Hi everyone,
Thought it would be a good idea for anybody thinking about, attempting to, about to or who have already emigrated on a 163 business visa to share their experiences, particularly as it is so difficult to find others to talk to.
Our experience is that we have run our present company for about 5 years here in the UK. We are a small manufacturer and have based our business plan on this experience. We are unsure what to do once over there, ie. carry on with initial business idea or change our plans to something else? As we have not got much capital left (bloody taxman!!) we will need to be very careful with our funds!!
It would be very interesting to get other perspectives and experiences on this visa pathway
Debs x
__________________
BUSINESS VISA 163
At least I'm not wondering anymore!
Going home - 12th December 08
At last someone else on a Business Visa!! We are also applying on sponsored visa based on my Husband's business but plan to set up a recruitment business when we get out there as this is what I do now.
We applied for sponsorship in May 07 and after a few suggested tweaks we relodged and got sponsorship from WA governement in Sept 07. We then lodged the main visa app at the end of Nov 07 and are now just waiting. It's so hard living in limbo not knowing if you are going or not, when to sell the house, when to tell the kids schools, when to try and sell my business etc.!
Yours seemed to get processed quickly in the end tho. How soon after lodging the main app did you requests for PCs and medicals?
We are looking to apply for a 163 business visa, just weighing up whether or not to use a migration agent, my friends just applied for a skilled visa without one but not sure if its much more complicated with a business visa? My husband owns a cleaning and catering business but he's not sure if he wants to do this in oz fancies a change but I think it makes it even more daunting so not sure. Like you say Debs stick to what you know. Do you have strict conditions with your visa or can you change your mind on the type of business at anytime?
Have you been set financial targets because thats another worry, if so how tough are they to achieve.
So many questions, sorry
Just wondering if you have any advice on applying for sponsorship we are looking to go to Perth although planning to go on a look see at the end of the year if we can afford it!!!
Any advice will be greatly appreciated, Thanks Debs for your pm.
Hopefully we can information share, I'm researching all the time.
Are you looking to go with some set action plan of what you need to do in various timescales with regard to your business or will you have a settling in period?
Sorry I could go on forever and ever
It's great to find someone going on the same visa, I did a thread re: 163 visa weeks ago and only received a reply from you Debs (bunnyboo) so must not be many of us out there!!!
Thanks Amy
At last someone else on a Business Visa!! We are also applying on sponsored visa based on my Husband's business but plan to set up a recruitment business when we get out there as this is what I do now.
We applied for sponsorship in May 07 and after a few suggested tweaks we relodged and got sponsorship from WA governement in Sept 07. We then lodged the main visa app at the end of Nov 07 and are now just waiting. It's so hard living in limbo not knowing if you are going or not, when to sell the house, when to tell the kids schools, when to try and sell my business etc.!
Yours seemed to get processed quickly in the end tho. How soon after lodging the main app did you requests for PCs and medicals?
Great to find someone else who's been through it!
Sare
Hi Sare,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you... mostly caused by issues over trying to sell the business. It is turning out to be a right pain in the bum!!
Is your's a limited company? We have been advised to sell on a share option basis as after taxation we may has well just given it away!! Our buyer hasn't confirmed his intentions yet!! It's driving me insane... one minute we're taking all the machinery with us but no money.. the next we think the business is sold?? Hubby's blood pressure is going thru the roof!!
RE: Pc's and med's, looking back over past emails it looks about 2 months gap between checks being requested. I guess your's must either be with you or very soon.
I was curious as to the type of business your husband has in the UK, does he have machinery, employees etc...? has he closed the business down yet.. and why have you decided against starting this same type of business again.
Speak to you soon,
Debs x
__________________
BUSINESS VISA 163
At least I'm not wondering anymore!
Going home - 12th December 08
We are looking to apply for a 163 business visa, just weighing up whether or not to use a migration agent, my friends just applied for a skilled visa without one but not sure if its much more complicated with a business visa? My husband owns a cleaning and catering business but he's not sure if he wants to do this in oz fancies a change but I think it makes it even more daunting so not sure. Like you say Debs stick to what you know. Do you have strict conditions with your visa or can you change your mind on the type of business at anytime?
Have you been set financial targets because thats another worry, if so how tough are they to achieve.
