Business and Investment Visas

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Visa

(subclass 188)

Business Innovation Stream

With this visa, you can...

operate a new or existing business in Australia
bring eligible members of your family with you
apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) in the Business Innovation stream

You must

score at least 65 on the points test
provide proof of your business success (annual turnover, ownership interest)
You, your partner, or you and your partner together, have total net business and personal assets of at least:
- AUD1.25 million if you were invited to apply for this visa on or after 1 July 2021
- AUD800,000 if you were invited to apply for this visa before 1 July 2021

Investor Stream

With this visa, you can

carry out business and investment activity in Australia
bring eligible members of your family with you
apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Investor stream if certain requirements are met

You must

be nominated by a State or Territory government agency to invest at least
- AUD2.5 million that meets certain requirements if you were invited to apply on or after 1 July 2021
- AUD1.5 million in an Australian State or Territory if you were invited to apply before 1 July 2021
score at least 65 on the points test
have net business, investment and personal assets of at least AUD2.5 million

Significant Investor Stream

With this visa, you can

carry out investment activity in Australia
apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Significant Investor stream if certain requirements are met.

You must

be invited to apply for this visa
be nominated by a State or Territory government agency or Austrade to invest at least AUD5 million that meets certain requirements and have a genuine intention to hold that investment for the life of your provisional visa
have a genuine intention to live in the State or Territory whose government agency nominates you

Business Innovation Extension Stream

With this visa, you can

operate a new or existing business in Australia
bring eligible members of your family with you
apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Business Innovation stream if you meet certain requirements

You must

hold, or in certain cases must have held a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Business Innovation stream for at least three years or
hold, or in certain cases must have held a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Business Innovation Extension stream and not have held more than one Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Business Innovation Extension stream visa and
be nominated by a State or Territory government agency.

Significant Investor Extension Stream

With this visa, you can

carry out investment activity in Australia
apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Significant Investor stream if certain requirements are met

You must

hold a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor stream and have held that visa for at least 3 years or
hold a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor Extension stream and not have held more than one of these visas and
be nominated by a State or Territory government agency or Austrade

Entrepreneur Stream

With this visa, you can...

carry out entrepreneurial activity in Australia
bring eligible members of your family with you
apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Entrepreneur stream if you meet certain requirements

You must

be nominated by a State or Territory government agency
undertake, or propose to undertake, a complying entrepreneur activity in Australia
show us a business plan for your entrepreneurial activity
have at least competent English

Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Visa

(subclass 888)

Business Innovation Stream

With this visa, you can

continue your business activities that you may have started under your Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa
stay in Australia permanently
work and study in Australia

You must

hold, or in certain cases must have held a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa in the Business Innovation stream, a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa in the Business Innovation Extension stream, a Special Category visa, or, in some cases, a subclass 457 visa
meet certain business requirements
have a current nomination from an Australian state or territory government agency

Investor Stream

With this visa, you can

continue your investment activities started under your Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa
stay in Australia permanently
work and study in Australia

You must

hold, or, in some cases, must have held, a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Investor stream
meet certain investment requirements related to your provisional visa
have a current nomination from an Australian state or territory

Significant Investor Stream

With this visa, you can

continue to conduct business and investment activity in Australia
stay in Australia permanently
work and study in Australia

You must

hold, or for some people, must have held, a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor stream or Significant Investor Extension stream, and
continue to hold your complying investment (AUD 5 million for 4 years), as required for your subclass 188 visa, during the period of the visa
have a current nomination from a state or territory government agency or Austrade which has not been withdrawn.

Premium Investor Stream

With this visa, you can

continue to conduct investment activity in Australia
stay in Australia permanently
work and study in Australia

You must

hold a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Premium Investor stream
meet certain investment requirements related to your provisional visa (AUD15 million for the duration of your subclass 188 visa)
have a current nomination from Austrade which has not been withdrawn

Entrepreneur Stream

With this visa, you can

continue your entrepreneurial activities started under your Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Entrepreneur stream
stay in Australia permanently
work and study in Australia

You must

hold, or, in some cases, must have held, a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Entrepreneur stream
have demonstrated an overall successful record of undertaking entrepreneurial activities in Australia while holding the provisional visa
have a current nomination from an Australian State or Territory

Business Owner Visa

(subclass 890)

This visa is for people who own and manage a business in Australia. It allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely. To apply as a primary applicant, you must have a qualifying visa granted on a particular basis.

With this visa, you can

stay in Australia permanently
work and study in Australia
enrol in Australia's public health care scheme, Medicare
sponsor your relatives to come to Australia
travel to and from Australia for 5 years
if eligible, become an Australian citizen

This is a permanent visa. It lets you stay in Australia indefinitely. The visa has a travel component that expires 5 years after the date of visa grant.

You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can:

include them when you lodge your visa application
add them after you lodge your application but before the decision is made

A member of the family unit can include family members who hold an eligible visa that was granted on the basis that they were a member of your family unit at the time their eligible visa was granted.

A member of the family unit who applies for the visa must meet the health and character. A member of the family unit not accompanying you to Australia may also need to meet the health and character requirements.

The visa costs AUD2,570 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each member of the family unit who applies for the visa with you.

You might have to pay an extra charge for any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English and who does not hold an eligible visa when they apply. This charge is called the second instalment. This charge is only payable if you are requested to pay it. The second instalment charge for family members is AUD4,890.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Investor Visa

(subclass 891)

This visa is for people who undertake business and investment activities in Australia. It allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely. To apply as a primary applicant, you must have a qualifying visa granted on a particular basis.

With this visa, you can

stay in Australia permanently
continue your business and investment activity in Australia
apply for Australian citizenship, if you are eligible
include members of your family unit in your application

You must

be the holder of a Subclass 162 - Investor (Provisional) visa
have held a designated investment of AUD1.5 million for 4 years
have lived in Australia for 2 of the past 4 years

State or Territory Sponsored Business Owner visa

(subclass 892)

With this visa, you can

continue to own and operate a business in Australia
sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible

You must

hold an eligible visa
have lived in Australian on that visa for at least 12 months in the 2 years immediately before the application is made while holding this visa
have owned and operated a business in Australia for at least 2 years immediately before the application is made

State or Territory Sponsored Investor Visa

(subclass 893)

This is a permanent resident visa for subclass State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) visa (subclass 165) holders and who have held a designated investment of AUD750,000 for 4 years.

With this visa, you can

stay in Australia permanently
continue your business and investment activity in Australia
apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible

You must

hold a Subclass 165 - State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) visa
be committed to continuing your business or investment activity in Australia
continue your business and investment activity in Australia