Australian Business Visa Types Explained (2025 Guide)

Thinking of starting a business in Australia as a foreigner? You’ll need a business visa first. Without one, you won’t be able to legally operate a startup or manage an existing business. The good news is that Australia offers a variety of work and skills-based visas to attract budding entrepreneurs like you.

In this blog, we’ll look at business visa requirements and different business visa types. The aim is to provide you with the information you need to get ahead and achieve your business goals.

Table of contents
Why is an Australian business visa needed? Requirements Australian business visa types Recent Australian business visa closures Factors to consider Summary

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Why is an Australian business visa needed?

Foreign nationals and non-residents cannot engage in business activities in Australia — such as launching a startup or investing in a company — without getting a visa first¹.

Attempting to start a business as a foreigner without a visa is against the law and can have serious consequences. It can result in heavy fines and even deportation.

Securing a relevant visa will ensure you don't fall foul of immigration authorities and rules. It will also create the framework for you to legally engage with suppliers, customers, and investors when running your business.

Acquiring an Australian business visa allows you to:

• Register or manage a business in Australia
• Invest in Australian businesses
• Attend business meetings and conferences
• Explore suitable business opportunities and partnerships.

Australia business visa requirements

You’ll need to meet specific eligibility criteria and submit the right documents to apply for an Australian business visa. The exact requirements will depend on the visa type, but typically feature:

Nomination

Certain visas require you to be nominated by the Department of Home Affairs or a state or territory agency. This nomination shows that the government supports your efforts to engage in business activity, such as creating a startup. Foreigners can complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form⁹ to formally clarify their interest in being nominated for a skilled visa.

Valid documents

You’ll need to present valid personal documents — a passport with at least 6 months remaining — and strong evidence of your business acumen to get a visa. Authorities typically request things like business plans and proof of job experience when assessing applications.

Residency requirements

Many visas require non-residents to have lived in Australia for at least one or two years before applying for a relevant business visa. And while not always mandatory, certain applications require you to demonstrate a certain level of English via approved tests.

Eligible visa

For permanent residency visas, a provisional visa is likely to be one of the eligibility requirements. For the Business owner visa (subclass 890) — which recently closed to new applicants — those applying needed one of six relevant subclass provisional visas.

Assets and proof of funds

Some visas require you to meet a certain threshold of income or business assets to apply. You’ll also need to present bank statements, etc. to provide that you have sufficient funds to support your business plans in Australia.

Other essentials depending on the visa include:

• Business ownership evidence (if applicable) with company registration and licenses.
• Business financial records including profit and loss statements, taxation documents etc.
• Any employee details, including wage books and superannuation contribution records.

Additional info: How much money is required for an Australia business visa?

You will have to pay a fee to acquire a visa. The National Innovation visa (NIV), for example, costs AUD 4,840². The amount you pay will depend on the visa, so check that you can afford to purchase one before applying.

Australian business visa types

In 2025, securing a business visa in Australia as a foreigner is harder, but not impossible.

One of the most popular routes to acquiring a business visa — the Business Innovation and Investment program (BIIP) — recently closed to new applicants³.

Generally, there are now fewer avenues to getting a visa for a small business after the government shut down several other schemes and confirmed stricter requirements (and numbers) for migration.

The available visa types include:

National Innovation visa (subclass 858)

The National Innovation visa is Australia’s newest visa program². It replaces the Global Talent visa, which closed in December 2024. The NIV is targeted at exceptionally talented individuals, including entrepreneurs and innovative investors. The bar is high, with the Department of Home Affairs listing four specific priority areas.¹⁰

It is also currently an invite-only scheme.

However, you can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form with information about your education, qualifications, and employment history. If successful, you will then receive an invitation to apply for the visa.

Business Innovation and Investment Permanent visa (subclass 888)

The permanent Business Innovation and Investment visa¹¹ is still open. There are five sub ‘streams’ that make up this visa, each tailored for a specific type of business activity. These are:

• Business innovation stream
• Investor stream
• Significant investor stream
• Premium investor stream
• Entrepreneur stream

Each of these visa costs AUD 3,400. To get one, you must complete the visa application online and hold a relevant subclass 188 visa for a specific time — from 1 to 4 years. There are other strict financial eligibility requirements, mostly targeted at more affluent investors and business people.

Additional info: The Business Innovation and Investment provisional visa (subclass 188) closed to new applicants on 31 July 2024⁴.

Temporary Work Short Stay Specialist visa (subclass 400)

The Temporary Work Short Stay visa¹² lets you stay in Australia for up to 6 months to complete work in a “highly specialised” role. This visa is designed for businesses who cannot find the urgent skill sets they need locally.

