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This visa, subclass 163, is the most popular of all the higher level business migration categories at about 90% of all business skills applications. A key concession is that higher English skills are not compulsory, and a large amount of these visas are issued to Asian migrants.

This is interesting in itself and also a reason for caution - you should expect that DIAC have seen a large number of wonderful applications... and a lot of rubbish!

It is worth the effort to make a professional presentation to speed up the process and encourage a favourable outcome. With plenty of applications coming in, State Governments and DIAC can afford to be a little fussy when deciding who should be approved.

DIAC says that a Business Owner is someone who:

• can show evidence of a successful business career,
• has sufficient net assets,
• exceeds a minimum in business turnover within the last 4 years,
• has sufficient funds for transfer to and living in Australia,
• is aged below 55 (unless many more jobs or significantly more funds can be invested, in some States only).

A further requirement is that management effort exceeded 50% of work hours - this will rule out some self employed people who have no staff.

Depending on which visa is pursued and whether applicants can speak English well enough, there may be a requirement to show vocational English or each adult has to pay DIAC for English tuition after arrival (and the business plan has to reflect how this communication issue will be dealt with).

Other regular requirements include that:

• the historic and proposed business activity are both of acceptable types,
• the State Government is aware of or supports your application,
• you can show the need to be resident in Australia to make the business plan work.

There are two types of Business Owner visas for Provisional sponsorship - these are Sponsored and Unsponsored.

Here are the resources from DIAC.

• About the programme
• All different types of State Sponsorship
• General Business Owner skills profile
• About business sponsorship
• Application forms, guidelines and document checklists
• DIAC costs for business skills visa and English levy.


And here is our own compilation of links to document checklists, application forms

Here is a typical business plan, as an example of a format consistent with what we would provide to support Victoria and Queensland sponsorship applications. It is not a document that could be used “as is”. Please note that to deter copying of this work it has been depersonalised, has had key strategies deleted, and is also missing support documents and research information. Certain information has also been added that, in a dispute, can help decide if anyone has been “borrowing” our intellectual property.

Email info-AT-statesponsorship.com.au to request contact for a Business Plan

TIP: Ensure that a professional business plan has been submitted. 

A good business proposal:

• Helps secure sponsorship with lower thresholds; sponsorship helps secure the visa; lower thresholds allow for more flexibility and reduced financial pressure on the business and this can help the business meet requirements for later permanent residence.
   
• Not only provides reassurance to the State but it can lead to a faster grant of their sponsorship.
   
• A good plan can also be submitted to DIAC even though it is not compulsory to do so. A good proposal will help the reader of the plan visualise the business and its operator, this will personalise the application to them and encourage them to think of the person, not just the paperwork.

Remembering that a case officer’s day is full of pressure and paper-based promises, then presenting a written picture will allow the reader to quickly understand the merits of the whole application.

Human nature says that where anyone is faced with a deadline, they are generally more likely to clear the files that are easier to finish - why can’t your clients’ cases be at the top of the pile?

(C) State Sponsorship Services Pty Ltd 2007. This web site does not contain Australian immigration advice. Viewers who need this advice should consult a registered migration agent, refer to Migration Agents Registration Authority. Entry to and use of this web site means that the viewer acknowledges that State Sponsorship Services Pty Ltd does not provide immigration advice and cannot be held responsible for the outcome of any immigration application that is lodged as a result of the viewer accessing this web site.