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Business migrants in demand
If you have a business idea and can back it with a plan to show why you think it will work, then Australia may be willing to welcome you
While it is well documented that Australia's state governments are keen to sponsor skilled migrants who can meet specific shortages in their state, it is also worth remembering, particularly for those of you aged 45 or over, that they are also keen to sponsor business-minded migrants as well – often up to the age of 54.
Providing an applicant can meet all the criteria laid out by the state they are applying to and convince it that their business would be a success, then they could receive sponsorship and therefore need to meet substantially less monetary requirements than those who apply through the federal business system. Emigrate Australia recently caught up with representatives from the Western Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmanian governments to find out how many business migrants their state sponsors a year, whether there is a trend for the kind of businesses that Brits are interested in running and what steps an applicant can take to ensure their proposal will be a success.
Bruno Delfante of Western Australia's Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) says: "The SBDC sponsors around 500 UK business migrants into Western Australia each year. "The UK is our biggest market representing around one third of all business migrants coming into the State. "More business migrants tend to go to WA than to any other state or territory.
"We have an online state sponsorship proposal, which includes a business proposal. Applicants will need to show that they have the management skills to operate and develop their business venture and have done some research into the Western Australia market."
John Angeles of the New South Wales Business Migration Unit says: "For the calendar year ending 2004, the NSW Government sponsored a total of 154 business migrants. There were 14 sponsored from the UK including eight as provisional 163, 164 or 165 visas and six for the 892 permanent residency visa. "For the calendar year ending 2005, the NSW Government sponsored a total of 283 business migrants. There were 25 sponsored from the UK including 14 on provisional 163, 164 and 165 visas and 11 for 892 permanent residency visa "The industry trend for UK applicants seems to be in accommodation, tourism, hospitality type of industry and mostly settle in our coastal regional areas.
"Apart from the above some bring with them the skills, expertise and experience acquired in the UK and set up a similar business here in Australia. "Three important things we generally look for in a successful business plan/proposal are:
1. Consistency of the proposed business with their business background;
2. High-quality and well-researched, preferably during a prior visit to NSW (exploratory research visit prior to making of business plan is recommended but not compulsory); and
3. Justification of financial projections.
"We ask for these because they provide us with some confidence that the business migrant would be successful."
Anthony McHugh of Tasmania's Business and Skilled Migration Export and Market Development Department of Economic Development says: "We welcome business migrants and will take as many as we can get.
"We sponsor between 30–50 business migrants each year, about 20–30 of whom arrive during the same period. We are not difficult about who we sponsor. The main requirement is that people make a research visit first (preferably with their families) to look at business opportunities, education, where to live, etcetera and if possible meet with myself, or another rep from this department, to discuss their business plans.
"It may sound silly but a lot of people apply for sponsorship without ever having visited Tasmania, which I find strange. Once they have visited and decided that this is where they want to live and do business we just ask them to fill out a basic application form and return to us. Then we sponsor. British business migrants are involved in a wide range of businesses but seem to focus on tourism (hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, wildlife parks, eco-tours) and agriculture (dairy, beef and crop farming) – both areas where Tasmania enjoys comparative advantages. We don't make judgements about the applicants business proposal and while we make suggestions it is up to the applicant to be satisfied that what they plan to do will work.
To find out more information about being sponsored for a business visa in any of these three states, visit the following websites:
Western Australia
New South Wales
Tasmania
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14 December 2006