To apply, you’ll need to demonstrate that you have very specific, sought-after skills and knowledge by showing a copy of your resume, a list of licenses and qualifications, and a reference from an overseas employer. The visa costs AUD 415⁵.

Skilled Work Regional Provisional visa (subclass 491)

A regional provision visa is one of the better options for small business owners in 2025. The Skilled Work Regional Provisional visa¹³ will grant you a 5-year stay in Australia, where you can live and work in a specific region. However, you will still need to be nominated by an agency and be highly skilled. There are also additional requirements for business owners. This visa costs 4,770 AUD.

Other business visa types

You can find a full list of working and skilled visas on the Home Affairs website. There are 22 in total, though some may not be currently active, so it is best to check the official website for up-to-date details.

Recent Australian business visa closures

The Australian government recently brought the curtain down on several business visa types. These include:

• Business owner visa (subclass 890) - This visa for people who owned or managed a business for 2+ years closed on 21 March 2025⁶.
• Investor visa (subclass 891)- This visa for business and investment activities offering a permanent stay in Australia also ended on 21 March 2025. Home Affairs says applications submitted before this date will continue to be processed⁷.

Unfortunately, it’s now more difficult for aspiring foreign entrepreneurs to establish a foothold in Australia and start a new business.

Some legal experts have also recommended pursuing self sponsorship under the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa. However, this complex pathway has very strict requirements, so it’s not an ideal option for most foreigners.

Factors to consider before applying for an Australian business visa

Before you get the ball rolling with a business visa application, you need to take stock and think about the whole process. Taking the time to prepare can boost your chances of getting an invite or approval and avoid delays.

Here’s what you can do:

• Understand the requirements - Business visa programs and types are currently changing with stricter eligibility requirements and invite-only options. Make sure you fully understand what’s required to apply and that you meet the specific criteria for the chosen visa subclass
• Prepare documents - You don’t want to scramble around for the right documents after you start the process. Take the time to gather the documents you need — personal, business, and finance-related.
• Secure nomination - You might need to get a nomination from a state or agency, and require support and references from employers.
• Consult professionals - As many of the business visa types are shifting, even legal experts ate trying to fully understand the implications. Talk to legal professionals for guidance on your visa.
• Create online account - You’ll need to apply for most visas online. You can track and manage everything using an ImmiAccount — the online portal created by the Department of Home Affairs for electronic visa applications.
• Set up multi-currency business account - A multi-currency account like Wise Business will allow you to manage transactions in Australia and overseas with local bank account details. This will also help with compiling financial statements of cross-border transactions and other invoices when preparing legal documentation related to your business.

With Wise Business, users can have accounts in multiple currencies and integrate the tool with your favorite business accounting software where data gets synced automatically. This makes it easier to consolidate, track, and manage business transactions, which can take the hassle out of documentation when expanding business overseas.

What's more, you'll benefit from the following with a Wise Business account:

• Free to register — Hold and convert between 40+ currencies. Send to 140+ countries
• Debit cards for you and your team, which you can use in 150+ countries
• Multi-user access for team members, with ways to control and manage permissions
• Pay up to 1,000 recipients at once with the Wise batch payments feature
• Integrate with your favourite cloud accounting solutions like Xero, Quickbooks, and more
• Get account details to receive in 8+ currencies for a one-time fee of 65 AUD

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Summary: Choosing the right Australian business visa

Getting an Australian business visa in 2025 can be challenging. There’s lots to sort out for an application and a pretty stringent set of eligibility criteria to meet. However, if you do quality for one of the visa subclasses, it is possible to get what you require with careful planning and the right mix of documentation.

Whatever your plans, you will need a valid business visa to establish and grow your startup and other ventures. If you want to know more about the financial side of launching a business, check out our full guide on the costs of starting a business in Australia.

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Sources:

1. Business gov au - Start a business in Australia
2. Immi Home Affairs - National Innovation visa
3. Immi Home Affairs - BIIP closure and refunds
4. Immi Home Affairs - Business Innovation and Investment Provisional visa
5. Immi Home Affairs - Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa
6. Immi Home Faiirs - Skilled Work Regional Provisional visa
7. Immi Home Affairs - Business owner visa
8. Immi Home Affairs - Investor visa
9. Expression of Interest (EOI) form
10. four specific priority areas
11. Business Innovation and Investment visa
12. Temporary Work Short Stay visa
13. Skilled Work Regional Provisional visa