Freedom of Information Request – FA 23/03/00888
Current automatic reply for the inbox of business skills Adelaide email inbox and business
innovation email inbox.
When emailing this mailbox, include your file number in the subject line as well as your application
identifier. Your file number is in the format BCC20XX/XXXX
Information included in this auto-response relates only to the following Skilled visas:
•
Business Innovation and Investment (subclass
188) (Provisional)
•
Business Innovation and Investment (subclass
888) (Permanent)
•
Business Talent (subclass
132)
•
Business Skil s (subclasses
890,
891,
892 and
893)
Enquiries about other visas may be saved to your departmental record but wil not be actioned further.
You should direct your enquiry to the relevant business area.
Please read this auto-response careful y as most questions you may have wil be answered in the
following information.
Application status enquiries
Status enquiries
will not receive a further response.
We wil also not acknowledge receipt of documents.
This automatic response is confirmation that
we have received your email.
We are unable to provide updates on the status of individual applications; however; this email
provides information about average processing times and priority processing arrangements.
Processing times
Updated processing times are available on the Department’s website
at: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-
times.
Visa processing times are updated monthly, providing you with an
indicative timeframe for
processing applications.
Applicants should be aware that the processing time for some visa applications
may exceed the
average processing time. This is because each visa subclass contains applications that have a
different processing priority. Your visa may also take longer to process if:
•
information required for your application is incomplete or missing, or
•
your application is complex
Processing priorities
As you may be aware, the processing of certain Skil ed visa applications is subject to both Migration
Program planning levels and priority processing arrangements set by the Minister which determine
the order in which the applications are processed.
Reducing the number of on hand visa applications is a priority for the Australian Government. The
Department of Home Affairs processes applications in line with the Government’s commitment to
supporting economic recovery and addressing skil s shortages.
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The Department must process applications in accordance with planning levels and processing
priorities.
As you may be aware, the planning level for the Business Innovation and Investment Program for
2022-23 is 5,000 visa places. This planning level ensures that the 2022-23 permanent Migration
Program is focused on addressing immediate workforce shortages, while stil providing visa places to
business and investor migrants who have innovative ideas that may help Australian businesses to
increase productivity.
The Department continues to process all valid Business Innovation and Investment visa applications,
in line with annual planning levels and in accordance with the new processing priorities to support
economic recovery and address skil s shortages.
Information regarding Migration Program planning levels is available at:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels
Information regarding the processing priorities is available on the Department’s website at:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/skilled-visa-processing-
priorities.
The current processing priorities came into effect from 28 October 2022 and apply to applications
lodged with the Department on or after this date. They also apply to applications that were lodged
with the Department before this date and are not finalised including those in the final stages of
processing.
Providing documents
This information is for applications being processed by BIIP Program Delivery South Australia
(Adelaide Business Skills) only.
If your business or investment activity is located in the People's Republic of China, Macau, Hong
Kong or Taiwan you must send your documents to the Australian Consulate General Hong Kong.
You should provide all supporting documentation as soon as possible after lodging your application as
sending a request for further documents is at our discretion.
We are not required to request further
documents before making a decision on an application.
Required documents for Business Innovation and Investment visas
Application checklists and information about required supporting documentation is available on our
website:
•
Subclass 132 applications
•
Subclass 188 applications
•
Subclass 888 applications
Provide a selection of documents and supporting evidence that are specific to your claims and the
visa criteria. Providing excessive or irrelevant supporting material, or submitting incomplete
documentation, wil extend the processing time of your application.
How do I provide the documents?
Documents should be provided through ImmiAccount where possible, or via email to:
business.skil x.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx where ImmiAccount is unavailable.
You must provide either clear, colour scans or photos of documents.
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Documents provided electronical y do not need to be certified copies, but you should be aware we
can later request original documents if required to assess your application.
Our website has instructions about using ImmiAccount including how to attach documents and
acceptable document formats. This information is also relevant to providing documents via email.
Documents cannot be provided via links to cloud and file sharing services and information presented
this way is not before the Department for the purpose of considering an application.
