If you apply for the Business Innovation stream, you (or your partner, or you and your partner combined) must have:

• total assets of at least AUD800 000 that have been legally acquired and can be legally transferred to Australia
• an annual turnover of minimum AUD500 000 (in one or more of your businesses) in two of the four fiscal years immediately before you are invited to apply
• you owned minimum:
  • 51 percent of a business if the turnover was less than AUD400 000 per annum, or
  • 30 percent of a business with a turnover of more than AUD400 000 per annum, or
  • 10 percent of a publicly-listed company
• an overall successful business career with no involvement in unacceptable business activities
• managed a business, in which you spent less than half your time on professional, technical or trade services
• a genuine desire to own and maintain a management role in a business in Australia.

If you apply for this stream, you (or your partner, or you and your partner combined) must:

• have a net assets value of AUD2.25 million more for the two fiscal years immediately before you are invited to apply
• have an overall successful record of eligible investment or qualifying business activity with no involvement in unacceptable activities
• have a high level of management skill in relation to eligible investments and/or qualifying business activity
• have at least three years’ experience of direct involvement in managing one or more qualifying businesses or eligible investments
• make your government-approved designated investment of AUD1.5 million before a visa can be granted
• have a genuine and realistic commitment to continuing your business and investment activity in Australia after the original investment has matured.
• You (or your partner, or you and your partner combined) must also have had one of the following:
• direct involvement, for at least one of the five fiscal years you are invited to apply, in managing your eligible investments that total at least AUD1.5 million, or
• direct involvement, for at least one of the five fiscal years before you are invited to apply, in managing a qualifying business in which you owned at least 10 percent of the total value of the business.

This visa is designed to attract migrants with a history of business and investment success, the Significant Investor visa is not points-tested, has no upper age limit and requires reduced periods of Australian residency.  In return for these concessions, Significant Investor applicants must invest at least AUD5,000,000 in a “complying investment” which will include State/Territory Government bonds, ASIC-regulated managed funds that invest in Australian assets and direct investment in actively-operating Australian businesses which meet the “qualifying business” test.

If you are in this stream, after entering Australia, you must provide valuable input to the Australian economy. You must:

• obtain and maintain substantial ownership in a business in Australia
• participate, at a senior level, in the day-to-day management of that business.
• In the business, you must also do at least one of the following:
  • develop business links with international markets
  • create or maintain employment in Australia
• exporting Australian goods
• produce goods or services that would otherwise be imported
• introduce new or improved technology
• add to commercial activity and competitiveness within sectors of the Australian economy.

The department may ask you to complete a monitoring survey about your business activities in Australia.

This visa has two streams.

• The Significant Business History stream is for affluent owners or part owners of a business who want to have a major management role in a new or existing business in Australia. They need to show a minimum $1.5 million in net assets and ownership involvement in a business turning over at least $3 million per year
• The Venture Capital Entrepreneur stream is for people who have obtained at least AUD1 million in funding from an Australian venture capital firm.