISIONAL VISAS

Business Owner (Provisional) is for people with a successful business career, including senior management or ownership, who 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. This category may be sponsored by a State/Territory government, with lower level criteria applying.

Senior Executive (Provisional) 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, who have significant net assets and a genuine and realistic commitment to participate as a principal in the management of a new or existing business.

This category may be sponsored by a State/Territory government, with lower level criteria applying.

Investor (Provisional) for investors/business people who have an overall successful record of business or investment activities, have significant net assets, are willing to invest funds in a designated investment in Australia for three years and have a genuine commitment to maintain business and investment activity in Australia.

This category may be sponsored by a State/Territory government, with lower level criteria applying.

MIGRANT VISAS

Business Talent (Migrant) is for high-caliber 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.

RESIDENCE VISAS

Business Owner (Residence) is for persons who hold a Business Skills (Provisional) and have had an ownership interest in a business in Australia for at least 2 years with significant personal and business assets, turnover as well as a minimum number of employees.
Applicants must have been in Australia for at least one year in the two years immediately before applying.
This category may be sponsored by a State/Territory government, with lower level criteria applying.
There is also provision for 457 Independent Executive visa holders in Australia to apply for the State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner.

Investor (Residence) - for persons who have held a Investor Provisional) visa and a Designated Investment for the minimum 4 years and who have lived in Australia for at least 2 years in the four years immediately before the application is made.
This category may be sponsored by a State/Territory government.