Applying for state sponsorship is the first step in any of the
sponsored business categories. This means that you will need to
apply for sponsorship from the state government of the State in
which you would like to reside and operate a business, or intend
to make a designated investment. The visa category you choose
to apply for will determine what kind of sponsorship application
you should make.
I have an in depth knowledge of each State’s business sponsorship
requirements and I help my clients prepare and lodge state sponsorship
applications which will satisfy these requirements and obtain the
necessary approval.
Although many state government/migration units assert that they
really want to attract business migrants to settle in their State, the
criteria and policy framework they have established for sponsorship
applications can be a confusing so using a migration agent can help
you navigate your way through the process.
One of the most important parts of a State sponsorship application
is the provision of a comprehensive business proposal that
demonstrates the proposed business in Australia is viable, sustainable
and will allow an applicant to meet permanent residency requirements
in the future.
Business proposals must provide sufficient detail and market
research to demonstrate both the technical soundness and
high likelihood of success of the proposed business venture,
financial forecasts and clearly demonstrate the proposed
business is of significant benefit (capital investment, increased
employment, technology transfer, regional or industry
development etc) to the relevant State and Australia on the whole.
As part of my service I provide an in depth service in the preparation and
drafting of the business proposals for my clients.
To date I have completed over 50 business proposals.
Other types of documents that may be required include financial statements
like profit and loss statements, balance sheets prepared by an Accountant,
asset valuations, bank statements showing cash holdings. Each state sets its
own requirements for what types of supporting documents are to be provided
in an application and it is important to provide all documents requested.
Processing times for sponsorship applications vary from
State to State. Generally processing times can be between 4-8 weeks.
This is important to remember particularly for those people intending
to apply for a business visa but very close to turning 55 years of age.
State government do not priority process sponsorship applications
so applicant need to allow sufficent time to complete this stage of the process.
Australia States and Territories offering sponsorship are:-
There are no lodgment fees for sponsorship application,
except the Australian Capital Territory, which charges a
processing fee of AU$550.
In my experience, some states like Western Australia offer
an application process to a potential business migrant
which is easy to follow and satisfy. They also have an office
in London, which offers conditional approval of sponsorship
applications.
This means that a potential applicant can obtain a review of their
sponsorship application prior to lodging a formal application with
the State Migration Centre in Perth. They are provided with feedback
as to what their chances of success would be . This is a useful process
for applicants seeking some reassurance that they are on track in
satisfying the sponsorship requirements.
Miss Genelle Surace, a representative of the WA government is
the Business Migration Trade and Investment Manager of
their European office based in London. For more information on conditional
WA sponsorship approval her contact details are:-
Tel: +44 (20) 7395 0565 Fax: +44 (20) 7240 6637
E-mail: genelle@wago.co.uk Website: www.wago.co.uk
Once you have obtained state sponsorship approval, you are
ready to make your visa application to the Department of
Immigration and Citizenship (”DIAC”).
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/books7.htm
