Greater access to APEC Business Travel Card
Thursday, 01 November 2012
Greater access to APEC Business Travel Card
More small and medium-sized businesses will now have access to the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC), the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, announced today.
Under the stage 2 eligibility criteria, businesses will be able to have their organisation or business entity certified by an approved body as being genuinely engaged in international trade or investment in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region.
'This better recognises the broad range of employees on which businesses rely to conduct trade and investment activities on their behalf,' Mr Bowen said.
'It also ensures that most small to medium-sized businesses can enjoy the same level of access to the ABTC as large global companies.
'The ABTC is an important tool, as it saves businesspeople the time and effort involved in applying for individual visas or entry permits each time they wish to travel for business.'
Through a single application form, the ABTC allows accredited businesspeople to travel for short-term visits to other APEC economies over a three year period.
The two approved bodies announced under stage 2 are the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). Details of the certification process can be found on their and DIAC's websites.
This follows the implementation of stage 1 eligibility criteria that allow applications from businesses recognised as being engaged in trade in the APEC region. For example, businesses with an Export Market Development Grant or on the current Forbes Global 2000 business list.
The ABTC scheme commenced in March 1999 in response to the need for businesspeople to gain streamlined entry to other economies within the Asia-Pacific region. The scheme contributes to APEC's goal of free and open trade. In the 2011-12 program year, the number of ABTCs issued to Australian nationals was 16 247, a slight increase over 2010-11.
More information about the ABTC and Australia's eligibility arrangements can be found on the department's website.
See: APEC Business Travel Card Eligibility
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/cb/2012/cb191387.htm
Last update: Thursday, 01 November 2012 at 10:16 AEST