Overview
This is the Business Innovation Stream of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Subclass 188 Visa (known as 188A Visa). It is a point 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.
Eligibility
This provisional visa is for people with business skills. It lets you operate a new or existing business in Australia.
It allows you to stay in Australia for up to 5 years and bring eligible members of your family with you. If eligible, you may apply for permanent residency under Subclass 888 in the Business Innovation stream.
To apply for this visa, you must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency.
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:
- AUD$1,250,000 if you were invited to apply for this visa on or after 1 July 2021; or
- AUD$800,000 if you were invited to apply for this visa before 1 July 2021.
Cost
This visa costs AUD6,085 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you:
- an additional applicant over 18 years old: AUD3,045
- an additional applicant under 18 years old: AUD1,520
Can you extend this visa?
You may extend subclass 188 Business Innovation stream by up to 2 more years or up to 4 more years if COVID-19 concessions apply.
What you can do after you extend?
- operate a new or existing business in Australia
- travel to, enter and remain in Australia for 6 years after the date of the grant of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Innovation stream that you held at the time of application; or up to 8 years if COVID-19 concessions apply.
- The visa is granted with multiple entries. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.
- bring eligible members of your family with you.
- apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Business Innovation stream if certain requirements are met.
Overview
This is the Investor Stream of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Subclass 188 Visa (known as 188B Visa). This temporary visa requires at least AUD$2.5 million of investment in Australia. The investment must meet certain requirements imposed by the Australian government. By maintaining your investment, this provisional visa can lead to permanent residence through the Subclass 888 visa.
Eligibility
This provisional visa requires you to invest at least AUD$2.5 million in Australian investments that meet certain criteria, as well as maintain business or investment activity in Australia.
It allows you to stay in Australia for up to 5 years and bring eligible members of your family with you. If eligible, you may apply for permanent residency under Subclass 888 in the Investor stream.
To apply for this visa, you must be nominated by an Australian 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; or
- AUD1.5 million in an Australian State or Territory if you were invited to apply before 1 July 2021
You must:
- score at least 65 on the points test
- have a net business, investment and personal assets of at least AUD$2.5 million.
Cost
This visa costs AUD6,085 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.
- an additional applicant over 18 years old: AUD$3,045
- an additional applicant under 18 years old: AUD$1,520
Can you extend this visa?
You may extend your Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Significant Investor stream for up to 4 more years.
What you can do after you extend?
Once you have the visa, you can:
- continue to carry out investment activity in Australia
- bring eligible members of your family with you
- apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Significant Investor stream if certain requirements are met.
How long can you stay after the extension?
- If you have a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Significant Investor Extension stream at the time of the extension application, you can stay for 8 years after the date of the grant of the original Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Significant Investor stream.
- The visa is granted with multiple entries. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want during the visa period.
Overview
This is the Significant Investor Stream of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Subclass 188 Visa (known as 188C Visa). This provisional visa is for people who invest at least A$5 million in Australian investments that meet certain requirements and maintain investment activity in Australia.
Eligibility
This provisional visa is for individuals who invest at least AUD5 million in Australian investments that meet specified criteria and continue to invest in Australia. It allows you to stay in Australia for up to 5 years. If eligible, you may apply for permanent residency under Subclass 888 in the Significant Investor stream.
You must:
- be invited to apply for this visa
- be nominated by a State or Territory government agency or Austrade to invest at least AUD$5 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.
Cost
This visa costs AUD$8,925 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.
- an additional applicant over 18 years old: AUD$4,465
- an additional applicant under 18 years old: AUD$2,235
Can you extend this visa?
You may extend subclass 188 Significant Investor stream by up to 4 more years.
What you can do with this visa?
With this visa, you can:
- carry out investment activity in Australia
- bring eligible members of your family with you
- apply for a permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Significant Investor stream if certain requirements are met.
How long can you stay after the extension?
If you have a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Significant Investor Extension stream at the time of the extension application, you can stay for 8 years after the date of the grant of the original Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Significant Investor stream.
The visa is granted with multiple entries. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want during the visa period.
Overview
This is the Entrepreneur Stream of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Subclass 188 Visa (known as 188E Visa). This provisional visa is for startup and early-stage entrepreneurs who have received approval to develop their concepts and have been nominated by a State or Territory government agency.
This provisional visa is for startup and early-stage entrepreneurs who have received approval to develop their concepts and have been nominated by a State or Territory government agency.
It allows you to stay in Australia for up to 5 years. If eligible, you may apply for permanent residency under Subclass 888 in the Entrepreneur stream.
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.
Cost
This visa costs AUD$4,115 for the primary applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you:
- an additional applicant over 18 years old: AUD$2,060
- an additional applicant under 18 years old: AUD$1,030
Overview
Obtaining a 188 visa is the first step to eventually obtaining permanent residency through the corresponding Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Subclass 888 visa.
It has four subcategories which include: Business Innovation stream, Investor stream, Significant Investor stream and Entrepreneur stream.
1. Business Innovation stream (888A)
This visa lets holders and certain people who have held a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188A) in the Business Innovation stream or the Business Innovation Extension stream, or holders of a subclass 444 (Special Category) visa, or certain holders of a subclass 457 (Business (Long Stay) visa, stay permanently.
This visa allows you to stay permanently in Australia. You are also allowed to continue your business activities started under your Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa, 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.
Cost
The visa costs AUD$2,935 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.
2. Investor stream (888B)
This visa lets you continue your investment activities in Australia permanently.
This visa allows you to stay permanently in Australia. You are also allowed to continue your investment activities started under your Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa, work and study in Australia.
You must:
- hold, or, in some cases, must have held, a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa in the Investor stream.
- meet certain investment requirements related to your provisional visa.
- have a current nomination from an Australian state or territory.
Cost
The visa costs AUD$2,935 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.
3. Significant Investor stream (888C)
This visa lets you continue your investment activities in Australia permanently.
This visa allows you to stay permanently in Australia. You are also allowed to continue your investment activities started under your Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa, work and study in Australia.
You must:
- hold, or for some people, must have held, a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Significant Investor stream or Significant Investor Extension stream
- continue to hold your complying investment or complying significant investment, as required for your subclass 188 visa, during the period of that visa
- have a current nomination from a state or territory government agency or Austrade which has not been withdrawn.
There are concessions to the residence requirements for some people affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cost
The visa costs AUD$2,935 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.
4. Entrepreneur stream (888E)
This visa lets holders and, in some cases, people who have held a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Entrepreneur stream, stay permanently.
You must
- hold, or, in some cases, must have held, a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Entrepreneur stream, and have held the visa continuously for at least 4 years
- have demonstrated overall a successful record of undertaking entrepreneurial activities in Australia while holding the provisional visa
- have a current nomination from an Australian State or Territory government agency.
Cost
The visa costs AUD$2,935 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.
