Visa Details

For business people who have an approved sponsor in Australia.

This visa allows a business person who has an approved sponsor in Australia, to make a short business visit to Australia for up to (3) three months. Business activities may include a conference, negotiation or exploratory business visit.

This visa is for business people who have an approved sponsor in Australia and are not eligible to apply for an eVisitor and Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).

An approved sponsor is:

• a member of an Australian parliament (Commonwealth, State or Territory)
• an authorised person representing a Commonwealth, State or Territory government department or instrumentality
• a local government mayor or
• a representative from an approved organisation that has been gazetted by the Minister.

For information about how your organisation can become an approved sponsor, contact your local Business Centre.

There is a non-refundable visa application charge to be paid for this visa application. The sponsor makes the payment on behalf of the business visitor when lodging the application in Australia.

A business person granted this visa can:

• attend to business activities in Australia including conferences, business negotiations or exploratory business visits
• enter and leave Australia once or on multiple occasions during the visa validity period
• stay in Australia for up to three months from the date of each entry
• bring your spouse or dependent children to Australia

This visa offers business people, delegations and Australian sponsors a streamlined visa processing service to make a short business visit to Australia. A sponsor can sponsor several business visitors at the same time.

The table below summarises the responsibilities of the sponsor and the business visitor.

Who	Description of Responsibilities
Business visitor	Completes the relevant form and forwards it to the sponsor in Australia for lodgement. Agrees to meet all conditions on their visa (once approved).
Sponsor	Lodges the relevant forms in Australia and the visa application charge. Lodges a security bond if required. Guarantees the purpose of the visit by the business visitor. Guarantees the period of stay of the business visitor. Guarantees that the business visitor will abide by their visa conditions (once approved).

Security bond

In most cases a security bond is not required. However, the sponsor may be requested to lodge a security bond for a business visitor and their family members. The amount of the security bond is determined on a case-by-case basis and is generally between AUD$5,000 and AUD$15,000 per person. The sponsor nominates a person to lodge the security bond. The department advises the nominated person in writing if the security bond is required.

The security bond is returned after the business visitor departs Australia within the validity of their visa. If the business visitor fails to comply with any of the visa conditions, the bond may be forfeited.

Notes:

• A third party who is not the sponsor, can provide the security bond, if they are 18 years of age or older.
• Having a sponsor does not guarantee that the visa will be granted. Each business visitor must meet all the eligibility requirements.

Working

Work is generally not allowed, however, you may be allowed to engage in limited work if for example it is highly specialised and non-ongoing (generally less than six (6) weeks).

The business visitor cannot undertake work that can be done by an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

For more information about work rights on this visa, contact an office of the department.

Bringing family

Business visitors can include family members in their visa application. Family members are their spouse and dependent children. Family members are not able to work in Australia.

Studying

A business visitor and their family members cannot undertake a course of study that leads to a formal primary, secondary or higher education qualification. Other limited studies are allowed.

Health insurance

It is recommended that business visitors take out health insurance for themself and their family members to cover their time in Australia. They will not be covered by Australia’s national health scheme, unless their country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia. Reciprocal medical arrangements exist with some countries. These are explained on the Medicare Australia website.

Visa validity period

A business visitor and their family members can stay in Australia for three months from the date they first enter Australia. The dates will be specified on the visa label in their passport and in the visa grant letter. The visa may be granted for a single entry or multiple entries to Australia.

Extending your stay

A business visitor cannot extend this visa after they arrive in Australia. If they need to stay longer than three months for business reasons, they should apply for the Business (Long Stay) visa. The Business (Long Stay) visa is valid for between three months and four years.

Other visa options

Business

A business visitor should apply for a Business (Short Stay) visa (subclass 456) if they:

• do not have a sponsor in Australia
• are not eligible to apply for an Business Electronic Travel Authority and
• intend to visit Australia for up to three months.

Doctors

If a person is coming to Australia to work as a doctor, they should apply for a medical practitioner’s visa.

Sponsor Eligibility

Who can be a sponsor?

To sponsor a business visitor to Australia you must be:

• an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• aged 18 years of age or older
• living in Australia.

