After reading this information, you will be able to learn about full details about Australia business visa. This page shows you all information about Australia business visa through Supporting Innovation in South Australia (SISA) pilot program. This requires no capital and main features are that you can move to Australia in short time without points based system, lower IELTS score and with no particular heftig requirements.
South Australia started this stream for entrepreneurialism and innovation. This program will be run over three years, commencing in November 2018 and ending in November 2021. This is a temporary activity visa with subclass 408.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
There are many certain requirements for example basic documentation to language skills and endorsements to applying, but general are as follows:
- You are under 45 years of age
- You have an innovative idea to start a new business in South Australia
- You meet all good health requirements
- Hold good command of English at a vocational level
- Be endorsed by a South Australian Government entity (Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment)
- You have sufficient funds to support you and your family
PROCESSING TIMINGS
It really depends on you that which type of documents you provide to immigration authority for application. But in general for letter of endorsements it is either
option 1: Service Provider – 8 weeks or option 2: Office of the Chief Entrepreneur – 12 weeks.
For getting visa, Department of Home Affairs has its own processing timings those may may from 2 months to 6 months.
ENDORSEMENT PROCESS REQUIREMENTS
It is a must to get endorsed by South Australian government first to get this business visa. There are many important requirements, which you will have to fulfill in order to get success:
Age
You must be under 45 years of age. Do take in mind the timings of process as till the final endorsement and visa grant you must not be exceeding this age limit.
Commitment to South Australia
You will have to show commitment to South Australia as the main purpose of this program is to increase economic activities in this region. Being a part of innovative business culture, you will have to make sure to reside on primary basis in South Australia.
English Language
You must show certain level of English language abilities. Currently minimum at vocational level. You may submit this with any of the following tests:
| IELTS | International English Language Test System (Academic or General) |
| OET | Occupational English Test (For Health Professionals only) |
| PTE Academic | Pearson Test of English Academic |
| TOEFL iBT | Test of English as a Foreign Language, internet Based Test |
| CAE | Cambridge English: Advanced |
Do remember to present a minimum result of ‘Vocational Level’ that is with following scores in all above mentioned tests:
| English Language proficiency level | IELTS | TOEFL iBT | PTE Academic | OET | Cambridge (CAE) |
| Vocational | 5.0 | Listening & Reading 4.0 Writing & Speaking 14 |
36 | B | 154 |
There are exemptions for English language requirements. Passport holders and citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America, or the Republic of Ireland are exempt from providing an English test result.
Funds
You must show that you have enough money foe settlement in South Australia either for alone yourself or with your family as a whole. You need to show funds in form of cash and assets a kind of combination. On late stages, you will have to show their proofs too that you have kept money in your personal bank account and have full access to it any time. Following are the main requirements as per latest rules:
| Family composition | Offshore Applicant: Combined cash & assets requirement |
Onshore Applicant: Combined cash & assets requirement |
| Main applicant only | Total figure between AUD $ 20,000 – 25,000 | Total figure between AUD $5,000 – 10,000 |
| Main applicant plus one (1) dependent | Total figure between AUD $25,000- 30,000 | Total figure between AUD $ 10,000 – 15,000 |
| Main applicant plus two (2) dependents | Total figure between AUD $30,000 – 35,000 | Total figure between AUD $15,000 – 20,000 |
| Main applicant plus three (3) dependents | Total figure between AUD $35,000 – 40,000 | Total figure between AUD $20,000 – 25,000 |
Where offshore refers to term as an international applicant.
Innovative Business Concept or Proposal
In order to get endorsement success, you must be able to demonstrate that you have an excellent innovative idea or business proposal. Additionally, your business concept demonstrates a clear, competitive advantage, genuine innovation, novel intellectual property or high barriers to entry. Your project must be able to create new jobs in South Australia alongside generating good revenue. One really important thing not to forget is that your project will have at least 50% of its assets and at least 50% of your staff located in South Australia during the period of your Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa.
Ideal Sectors of Business
There are following priority based sectors in which your ideas will be more than accepted and applauded. However, you may bring in addition you other ideas too:
- Defence and Space
- Cyber Security, Big Data, Digital and Blockchain
- Food, Wine and AgTech
- Health and Medical Technology
- Robotics
- Media and Film
Ineligible Sectors
This stream is not open for all types of business concepts. Following are the ideas of businesses which cannot be taken into account while applying for this category 408:
- Cafés and restaurants
- Consulting firms/companies
- Employment agencies
- Export/import businesses/companies
- Franchises
- Foot reflexology
- Massage parlours
- Acupuncture
- Traditional Chinese medicine
- Herbal dispensing businesses
- Geomancy/fengshui business
- Retail
HOW TO APPLY
Here it comes the most important factor of your application process. You will come to know now how to apply for this visa. The success of this visa is divided into to parts:
- You must meet the requirements of South Australia Government
- You meet all requirements of Department of Home Affairs
As a first step, you need to get endorsement form Government of South Australia that you are eligible of this visa stream subclass 408. There are two assessment option that you can choose yourself for endorsement:
- South Australian innovation eco-system service providers; or
- The Office of the Chief Entrepreneur.