Using ImmiAccount to provide documents
If you submitted your application through ImmiAccount for one of the following subclasses you should
attach all documents to your application in ImmiAccount.
•
Business Innovation and Investment (subclass
188) (Provisional)
•
Business Innovation and Investment (subclass
888) (Permanent) for applications lodged after 1 July
2018
Successfully attached documents wil show as 'Received' in ImmiAccount. Please do not email
duplicate copies to us.
If you reach the attachment limit for an applicant, you can attach more documents to other clients
included in the application.
Using email to provide documents
If you are unable to provide document via ImmiAccount, please provide documents by email to:
business.skil x.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Your Application ID and File Number must be included in the subject line of your email. The file
number is the number commencing BCC20XX/XXXX and was provided in the email acknowledging
your application was received by the Department.
Requesting additional time to provide information
Departmental officers can only provide an extension of time to respond to an invitation to
comment/provide further information before the original timeframe for response expires and the
amount of additional time that can be provided is prescribed in legislation.
Consequently, consistent with visa processing arrangements, requests for further time to respond wil
be considered when the application is reviewed by a departmental officer and not when the request is
received. At that time the officer wil decide whether to issue a further request for information to
provide more time for the application to provide requested information.
Factors relevant to the officer’s decision wil include, but is not limited to, the documentation provided
evidencing the attempts made to obtain the necessary information. Where possible this information
should be attached to the application in ImmiAccount.
Health and Character
If you are unable to provide a police clearance or undertake a medical examination then you should
provide evidence via ImmiAccount/email, such as receipts, that clearly show you have either:
1. Applied for the required police clearances; and/or
2. Made appointments for medical examinations; or
3. Explain you have been unable to do so. For example if your passport is with a government agency
and you are unable to make an appointment for a medical examination.
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Providing evidence that you are seeking to satisfy health and character requirements assists with the
processing of your application for a visa.
Where you have provided evidence through your ImmiAccount/via email in relation to your attempts to
obtain medical appointments and/or police clearances you
do not need to request an extension of
time to provide the clearances - we wil take this into account when we next review your application.
If you have not been requested to undertake a medical examination, there is no need to
contact a visa medical services clinic in Australia or an overseas panel clinic at this time.
When your application is assessed, you wil be advised if a medical examination is required.
Bridging Visas
Lodging a Bridging Visa B (BVB) application
If you are planning to travel and wish to lodge a BVB application, it is recommended that you lodge
your application well in advance of anticipated travel dates otherwise we cannot guarantee your
application wil be approved by the time you need to travel.
If you do travel offshore before you are granted a BVB, your BVB application may be refused and you
wil have to apply for another visa to enter Australia. For further information, please refer to our
website: Explore visa options (homeaffairs.gov.au)
Repeat BVB applications
Do
not lodge repeat BVB applications if you are stil awaiting a decision on a lodged BVB application.
Lodging multiple applications causes unnecessary delays and wil not result in your application being
assessed any faster.
Dependents under 18 years
Any child under the age of 18 years included in a BVB application
must have consent from anyone
who has the legal right to decide where the child lives and is NOT travelling with the child.
Please ensure the following are provided as part of the application:
•
Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years, or a
statutory declaration giving their consent for the child to travel on this visa, and
• a document with the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration (i.e.
passport or driver’s licence)
Failure to provide these documents at time of lodgement wil result in delays with the processing of
the BVB application.
Refer to our website for information on required documents, in particular
Step 2 - “Gather your
documents” of the Step by Step instructions: Subclass 020 Bridging visa B (BVB)
(homeaffairs.gov.au)
Holder of a BVC needing to travel offshore urgently
As compelling compassionate circumstances are not covered under the Bridging Visa regulations,
there are no grounds under which a holder of a Bridging Visa C wil be eligible for a grant of a
Bridging Visa B.
You wil be able to travel out of Australia on a Bridging Visa C, but this visa does not allow you to re-
enter Australia and you wil have to find a suitable visa if you need to return to Australia. Please visit
Department of Home Affairs site for options. We cannot advise or assist with these alternative visa
options.
