Main Applicant Eligibility

You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for this visa. You must provide evidence of each of the requirements with your application.

Age

You must be less than 45 years old.

State/Territory notification

You have notified the appropriate regional authority of a state or territory; and your intention to develop a business in that State or Territory.

Designated Investment

At the time of the decision you have made a government approved Designated Investment of AUD1,500,000 in a state or territory of Australia. This amount must be available for transfer to Australia within a reasonable period when requested.

English level

You must have a vocational level of English. To show this you must you have one the following:

• have evidence you are a native English speaker
• undertake the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). You need to take the general training test, and must achieve a band score of at least five from a maximum of nine, for all four components of the test; speaking, reading, listening and writing. (Your IELTS test results may not be more than 12 months old when you apply)
  See: www.ielts.org
• hold a NAATI accreditation in English.
  See: www.naati.com.au

Business career

For at least one of the five fiscal years immediately before you apply:

• You have maintained direct involvement in either managing a main business in which you (or you and your partner together) had an ownership interest of at least:
  • 51 per cent of the business where the turnover is less than AUD400 000 per annum
  • 30 per cent of the business where the turnover is AUD400 000 or more per annum
  • 10 per cent where the business is a publicly listed company
  or
• You maintained direct involvement in managing your (or you and your partner's combined) eligible investments. The total value of that investment was at least AUD1,500,000.

Business experience

You have an overall successful record of eligible investment of qualifying business activity.

You have a total of at least three years experience of direct involvement in managing one or more main businesses or eligible investments.

You have demonstrated a high level of management skill in relation to an eligible investment or qualifying business activity.

Business record

You (or your partner) have never been involved in unacceptable business or investment activities.

Committed to business in Australia

You have a commitment to develop and maintain an ownership interest in a business in Australia and you must maintain direct and continuous involvement in the management of that business.

Net assets

The net value of your (or your and your partner's combined) assets was at least AUD2,250,000 for the two fiscal years immediately before you apply.

Health requirement

You must meet health requirements to enter Australia.
See: Health Requirements

Character requirement

You must be of good character for you to enter Australia.
See: Character and Penal Clearance Requirements

Australian Values Statement

If you are aged 18 years or over, you are required to sign an Australian values statement. The statement is included in your visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and over will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to have read, or had explained to you, material made available by the government on life in Australia which is contained in the Life in Australia book.

The Life in Australia book provides more information on the values that Australians share and their way of life.
See:
Australian Values - Overview
Life in Australia Book

Application document checklist

The checklist provides all the information and supporting documents that you may be asked to provide with your application.
See: Application document checklist (73KB PDF file)