Don’t forget that priority will be given to the applicants coming through South Australian innovation eco-system service providers.
APPLICATION PROCESS
I will here breakdown the application process into different steps so that you will be able to understand it better;
Step 1. You must create an online account on Immigration South Australia website by filling in your personal details. Do not forget that you must have these all documents at the time of applying online:
- Your personal passport
- Your English test result such as IELTS
- Financial details of the funds you have available for settlement in South Australia.
- Full details about your business concept, idea or project proposal (see document checklist below for questions asked in the online application form).
Step 2. You will have two choose one of these two options to proceed forward:
Option one. South Australian innovation eco-system service providers (priority option)
Option two. The Office of the Chief Entrepreneur
Step 3. By selecting option one, you may choose to send an initial email directly to the service provider.
- here you have a benefit, you can straight away send an email the provider to briefly explain your business concept and ask if they would be willing to accept and support your business concept/application from you
- Once you have received a positive email response from the service provider, go to Step 4.
If you have chosen option two, you can read further info in step 4.
Step 4. From here on, go to South Australia website to apply for your desired option. They will forward your application to the relevant authority of your choice.
Step 5. Immigration South Australia will notify you about the decision. You will find the decision option in ‘My Applications’ tab. After getting successful endorsement, you will have 60 days to apply to Ministry of Home Affairs.
Step 6. Now you are able to lodge your visa application as you have got endorsement from Government of South Australia. So apply now within 60 days with the Department of Home Affairs:
- Apply under the Australian Government Endorsed Event stream
- Include a copy of the Letter of Endorsement from the Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment (Immigration SA).
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
You can download (click to download) here the main checklist for this visa application.
LIST OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INNOVATION ECO-SYSTEM PROVIDERS
If you are applying for priority option that is applying for endorsement through eco-system providers, then you may email them for your business innovative idea and proposal. Here is the list to contact them:
Innovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC)
OPTION ONE- KEY STEPS FOR APPLYING THROUGH PRIORITY BASED ECO-SYSTEM PROVIDERS
- For getting endorsement from Immigration South Australia, you must be having support from Eco-System providers. As their support will help you getting the endorsement from the South Australian government.
- Before submitting application, go through the websites of the above mentioned eco-system service providers. Choose a providers for you to help you through the process.
- Once you have selected the service provider, you can directly email them about your innovative business idea and business proposal. If they think it is good enough, they can decide to support you and will directly contact you for this purpose.
- Then submit you online application to South Australia Immigration, and then they will forward your business concept, or idea or proposal to your chosen service provider.
- Service provider may take up to 8 weeks to decide on your proposal.
- If the service provider thinks that your proposal is good enough to be supported, it will inform SA immigration authority about it.
- After having OK report from your chosen service provider, SA government will provide you with a letter of endorsement.
- This letter is valid only for 60 days after the date of issuance. You will have to apply to the department of Home Affairs in these 60 days for visa for subclass 408.
- It is strictly advised to apply only when you have this letter of endorsement by the SA government for participating into SISA subclass 408 visa category. Otherwise your application will be rejected straightaway and you will lose your all visa fees paid.
- The Department of Home Affairs then process your visa application, if deems good enough to be given a visa, you and your South Australian government will be provided information about it.
OPTION 2. THROUGH OFFICE OF CHIEF ENTREPRENEUR
- You cannot directly contact the office of chief entrepreneur. You will apply to government of South Australia online and then they will forward your application to the office of chief entrepreneur.
- Assessment in the office of chief entrepreneur office is done quarterly. If your proposal seems good enough to be accepted, the office will inform government of Australia that it is ready to sponsor your proposal.
- And then the same process is applied as in option one. SA government will provide you with a letter of endorsement. This letter is valid only for 60 days after the date of issuance. You will have to apply to the department of Home Affairs in these 60 days for visa for subclass 408. The Department of Home Affairs then process your visa application, if deems good enough to be given a visa, you and your South Australian government will be provided information about it.
THINGS NOT TO FORGET
- It is highly advised to read all information, application terms and conditions, eligibility criteria and requirements and the document checklist before applying and preparing your documents.
- You must be able to upload all supporting documentation in your online application. On the other hand, documents sent or emailed separately from your online application will not be accepted, unless requested by Immigration SA.
- Don’t forget that your uploaded documents must be scanned copies of originals.
- You must provide all documents in English. If not, then provide the official attested English translated documents.
- Upload only required documents as non-essential documents would be deleted and not be taken into consideration.