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Business & Investor Visas

Temporary & Permanent visas for applicants wishing to conduct business, carry out investment or entrepreneurial activities in Australia.

Business Innovation Stream

(Subclasses '188/888A')

Applicants must:

Be under 55 years of age
Have a minimum ‘functional English’ or willing to make second visa application payment
Score at least 65 on the business and innovation points test. Points test is based on:
  • Age
  • English Language
  • Business Experience
  • Net personal and business assets
  • Business turnover
  • Innovation
  • Special endorsement
Be nominated by a relevant State/Territory government
Have business ownership of one or two businesses with at least $750K turnover in 2 out of the last 4 financial years. Ownership level:
  • 51% ownership of business(es) with a turnover of less than $400K
  • 30% ownership of business(es) with a turnover of greater than $400K
  • 10% ownership of a publicly listed company
Have personal and business assets of at least $1.25 million
Have a successful business career, in businesses undertaking acceptable activities
Meet health and character requirements
Have paid (or made arrangements to pay) any out standing debts to the Commonwealth of Australia.

Obligations for Business Innovation stream (188A) visa holders:

188A visa holders must:

Maintain substantial ownership in a business in Australia; and
Participate in the daily operation of the company, at a senior management level.
Follow Australian workplace laws

The obligations of the business are so that it must do at least one of the following:

Employ local Australian staff
Export Australian goods/services
Develop new or improved technology
Reduce Australia’s need on importation of goods by producing these goods in Australia
Improve commercial activity and competitiveness within the Australian economy
Forge links with international markets
Australian Business and Innovation visas. Start or purchase a business in Australia and watch your opportunities grow.
Explore your investment and residence opportunities in Australia through investor class visas.

Investor Stream

(Subclasses '188/888B')

A visa to allow holders to maintain investment activity in Australia. Applicants must:

Be under 55 years of age
Have a minimum ‘functional English’ or willing to make second visa application payment
Score at least 65 on the business and innovation points test. Points test is based on:
  • Age
  • English Language
  • Business Experience
  • Net personal and business assets
  • Business turnover
  • Innovation
  • Special endorsement
Be nominated by a relevant State/Territory government
Have managed a qualifying business or eligible investments. For at least 1 out of the 5 financial years before invitation:
  • 10% ownership of a qualifying business, OR
  • Eligible investments of at least $2.25 million
Have business/personal assets of $2.25 million
Have a successful business career, in businesses undertaking acceptable activities
Meet health and character requirements
Have paid (or made arrangements to pay) any outstanding debts to the Commonwealth of Australia.

Subclass 188B holders must:

When invited, make a ‘complying significant investment’ of $2.25 million, in the following proportions:
  • At least $500K in venture capital and growth private equity funds
  • At least $750K in approved managed funds
  • A ‘balancing investment’ of at least $1.25million
Maintain your investment for the duration of the visa.

Significant Investor Stream

(Subclass '188/888C')

Applicants must:

Be able and willing to make a AUD 5,000,000 complying significant investment
  • Must demonstrate fund have been acquired lawfully
  • Range of complying investment options prescribed by legislation
  • Can switch between complying investments within legislated timeframes
Be nominated by a relevant State/Territory government
Meet Australian residence requirements for grant of permanent residence visa (888)
Maintain investment for whole temporary visa period
Have a realistic intention to continue investment/ business activity in Australia
Meet health and character requirements
Have paid (or made arrangements to pay) any out standing debts to the Commonwealth of Australia.
Australian significant investment visa (subclasses 188 and 888). AUD 5,000,000 complying significant investment required.

Case Study

Enthusiastic investors

Assisting clients with Business/ Investor visas often requires a great deal of pre-planning and patience. It is often the case that applicants operate businesses in locations where there may be significant differences in financial reporting methods than those in Australia. These differences can present challenges for an application.

One recent example, a client from Bangladesh approached us for assistance with a Business and Innovation visa (Investor stream) (subclass 188B) application. Partnering with an excellent Bangladeshi-Australian Chartered Accountant, we reviewed the client’s financial reporting and strategised on potential timing of an application. Once the client was comfortable to proceed with our representation, he was very eager to apply quickly. However, we managed his enthusiasm and advised on a more tempered approach, considering the method of financial reporting in Bangladesh.

This patience paid off in the long run, and the client was granted his subclass 188B visa within a year.

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Over 1250 happy Australian visa and citizenship clients. Successful applications thanks to Visa3i.