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Information for clients unable to make their first entry to Australia (Initial Entry Date)
If you have been granted one of the visas listed above and you are unable to make your first entry
into Australia by the date specified in your Grant Notification letter, please refer to the attached
Facilitation Notice.
We understand there wil be circumstances where visa holders can’t arrive in Australia by the first
entry date. General y you can arrive in Australia after the first entry date, as long as it is before the
“Must not arrive after” date. You wil find the
“Must not arrive after” date in the visa Grant
Notification letter sent when the visa was granted (see example below).
Example:
You do not need to be granted an extension to the initial entry date but you must enter Australia by
the “Must not arrive after” date.
You may wish to carry a copy of the Facilitation Notice when travelling. You may need to show
it to your travel provider or the airline when checking in at the airport, and to the border officer
on arrival in Australia.
This notice should be sufficient evidence for a travel provider to be satisfied that the visa holder can
enter Australia as the holder of a Skil ed Migration visa. If you show this letter to the airline, but stil
have a problem checking-in for your flight, ask the airline representative to contact the Australian
Border Operations Centre (BOC) to resolve the issue.
You can only enter Australia while the visa mentioned above is valid. Information about your visa
validity period is contained in your visa grant notification. You can check your visa details in VEVO:
www.homeaffairs.gov.au/vevo
This office cannot assist with facilitation requests for other visa subclasses. You wil need to contact
the processing office that granted your visa.
If you are a Migration Agent or Legal Practitioner
Emails requesting a pre-lodgement assessment or migration advice wil not receive a response. If you
are a Registered Migration agent or Legal Practitioner and require information on complex policy or
procedural issues, please refer your enquiry through the online form.
If you are an Intending Migrant
Emails requesting a pre-lodgement assessment or migration advice wil not receive a response. For
further information on Skil ed Migration to Australia, refer to the Working in Australia page on the
Department’s website.
You can find information about who can help you with an application for a visa here.
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Current automatic reply for the inbox of business innovation email inbox.
Thank you for your email to the Business Innovation mailbox.
Pre-lodgement & general enquiries sent to this mailbox
will not be responded to, please refer to
Immigration and Citizenship (homeaffairs.gov.au).
This mailbox is provided for advice on
complex policy or procedural questions relating to the Business
Innovation and Investment Program (subclass 188, 888, 132) before the application is lodged.
Al enquires by applicants or potential applicants should be directed to the appropriate contact channel
located at Overview (homeaffairs.gov.au)
Processing Enquiries
Enquiries relating to when an application may be allocated to a decision maker for processing wil not be
responded to. Please refer to:
The current skil ed visa processing priorities can be found on the Department’s website at - Skilled visa
processing priorities (homeaffairs.gov.au)
Current global visa processing timeframes can be found on the Department’s website at - Global visa
processing times (homeaffairs.gov.au)
Applicants should be aware that the processing time for some visa applications
may exceed the average
processing time. This is because each visa subclass contains applications that have a different
processing priority.
Visa processing times are updated monthly, providing you with an
indicative timeframe for processing
applications.
Attention registered migration agents:
Registered Migration Agents / Legal Practitioners are to submit your enquiry directly through the Agents
Gateway at: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/departmental-forms/online-forms/registered-
migration-agents-enquiry-and-feedback.
In your enquiry please provide specific reference to the relevant legislation and/or policy provision.
We will
only provide a response where we receive a clear and complex policy query for which the answer
cannot be found in existing resources in your professional library such as LEGEND.com as well as
information available on our website and Skil ed visa newsletters
Email enquiries from Migration Agents/Legal Practitioners sent directly to this mailbox
will not be actioned.
Your enquiry must be submitted through the Agents Gateway as noted above.
Notes:
1. Source: Department of Home Affairs, 2023 (internal documents).
Caveats:
• This information is provided for the specific purpose of this request.
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• It is the responsibility of the area providing Department of Home Affairs information to external
stakeholders to ensure that the disclosure is in accordance with the ABF Act, Australian Privacy
Principles or other relevant legislation.
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