Business Owner Category Visa Business skills Australian visa applicants with a proven background as a business owner may apply for an Australian visa under the business owner category. A temporary provisional visa will first be issued and an application for a permanent residence Australian visa can then be lodged if the entrant is eligible. Eligibility for Provisional Visa To apply for a provisional business owner visa, you must: have had a generally successful business career, have net assets in a business of at least A$200,000 for at least 2 of the last 4 fiscal years, have had an annual business turnover of at least A$500,000 for at least 2 of the last 4 fiscal years, have business and personal assets with a net value of at least A$500,000 available for transfer to Australia within 2 years after the grant of your visa, be under 45 years of age, be able to communicate fluently in the English language, not be engaged in a business where your primary focus was the personal provision of professional, technical or trade services, not have a history of business or investment practices which are not accepted in Australia, be committed to establishing, owning and managing a qualifying business in Australia, and demonstrate a need to be in Australia for the purposes of establishing and conducting the relevant business activity. Eligibility for Permanent Residence To apply for permanent residence, you must: be the holder of the relevant provisional visa for a period of at least one year in the two years immediately before your application was lodged, have substantial ownership and involvement in the management of one or more businesses in Australia for at least 2 years immediately prior to your application, have met your Australian tax obligations with certified copies of your Business Activity Statements included in your application, have net assets in the main business of at least A$100,000 for the 12 months prior to your application, have had an annual business turnover of at least A$300,000 for the 12 months prior to your application, have employed 2 full-time employees who are Australian citizens, permanent residents or New Zealand passport holders (not including members of your family), and have business and personal assets in Australia with a net value of at least A$250,000 for the 12 months prior to your application.