You must also be one of the following:

• a member of an Australian parliament (Commonwealth, State or Territory)
• an authorised person representing a Commonwealth, State or Territory government department or instrumentality
• a local government mayor or
• a representative from an approved organisation that has been gazetted by the Minister.

Becoming a sponsor

For information about how your organisation can become an approved sponsor, contact your local Business Centre.

Business Visitor / Main Applicant Eligibility

To be eligible for this visa, a business visitor must meet all of the following requirements:

• be applying from outside Australia
• have a sponsor in Australia to guarantee they are making a genuine business visit
• state the activities they intend to perform in Australia on their application.
  Note: These activities must not adversely affect the employment or training opportunities of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

Personal attributes and business background

The business visitor’s personal attributes and business background must be relevant to their business activities in Australia. They may be asked to provide evidence:

• of educational or professional qualifications
• of current employment and their intended role during their visit to Australia
• to show that the company they work for is an actively operating business
  Examples: business registration certificate, annual report or details of previous contacts with Australian business people or organisations.

Purpose of visit

The business visitor may be asked to provide evidence of why they need to visit Australia on business. Evidence may include:

• a letter of invitation from their host organisation in Australia
• conference registration details
• their employment contract
• a letter from their employer stating the reasons for their visit
• their itinerary with contact details of the business parties involved.

Financial requirements

The business visitor must have enough funds to support themself and their family members during their stay in Australia. They may be asked to provide evidence including:

• bank statements
• a letter from a financial institution stating their financial position
• return or onward air tickets.

Health requirements

The business visitor must meet certain health requirements and may need to undergo a health examination. They will need to include the results of medical tests with their application, if required.

Character requirements

The business visitor must meet character requirements.

Debts to the Commonwealth

The business visitor must have no outstanding debts to the Commonwealth of Australia.

Family Member Eligibility

To be eligible for this visa, the family members accompanying the sponsored business visitor must:

• be outside Australia when the application is lodged
• be covered by the sponsorship provided to the business visitor guaranteeing their visit to Australia
• meet the health requirements
• meet the character requirements
• have no debts to the Commonwealth of Australia
• have adequate financial support to cover their stay in Australia
  Note: The business visitor is responsible for providing financial support for family members.

Sponsor Obligations

Sponsors must ensure that the people they sponsor are genuine business visitors.

They must also take responsibility for:

• ensuring that the business visitor complies with all relevant legislation and awards covering their employment in Australia
• ensuring that the business visitor and their family members comply with all the conditions of their visa while in Australia.

If a business visitor does not abide by the conditions of their visa, the sponsor must advise his/her local Business Centre.

Business Visitor / Main Applicant Obligations

The business visitor must comply with the following obligations while in Australia on this visa.

Visavalidity

A business visitor can stay in Australia for three months from the date they first enter Australia. They must leave Australia before the visa expires. The business visitor cannot apply to stay longer in Australia on a further visa of this type.

Visa conditions

The business visitor is not able to:

• work in Australia except in very limited circumstances
• undertake work in Australia that can be done by an Australian citizen or resident
• perform activities other than those stated in their visa application
• remain in Australia beyond the expiry date of their visa
• undertake formal study or training in Australia that leads to a primary, secondary or higher education qualification.

Note: If the business visitor intends to study a short course in a classroom environment for longer than four weeks, they may be required to have a health examination before the course starts.

This visa may be granted with a No Further Stay condition. This means no other visa will be granted (except for a Protection visa) to extend the visit while the business visitor is in Australia.

Family Members

Family members of a sponsored business visitor must comply with the following requirements while in Australia on this visa.

Visa validity

Family members can stay in Australia for three months from the date they first enter Australia. They must leave Australia before their visa expires. They cannot apply to stay longer in Australia on a further visa of this type.

Visa conditions

Family members are not able to:

• work in Australia
• remain in Australia beyond the expiry date of their visa
• undertake formal study or training in Australia that leads to a primary, secondary or higher education qualification
  Note: If they intend to study a short course in a classroom environment for longer than four weeks, they may be required to have a health examination before the course starts.

This visa may be granted with a No Further Stay condition. This means family members will not be granted any other visa (except for a Protection visa) to extend their visit while they are in Australia.