Any experiences out there for 160/163 Visa?

[Guest B H]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has applied for a 160 / 163 Visa ? It is a business skills Visa. I was wondering about experiences with the application process, and also whether there are people who are already living in Aus that can tell me how it worked out employing Australians and doing the required turnover. Also, are there any drawbacks to the Visa 163 (State Sponsored)?.

Thanks I would appreciate any feedback! Bronwyn.

[Queensland Girl]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has applied for a 160 / 163 Visa ? It is a business skills Visa. I was wondering about experiences with the application process, and also whether there are people who are already living in Aus that can tell me how it worked out employing Australians and doing the required turnover. Also, are there any drawbacks to the Visa 163 (State Sponsored)?.

Thanks I would appreciate any feedback! Bronwyn.

Have been here 5 years on the Business Visa.

First two years were a nightmare. We made some really bad business decisions and lost alot of money.

Now- five years later- we have turned the corner.

My husband and I both have our own businesses. We reached our turnover requirements quickly(big difference between turnover and profit!)

We are both extremely happy with our Australian employees. My business partner is an Australian. She has been my Business Partner for three years and is also my closest friend.

My advice- do your homework, and have enough money to see you without an income for at least a year. Take your time- we started making stupid decisions when we became impatient.

As my husband was the main applicant his Business was audited by the DIMIA and we were accepted as citizens last year.

[Guest B H]

Have been here 5 years on the Business Visa.

First two years were a nightmare. We made some really bad business decisions and lost alot of money.

Now- five years later- we have turned the corner.

My husband and I both have our own businesses. We reached our turnover requirements quickly(big difference between turnover and profit!)

We are both extremely happy with our Australian employees. My business partner is an Australian. She has been my Business Partner for three years and is also my closest friend.

My advice- do your homework, and have enough money to see you without an income for at least a year. Take your time- we started making stupid decisions when we became impatient.

As my husband was the main applicant his Business was audited by the DIMIA and we were accepted as citizens last year.

EEk! I think it's very easy to lose your shirt in the first few years, especially since you invest a small fortune in just getting the Visa, LSD trip, etc. Having the reduced spending power with Rands must also take a toll.

One plus is that we will probably eat out less!

Thanks for the advice & I'm glad it's going well for you.

Bronwyn

[Barnone]

Hi BH

Welcome to the site & glad that there is another 160/3 around here, there have been a few but no one else posts regularly on the subject you can see a couple of past ones by searching the subject 160 or 163.

I have been planning our move for nearly a year now.

We started off looking at a 160 because I haven't ever done a business plan since I left Varsity 15 yrs ago ! & didn't want the authorities constantly looking over our shoulder (which is what an IA told us happens with the 163), we just qualified ito assets etc etc & of course the application process is quite a bit more straight forward than the 163 but ... employing 2 permanent residents at a min. AU $ 50 000 each per year was a little daunting for us, so we ditched the 160 plan for a 163 about a month ago, we are trying for NSW first & if they turn us down we will go for Vic ... I am still busy with the research & business plan but feel much more at ease knowing that I would have done all the preparation whilst still in my comfort zone ...

I am told reliably by 163'ers from the british expats forum website (there is an invaluable string here but be prepared to read for about 6 hrs as the string is 241 pgs!)that once the business plan is approved, the state officials leave you alone unless you ask for help or you apply for PR using the 890 or 892.

Enough for now I am still busy with month end, VAT period end & 1/2 year end ... I am told there is more red tape in Aussie , never knew that was possible but at least the red tape works !

feel free to ask any other Q's, I will be glad to assist where I can

be well

_0 aka barnone

[Guest B H]

Hi Barnone, yes it is much nicer in the forum than doing Vat, I agree. I am supposed to be doing my month-end statements this morning... We have also been planning our move for a year. I was surprised about your statement that you have to pay your staff $50,000 on the 160, I didn't see that anywhere and you bet it sounds steep. I would be happy to pay myself that for a start... . We have received State Sponsorship from South Australia and await the final outcome from the Perth Business Skills Processing Centre. I hope there is no minimum salary there that I didn't notice. We didn't find the business plan too onerous, I got the impression they were only too happy to have us (took less than a week to stamp the form, after all our effort).

What business are you in? Are you taking your family with you?

Regards, Bronwyn

[Barnone]

Hi Bronwyn

We are service suppliers to the business tourism/events industry and yourselves ?

ja sorry that figure is a min for 2 employees like real blue collar tea & cleaning people (the dont /won't do both !) but to be even remotely viable we would require substantially more qualified personel and 50 000 is what we could expect to pay incl. super & basic benefits ... I am probably going over the top with the research & plan but this has now become a personal project , iI now one can never be certain about anything but we are going to give ourselves the best possible chance of success & as I said previously would prefer to do the research whilst still in my comfort zone here !

Haven't looked at adelaide or brisbane for some reason as they both seem amazing, perth we loved but not sure if the population size & remote location could sustain us. We need some major corporate head quarters close that we could service any way it is in the hands of the state commerce depts who will decide who wants us ! so have you applied to 2 states ?

Now get back to your statements !

who said working for yourself was lucrative ? Its Sunday you are on double time now !

speak soon

_0

[Guest B H]

Hi Bronwyn

We are service suppliers to the business tourism/events industry and yourselves ?

ja sorry that figure is a min for 2 employees like real blue collar tea & cleaning people (the dont /won't do both !) but to be even remotely viable we would require substantially more qualified personel and 50 000 is what we could expect to pay incl. super & basic benefits ... I am probably going over the top with the research & plan but this has now become a personal project , iI now one can never be certain about anything but we are going to give ourselves the best possible chance of success & as I said previously would prefer to do the research whilst still in my comfort zone here !

Haven't looked at adelaide or brisbane for some reason as they both seem amazing, perth we loved but not sure if the population size & remote location could sustain us. We need some major corporate head quarters close that we could service any way it is in the hands of the state commerce depts who will decide who wants us ! so have you applied to 2 states ?

Now get back to your statements !

who said working for yourself was lucrative ? Its Sunday you are on double time now !

speak soon

_0

Hi Barnone - Hmmm your research into the salary sounds interesting. Wonder if it's as high in Adelaide? I think maybe a little lower. It does sound like you need some major corporate muscle to sustain you. We have a couple of shops in Pretoria that trade in gases, welding consumables, etc. They are actually my husband's. I have a separate business and I import welding commodities from China. Been at it for 2 years now, but I can't say I'm hugely successfull yet! The exchange rate is a problem. Before that I was in banking.

Bye, Bronwyn