Essential documents for Standard Business Sponsorship Application in Australia

1. Proving the business’s identity

An applicant for the Standard Business Sponsorship application can be a sole trader, partnership, proprietary company, public company, government department, statutory authority, not-for-profit organization or educational institution.

To prove the entity’s identity, they must include their legal name and their business registration details such as Australian Business Number (ABN) and/or Australian Company Number (ACN).

Accordingly, the applicant must provide their ABN history statement that correctly identifies their legal name. Additionally, they can provide their company incorporation certificate.

2. Demonstrating the applicant’s business is lawful

The applicant must prove that it is legally established, whether in Australia or overseas, and that it is not a shelf company.

To prove that the business is legally established in Australia, the sponsoring employer must provide the following documents:

• Its registration for tax purposes through the Australian Business Number (ABN) history document.
• Its registration of an Australian Company Number (ACN) with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) through an ASIC history statement.
• Certificate of Incorporation issued by the State/Territory authority responsible for registering incorporated associations.
• If the sponsoring applicant is a trustee, the relevant pages of the trust deed which identify the trustee and other parties to the trust, or if the trustee is a company, its ACN or ABN statements.

3.Proving the applicant’s business is ‘operating’

The sponsoring employer must be able to show that it has been operating in Australia or overseas. Accordingly, shelf business albeit registered but not carrying out any business activities cannot apply to become a Standard Business Sponsor. However, if your sponsor’s business is new or a start-up which has been open for less than 12 months, they can still meet this requirement if they provide the correct documents to prove that they have been operating.

The following documents can be provided to meet this requirement:

• Audited balance sheets
• Profit loss statement
• Business Activity Statements
• Business tax returns
• Lease agreement for the business premises
• Evidence of employment of staff
• Annual reports

If the business has been in operation for less than 12 months, it can provide

• Bank statements covering the period of operation
• Contract of sale for purchase of business
• Purchase or lease of equipment, machinery or furniture for the business
• letter of support from the accountant to the business

With the above key documents in hand, your employer can make a successful application to be a Standard Business Sponsor. A Standard Business Sponsorship is granted for a period of five years. During this period, the employer can nominate applicants for the Subclass 482 or Subclass 494 visa.

To schedule a consultation with our experienced immigration lawyer or to seek further assistance, please contact MJ Legal. We are here to support you in every step of your employer-sponsored visa application.