The Tasmanian Business Migration State Nomination Program recognises the significant contributions business migrants make to Tasmania’s economic growth and cultural diversity.
The nominations offered are the Business Innovation and Entrepreneur Streams.
The program seeks successful business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs with the ability to operate businesses and develop business concepts that will genuinely benefit Tasmania’s economy.
Business Innovation stream (Subclass 188/888)
Eligibility
Under the Business Innovation stream, Migration Tasmania is seeking interest from successful business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs with the ability to operate businesses and develop business concepts that will genuinely benefit Tasmania’s economy through:
- innovation and new technologies, and
- enhancing industry capabilities.
When considering proposals, Migration Tasmania will also give high regards to the following:-
- Generation of significant flow-on opportunities for the Tasmanian economy, including trade expansion and the creation and/or retention of local jobs.
- Partnership with at least one business partner who is a permanent resident or an Australian citizen.
- Likelihood that the initiative would not otherwise proceed without the direct involvement of the applicant.
- Environmentally sustainable initiatives.
- Investment in key sectors that will benefit Tasmania’s economy which include, but are not limited to:
- aquaculture
- agriculture and agribusiness
- circular economy
- minerals and mining
- forestry, timber, and wood products
- Antarctic and marine science
- health and medical science
- science and technology
- space
- information and communication technology
- creative industries
- tourism and hospitality
- heritage management and restoration
- renewable energy
- bio renewal/ waste recycling
- food production
- hydrogen (engineering and construction)
- extractive industries
Exclusions
The following business activities will generally be excluded under the Business Innovation stream:
- passive investment
- general importing
- real estate property investment and development
- export of commodities and scrap metal
- mining service operations (administration services for the mining sector)
- setting up an existing franchise
Nomination Criteria
To be nominated for a subclass 188 visa under the Business Innovation stream you must:
- be able to meet the visa requirements for a subclass 188 visa under the Business Innovation stream published by the Department of Home Affairs;
- be a successful business owner or innovator proposing a new business or partnering with an existing Australian business partner to develop new technologies or innovations, enhance industry capabilities, or offer a product or service with a distinct point of difference, which is suited to Tasmanian conditions;
- be able to invest at least AUD200,000 to establish a new business or purchase an existing business in Tasmania;
- have a realistic, well-researched and plausible business plan;
- demonstrate that you have or can acquire the relevant knowledge, skills, experiences, qualifications, licences etc. to undertake senior level day-to-day and strategic management of the business in Tasmania;
- have sufficient funds to settle in Tasmania;
- intend to live in Tasmania and contribute to Tasmania’s economy while you hold a subclass 188 visa associated with Tasmanian nomination; and
- agree to the nomination undertakings.
If partnering with an Australian-based business partner:
- You must demonstrate your genuine commitment to invest with an Australian-based business partner to either enhance an existing business or start a new business in Tasmania.
If investing in an existing business in Tasmania:
- The business must not be a franchise.
- You must provide evidence of the agreement to invest.
If introducing technologies and innovations with existing patent and trademarks to Tasmania:
- You must have ownership of the relevant patents and/or trademarks from an authorised governing body, or you can use the technology without breaching intellectual property rights laws.
If you need an age waiver and/or special endorsement:
If you are seeking an age waiver for exceptional economic benefit or 10-point special endorsement for unique and important benefit, you must demonstrate that your proposed business is of unique and important benefit to Tasmania. It must:
- be substantially different or innovative compared with existing businesses; or
- allow Tasmania to gain some significant competitive advantage that it does not currently have; or
- demonstrate that you have exceptional qualifications and experience linked to the business (i.e. the business cannot proceed without you).
Entrepreneur stream (Subclass 188/888)
Eligibility
Under the Entrepreneur stream, Migration Tasmania is seeking interest from entrepreneurs to develop an endorsed innovative business concept and undertake entrepreneurial and/or start-up activities in Tasmania.
Your business concept must promote innovation and new technology, or enhance industry capability and:
- be an untested or unknown business model; or
- include the ability to scale up and down without significant human resources.
When considering proposals, Migration Tasmania will also give high regards to the following:-
- Activity related to one or more of the following sectors:
- renewable energy (including hydrogen and bio energy).
- bio renewal/waste recycling (including circular economy)
- defence and space
- aquatech, agtech and marinetech
- robotics, advanced and additive manufacturing
- digital technology, including cyber security, big data, blockchain and lot internet of things
- health and medical technology, particularly those that support current research projects (i.e. dementia, population health studies, survival in extreme environments)
- creative industries.
- The business concept demonstrates a clear, competitive advantage, genuine innovation, novel intellectual property, or high barriers to entry.
- Entrepreneurs with higher academic degrees such as master’s degrees and/or PhDs relevant to the proposed entrepreneurial activity.
- The business concept has strong potential to create local employment, new skills and/or export revenue for Tasmania.
Exclusions
Proposals related to the following business areas will generally be excluded under the Entrepreneur stream:
- cafés and restaurants
- consulting firms/companies
- employment agencies
- export/import businesses/companies
- franchises
- foot reflexology
- massage parlours
- acupuncture
- traditional chinese medicine
- herbal dispensing
- geomancy/fengshui
- retail
- residential real estate or labour hire
- purchase of an existing business or franchise.
Nomination Criteria
To be nominated under the Entrepreneur stream for a subclass 188 visa you must:
- be able to meet the Department of Home Affairs visa requirements for the Entrepreneur stream;
- demonstrate in-depth knowledge, expertise, or a track record in developing the product or service you are targeting;
- provide personal funding contribution of at least AUD50,000 towards the proposed entrepreneurial activity;
- demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to settle in Tasmania;
- if currently in Australia, hold a visa with work rights that will allow you to engage in the proposed business concept in Tasmania while waiting for the outcome of a subclass 188 visa application;
- intend to live in Tasmania and contribute to Tasmania’s economy and community while you hold a subclass 188 visa associated with Tasmanian nomination; and
- you must agree to the nomination undertakings.
If you need an age waiver:
Requests for age waiver under the Entrepreneur category will be considered on a case by case basis and supported in exceptional circumstances only. You must demonstrate why your proposal would be of exceptional economic benefit to Tasmania.
For further information on Business Migration in Tasmania, kindly contact our Melbourne office at +61450 772380 or our KL office at 03-23002380 / 012-2381380 or email to: info@auslife.com