Temporary Business Visa

Australian Government is committed to assisting successful business people and highly skilled individuals to settle permanently in Australia.

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) has introduced specific initiatives designed to assist Australian businesses obtain overseas staff with a minimum of formalities, and to help overseas people either conduct or establish business in Australia.

These measures recognise that Australian businesses must have access to skills, ideas, contacts and technology from overseas to be successful in today's increasingly global economy. They may need to recruit overseas staff with qualifications and relevant work experience to meet specific skill shortages in Australia.

There are also benefits for Australia in attracting experienced overseas business people to either establish or join businesses in Australia, bringing with them investments, new ideas and the prospect of creating new jobs.

Temporary entry - short stay

The Department of Immigration has established a range of services providing for streamlined entry to Australia of business people applying for either short or long-term temporary stay:

- the Business (short stay) visa may be issued for either single entry or for multiple entry. Holders of a multiple entry visa may make any number of journeys to Australia for up to three months on each occasion. Multiple entry visas may be valid for either up to five years, or the life of the passport (to a maximum of 10 years). Applicants must apply for this visa outside Australia.

- the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) allows tourists and business visitors to obtain visas for Australia at the time they make their travel arrangements. The ETA system is accessible by travel agencies and airlines in the United States, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, United Kingdom and many Asian and European countries.

- - The APEC Business Travel Card provides business people with simplified entry to a number of countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum. Holders must be citizens of one of the participating countries (currently Australia, Chile, Hong Kong China, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Thailand). The card assists the mobility of business people throughout the APEC region.

Temporary stay - long-term visas

Labour Agreements are special arrangements for the overseas recruitment of a specified number of workers, to a defined set of vacancies and criteria. Agreements are negotiated between the Government, employers (and other interested parties, including unions and professional associations). They usually run for three years, with most negotiated for temporary entry only. Entrants under labour agreements receive priority processing.

Regional Headquarters (RHQ) Agreements are for overseas companies choosing Australia as their company headquarters for operations throughout the region. The benefits for the companies include streamlined entry processing, and access to Australia's highly educated and skilled workforce with a multiplicity of language skills and familiarity with a wide range of overseas cultures and business environments.

Business Temporary Entry arrangements cater for employers wishing to sponsor the temporary entry of highly skilled personnel to apply as either:

• a Pre-Qualified Business Sponsor (PQBS) seeking approval to fill an unspecified number of vacancies over an initial period of two years; or
• a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) seeking approval to fill a set number of known or anticipated vacancies. Sponsors must satisfy the Department about their business standing, ability to comply with sponsorship undertakings and the benefit to Australia that will result from the sponsorships.

Temporary Business Visas

Should it be the case that subsequent to a review of the relevant Subclass 457 visa regulations that you consider that you may be eligible for visa grant, or should you seek the provision of further comprehensive and specific details regarding potential compliance with the relevant criteria, certain details regarding compliance may be found at the Department of Immigration Website at: http://www.immi.gov.au/faq/index.htm

If subsequent to a review of all official DIMA information you require assistance in a Subclass 457 visa matter, our office can assess your prospects, forward an application package and either compile a strategy for future compliance or advise as to alternative options.

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