Business Talent & Investor
Overview
Australia’s Investor Visa Program
Australia’s Business and Investor program is designed to provide temporary and permanent residence pathways to individuals with significant business talent, or funds to invest in Australia. These visas are a useful way to obtain visas for high-net-worth individuals.
Simplified 188 visa eligibility
- The Business Innovation stream (points-tested) – for people who want to own and manage a new or existing business in Australia (and have total net business and personal assets of at least AUD $1,250,000 which are available for the conduct or establishment of a business in Australia) and an ownership interest in a main business that had an annual turnover of at least AUD $750 000
- The Investor stream (points-tested) – for people who want to make a designated investment of at least AUD $2.5 million
- The Significant Investor Visa (SIV) stream – for people who want to invest at least AUD $5 million into complying investments in Australia
- The Entrepreneur stream – for entrepreneurs with innovative ideas
Target market
- High net-worth individuals
- Successful business people
- Globally recognized entrepreneurs
Eligibility
Business Innovation stream
This is a points-tested temporary visa for people with business skills. It lets you operate a new or existing business in Australia. This visa provides a pathway to permanent residence through the Subclass 888 visa.
General Eligibility
- Be under the age of 55 at the time you are invited to apply unless your business will be of exceptional economic benefit
- Have a successful business career
- Not have a history of involvement in unacceptable activities
- Have competent English
- Score at least 65 on the points test
- For 2 of the last 4 fiscal years immediately before you receive an invitation to apply, you must have had an ownership stake in 1 or 2 businesses that had a combined turnover of at least AUD $750,000 in each of those 2 years
- You, your partner, or you and your partner together, have total net business and personal assets of at least AUD $1,250,000
Eligibility
Investor stream
This is a temporary visa that requires you to invest at least AUD $2.5 million in an Australian State or Territory and maintain business or investment activity in Australia. Maintaining your investment can lead to permanent residence through the Subclass 888 visa.
General Eligibility
- Be under the age of 55 at the time of invitation unless the State or territory government agency has deemed the investment will be of exceptional economic benefit
- Be in Australia at the time of application and decision (if in Australia, an applicant must hold a substantive visa or a BVA, BVB, or BVC)
- Be nominated by an Australian State or territory government agency before being invited to apply for the visa
- For at least 1 of the 5 fiscal years immediately before being invited to apply for the visa, have directly managed either a qualifying business in which you had a 10% ownership interest or an eligible investment of at least AUD $2.5 million
- For the 2 fiscal years immediately before being invited to apply, have business and personal assets with a net value of at least AUD $2.5 million
- Score at least 65 on the points test
- After applying, make the designated investment of at least AUD $2.5 million which must be invested in the following proportions:
- At least AUD $500,000 in venture capital and growth private equity funds which invest in start-ups and small private companies
- At least AUD $750,000 in approved managed funds. The managed funds must invest in emerging companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange
- A “balancing investment” of at least AUD $1.25 million in managed funds
- Have at least functional English
- Meet health and character criteria
Eligibility
Significant investor stream
This temporary visa is for people who invest at least AUD5 million in Australian “complying significant investments”. Maintaining these investments can lead to permanent residence through the Subclass 888 visa.
General Eligibility
- Can be in or outside of Australia at the time of application (if in Australia must hold a substantive visa, a BVA, a BVB, or a BVC)
- Must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade before being invited to apply
- When invited, must make a complying investment of AUD $5 million and have a genuine intention to hold that investment for 4 years (a proportion of that investment must be AUD $1 million in venture capital and growth private equity funds which invest in start-ups and small private companies, AUD $2.5 million in approved managed funds, and AUD $1.5 million in managed funds as a ‘balancing investment’)
- Have at least functional English
- Pass health and character criteria
Eligibility
Entrepreneur
This is a temporary visa that lets you carry out entrepreneurial activities in Australia. Complying with the visa requirements can lead to permanent residence through the Subclass 888 visa.
General Eligibility
- Be nominated by a State or territory government agency before being invited to apply
- Be 55 or younger at the time of the invitation to apply for the visa, unless the State or Territory government agency has determined your proposed entrepreneur activity will be of exceptional economic benefit
- Undertake, or propose to undertake, a complying entrepreneur activity in Australia
- Carry out entrepreneurial activity in Australia which must relate to an innovative activity that will lead to:
- The commercialization of a product or
- The development of an enterprise or franchise in Australia
- Provide a business plan for your entrepreneurial activity
- Have at least competent English
- Meet health and character criteria
Process
Australia’s Investor Visa Program
We’ll advise and guide you from assessing eligibility to the lodgement stage. We use an online document/information collection tool so that all your files and information are stored in one single location. You can use the Global Solicitors Portal to track the status of your matter and have a complete overview of the documents required and provided.
