WA - Business Migrant Incentive Program

BUSINESS MIGRANT INCENTIVE PROGRAM

About the Business Migrant Incentive Program (BMIP) The Business Migrant Incentive Program (BMIP) is a Western Australian Government program designed to assist qualifying business migrants intending to, or operating a business or investment activity in a regional (based at least 50 km from the Perth CBD) area of Western Australia.

Qualifying Business Migrants

Qualifying business migrants for BMIP purposes are:

• Prospective business migrants electing to engage a Western Australian consultant to prepare a written business proposal, in support of their application for a State sponsored Business Talent or Provisional Business Skills Visa to establish a business or investment activity in a regional (based at least 50 km from the Perth CBD) area of Western Australia.  

Level of Funding

The level of funding is a contribution of up to $1,500 towards the cost of preparation of the written business proposal. The consultant’s fee for preparation of the business proposal is negotiated between the business migrant and the consultant.

Eligibility for Funding

To be eligible for funding a prospective business migrant must qualify for a State sponsored Business Talent or Provisional Business Skills Visa and be able to demonstrate the financial capacity and a genuine commitment to engage in the proposed business or investment activity in a regional (based at least 50 km from the Perth CBD) area of Western Australia; or

Must be a temporary residency business visa holder in a business or investment activity in a regional (based at least 50 km from the Perth CBD) area of Western Australia and qualify for a State sponsored Residence Business Skills Visa business visa.

How to Apply for Funding

To apply for funding for a Migrant Business Proposal the business migrant, migration agent or consultant should supply the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) with all of the following:

• (a) A written quotation from the consultant chosen by the business migrant, addressed to the business migrant and including the consultant’s ABN;
• (b) A completed Applicant Information Sheet (attached) signed by the business migrant and by the migration agent or consultant;
• (c) A copy of the guidelines (attached) issued to the consultant to prepare a business proposal for state sponsorship; and
• (d) A current statement of the assets and liabilities (attached) of the business migrant.

Once all of the correctly completed forms are received by the SBDC, the application will be processed. If funding is approved confirmation will be sent by SBDC to the business migrant, with a copy to the migration agent and consultant, setting out the date by which time the service should be completed. This process may take approximately one week.

It is essential that approval of funding be obtained from the SBDC, prior to the business migrant contracting with the consultant to proceed with the migrant business proposal. BMIP applications will not be approved if the service has already commenced.

Note - The Migrant Business Proposal should be completed within 2 months from the date the SBDC approves funding.

Conditions of Funding

The agreement to prepare a migrant business proposal is a private arrangement between the business migrant and an independent consultant. The SBDC is not a party to any such contract.

If the SBDC approves BMIP funding for the business migrant, that is a separate arrangement between the business migrant and the SBDC. A contribution will only be made towards the cost of preparation of the business proposal if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

• (a) A copy of the consultant’s written business proposal is provided to the SBDC (for retention on SBDC files) before the approved completion date, the proposal meets the SBDC guidelines and is acceptable to the business migrant and the SBDC;
• (b) The business migrant has already paid the consultant any amounts due which exceed the maximum approved BMIP contribution of $1,500 for preparation of the written business proposal;
• (c) The consultant has provided the SBDC with an original invoice from the consultant, made out to the SBDC, for the amount of the approved BMIP contribution (plus GST if applicable). The invoice should contain the consultant’s ABN, the business migrant’s name, the service provided to the client and, if the consultant is registered for GST, should be a valid tax invoice showing the amount of GST payable and SBDC’s ABN (68 066 414 034). The invoice should also certify that no other amounts are owing to the consultant for preparation of the business proposal; and
• (d) The SBDC has been provided with a correctly completed Claim for Payment Form, signed by the business migrant and either the migration agent or the consultant, requesting payment of the BMIP contribution to the consultant. The blank claim form will be sent to the business migrant and the migration agent or consultant with the SBDC’s approval for funding.

Termination of Offer

The SBDC may immediately terminate its BMIP contribution offer if the business migrant fails to:

• Satisfy all of conditions (a) to (d) by the approved completion date;
• Meet day to day financial obligations;
• Meet the terms of the contract with the consultant; and
• Meet the eligibility criteria for BMIP funding.

In such circumstances the SBDC is under no obligation to pay a contribution towards the cost of the business proposal. Progress payments of the BMIP contribution will not be made.

Service Monitoring and Contact

Business migrants receiving assistance through the BMIP may be contacted by the SBDC during the service delivery period, to monitor their progress.

Once the BMIP service is complete the business migrant may also be contacted by the SBDC to ascertain if the service has been useful. An independent survey group carrying out an evaluation of the SBDC’s programs may also contact business migrants annually.

The SBDC is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA).

Information pertaining to the receipt of financial assistance will be tabled in the Western Australian Parliament. This information could include the name of the recipient, the amount of the assistance, the name of the project/activity and possibly a brief description thereof. This could result in requests for more detail to be released publicly.