Business Skills Migration

The business skills visa stream encourages successful business people to settle permanently in Australia to develop businesses or make approved investments. The business skills category is designed to attract migrants with demonstrated business or investment skills who are willing to use these skills to benefit the Australian economy.
Business skills migrants are required to secure an ownership interest in an eligible business, or make a designated investment, and manage that business or maintain a specified level of investment activity in Australia.
The business skills stream includes a range of visa options for business people to establish businesses or invest in Australia whilst holding a provisional visa, then remain in Australia permanently to maintain or develop a proven successful business. This two stage arrangement 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 are two sorts of business skills visas:
1.    Business development (provisional)– four year temporary visas for skilled people to conduct business activities in Australia. These can be a pathway to permanent residency for people who establish the required level of business or investment during their temporary visa and who wish to stay and further develop their business;
2.    Business development (permanent) – permanent visas for people holding provisional business skills visas who have successfully established businesses in Australia, or for people offshore with a very high level of business skills.
Sponsorship opportunities
Most visa category in the business skills stream has a Subclass option for State or Territory government sponsorship. This allows each State and Territory to attract the kinds of business people who will assist economic development in their specific areas. In particular, Australia encourages people with business skills to set up their business or invest in regional, rural or low growth areas of Australia. The benefit for visa applicants is that concessions are available regarding visa criteria for these sponsored categories at both provisional and permanent residence stages.
Obligations of business visa holders
The business skills visa stream is based on the idea that visa holders will contribute to the Australia economy. As such, all provisional business skills visa applicants and business talent visa applicants are required to sign a declaration that they will meet certain obligations, including establishing a business after arriving in Australia which does at least one of the following:
•    Develop links with international markets
•    Create or maintain employment in Australia
•    Export Australia goods and services
•    Produce goods or services which would otherwise be imported
•    Introduce new or improved technology
•    Add to commercial activity and competitiveness within sectors of the Australia economy
Failure to meet these obligations after visa grant could negatively impact on any later application for a permanent business visa, or for business talent visa holders could result in the Department cancelling their visa.