Australia Business Innovation & Investment Visa (subclass 188)

The Business Innovation and Investment visa (Subclass 188) is a temporary visa for applicants who want to own or manage a new or existing business in Australia. It also serves as a first step towards being eligible for a permanent Business Skills visa.

Common Criteria

To be eligible for 188 visa, you must:

Be under 55 years of age
Be nominated by Australian state or territory government
Submit an Expression of Interest and be invited to apply from Department of Home Affairs
Have health examinations done within 12 months of applying for the visa
Have police certificate from each country lived in for 12 months or more of past 10 years to demonstrate character history
Sign an Australian Values Statement (if the age is 18 or older)
Be free from any outstanding debts to the Australian government

Visa Streams

Business Innovation Stream

If you are nominated by an Australian state or territory government and want to establish, manage new or existing business, you can apply for the visa under this stream.

Investor Stream

If you are willing to make a designated investment of at least AUD 1.5 million in an Australian state or territory and maintain business activity in Australia, you can apply for the visa under this stream.

Significant Investor Stream

If you are willing to invest at least AUD 5 million into complying significant investments in Australia and maintain business activity in Australia, you can apply for the visa under this stream.

Premium Investor Stream

If you are willing to invest at least AUD 15 million into complying premium investments in Australia and maintain business & investment activity in Australia, you can apply for this visa under this stream.

Entrepreneur Stream

If you have a funding agreement from a third party of at least AUD 200,000 to undertake a complying entrepreneur activity either for the commercialisation of a product of service in Australia or the…

Travel In And Out Of Australia Till The Visa Is Valid
Bring Eligible Family Members To Australia
Be Eligible For Permanent Residency By Applying For A Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Visa (Subclass 888)

States / Territories

AU-WA

Fees: $750

Processing Time: Relatively quick

Preferred Industries:

Commit a significant amount of new capital investment;
Generate skilled employment or a large number of new jobs;
Develop export markets or replace imports;
Introduce new skills, expertise, technologies or innovations;
Locate the business activity in a regional area; and
Have a significant flow on effect to other sectors of the economy

Restricted Industries:

Residential estate
Labour Hire
Purchasing of existing
business or franchise

AU-NT

Fees: No Fees

Processing Time: Relatively quick