So many questions, sorry
Just wondering if you have any advice on applying for sponsorship we are looking to go to Perth although planning to go on a look see at the end of the year if we can afford it!!!
Any advice will be greatly appreciated, Thanks Debs for your pm.
Hopefully we can information share, I'm researching all the time.
Are you looking to go with some set action plan of what you need to do in various timescales with regard to your business or will you have a settling in period?
Sorry I could go on forever and ever
It's great to find someone going on the same visa, I did a thread re: 163 visa weeks ago and only received a reply from you Debs (bunnyboo) so must not be many of us out there!!!
Thanks Amy
Hi again Derbys,
Are you still contemplating the 163 visa??
The only restrictions we have got is that we stay in Queensland (this is where we want to be anyway) and that we meet certain criteria (employ 1 x aus citizen, or have net personal and business assets equivalent to about £k107 or approx £32k invested in business AND turnover of about £86k pa ** I have converted dollars to sterling but this was quite a while ago so these figures would be lower!!**). We have 4 years on the temp visa and must have been trading 2 of those before making an application for permanent residency. All the criteria has to be met within 12 months of the application.
Initially we had a plan but we're a bit up and down at the moment... hubby can work on the visa as the application was made in my name so hopefully we won't go hungry, but we don't expect an easy ride either!!
Get back to me and let me know how you're getting on !!
debs x
__________________
BUSINESS VISA 163
At least I'm not wondering anymore!
Going home - 12th December 08
Hi Sare,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you... mostly caused by issues over trying to sell the business. It is turning out to be a right pain in the bum!!
Is your's a limited company? We have been advised to sell on a share option basis as after taxation we may has well just given it away!! Our buyer hasn't confirmed his intentions yet!! It's driving me insane... one minute we're taking all the machinery with us but no money.. the next we think the business is sold?? Hubby's blood pressure is going thru the roof!!
RE: Pc's and med's, looking back over past emails it looks about 2 months gap between checks being requested. I guess your's must either be with you or very soon.
I was curious as to the type of business your husband has in the UK, does he have machinery, employees etc...? has he closed the business down yet.. and why have you decided against starting this same type of business again.
Speak to you soon,
Debs x
]
Hi Debs
My Husband has a car and commercial spares business which his business partner is going to continue running when we're gone so fortunately we don't have the pressure of trying to sell that. What business are you in? We decided against it because it is very paper intensive i.e buying goods in and reselling whereas with my recruitment business there is little overhead and the margins are great.
It's already been 3 and a half months since we lodged so every day I'm praying they are going to ask us to go for meds.
Hi Sare,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you... mostly caused by issues over trying to sell the business. It is turning out to be a right pain in the bum!!
Is your's a limited company? We have been advised to sell on a share option basis as after taxation we may has well just given it away!! Our buyer hasn't confirmed his intentions yet!! It's driving me insane... one minute we're taking all the machinery with us but no money.. the next we think the business is sold?? Hubby's blood pressure is going thru the roof!!
<snip>
Debs x
If you are concerned about CGT on the disposal of the business you should be aware that a disposal of a chargeable asset (eg your shares in the company) in a UK tax year when you are never resident or ordinarily resident is outside the charge to UK CGT, so long as you do not then return to the UK within 5 complete tax years of departure.
Maybe consider taking some tax advice that also has regard to the Australian tax position? If you are interested: Collett & Co
Best regards.
__________________
Managing Director, Go Matilda, http://www.gomatilda.com
Registered Migration Agent Number 0102534 and Chartered Accountant (England & Wales, and Australia)
Offices in the UK and in Australia
If you are concerned about CGT on the disposal of the business you should be aware that a disposal of a chargeable asset (eg your shares in the company) in a UK tax year when you are never resident or ordinarily resident is outside the charge to UK CGT, so long as you do not then return to the UK within 5 complete tax years of departure.
Maybe consider taking some tax advice that also has regard to the Australian tax position? If you are interested: Collett & Co
Best regards.
Hi Alan,
Yes, you're right.. we desperately need some financial advice from somebody who understands our position. I will contact you on Monday when I have my business head back on.. and hopefully hubby hasn't had a heart attack!!
Debs x
__________________
BUSINESS VISA 163
At least I'm not wondering anymore!
Going home - 12th December 08
