This is a temporary visa for overseas business innovators and investors who intend to invest or enter into a business in Australia. You must be nominated by a state or territory government or Austrade on behalf of the Australian government before being invited to apply. 

These visas are four-year temporary visas divided into five (5) difference streams which include:

1. Business innovator/ owner stream which are for people which business skills abroad to establish, develop and manage a new or existing business in Australia. In order to satisfy the requirements for this Visa, you will need to:

(a) Have an annual turnover of $500,000.00 in a minimum of two (2) of the last four (4) immediately preceding years. 

(b) 55 years of age or less;

(c) Strong desire to own, maintain and manage a business n Australia

(d) Managed a business in which you have spent no more than half of your time on professional, technical or trend services

(e) A fit and proper business career;

(f) Own at least:

   (i) 51% of a business with turnover of less than $400,000.00 per annum; or 

   (ii) 30% of a business with turnover of more than $400,000.00 per annum; or

   (iii) 10% of a publicly listed company.

(g) Score >65 on the Innovation Points test. The test take into account the following:

   (i) Age;

   (ii) English proficiency;

   (iii) Qualifications;

   (iv) Business experience;

   (v) Business turnover; and 

   (vi) Innovation.

(h) You or your partner or together combined, must have total assets which exceed $800,000.00

2. Investor stream visas are for people who wish to invest capital of at least $1,500,000.00AUD in an Australian State of Territory and maintain business activity. Requirements for this Visa include:

(a) Be less than 55 years of age. There are certain circumstances giving rise to a waiver of this requirement:

(b) Score>65 on the Innovation Points test. Factors for this test include:

   (i) Age;

   (ii) English Proficiency

   (iii) Qualifications;

   (iv) Business Experience;

   (v) Net personal and business assets;

   (vi) Business turnover;

   (vii) Innovation. 

(c) High level of management skill;

(d) Three or more years of experience of direct involvement in managing the business or investments;

(e) Overall successful record without any unacceptable activities;

(f) Have a genuine and realistic commitment to business and investment Activity in Australia. 

(g) Have an intention to live for at least two years in the State or territory in which you have nominated your investment.

(h) You (or your partner) has:

    a. Direct involvement in managing the eligible investments totaling $1,500,000.00AUD for at least 1 of the preceding 5 years prior to being invited to apply or are directly involved in managing a qualifying business in which you owned at least 10% of the total value of the business. 

   b. Make a nominated investments of $,500,000.00 in a State or Territory Government security using funds accumulated from eligible investments or qualifying businesses and are willing to hold said investment for at least 4 years; and

   c. Have investments and personal assets of at least $2,250,000.00 that are available for legal transfer to Australia within 2 years immediately prior to being invited to apply. 

3. Significant Investor stream visas are for people that wish to invest a minimum of $5,000,000.00AUD into a complying significant investment and wish to maintain business and investment activity in Australia. Additional requirements are as follows:

(a) Have a genuine and realistic commitment to reside in the State or Territory whose government nominated you, continue your business and investment activity in Australia after your 188 visa has expired, and live in Australia on your provisional visa for 40 days per year, or have your spouse live in Australia for 180 days per year of your visa

(b) You, your partner or both you and your partner combined have assets of $5 million

(c) Applicants are required to have at least $5 million complying investments for a minimum of four years. These include State or Territory bonds, Commonwealth, direct investments into Australian proprietary companies, or Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) regulated managed funds.

(d) Have at least $1.5 million in managed funds in emerging companies in the Australian Stock exchange

(e) Have a ‘balancing investment’ in managed funds of at least $3 million.

(f) Applicants do not need to qualify for a points test and age requirement for their SIV application.

(g) SIV application does not include an English language threshold, but applicants and their dependents must demonstrate Functional English ability to avoid the additional payment for the second instalment of their visa application charge.

4. Premium investor stream applies to people who are willing to contribute a minimum of $15,000,000.00 into a complying premium investment in Australia and wish to maintain business and investment activity in Australia. You must also:

To satisfy the requirements of the Premium Investor Stream applicants must only be nominated by Austrade on behalf of the Australian government. They must also

(a) Have a genuine and realistic commitment to continue your business and investment activities after the expiry of your provisional visa,

(b) Make a complying investment of at least $15 million in either

• • Australian securities exchange listed assets
  • Australian government or semi-government bonds or notes.
  • Corporate bonds or notes issued by an Australian exchange listed entity (or wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian listed entity) or investment grade rated Australian corporate bonds or notes rated by an AFS licenced debt rating agency.
  • Australian proprietary limited companies.
  • Real property in Australia excluding residential property.
  • Deferred annuities issued by Australian registered life companies.
  • State or territory government approved philanthropic contribution.

(c) You, your partner or your partner combined must also have total assets of at least $15 million

(d) Applicants do not need to qualify for a points test and age requirement for their SIV application.

(e) SIV application does not include an English language threshold, but applicants and their dependents must demonstrate Functional English ability to avoid the additional payment for the second instalment of their visa application charge.

5. Entrepreneur Stream

The additional requirements for the Entrepreneur stream include:

• You must be less than 55 years of age, although a State or Territory can waive this requirement if your proposed investment will be of exceptional economic benefit to the nominated State or Territory.
• Have at least competent English.
• Must be undertaking, or at least proposing to undertake, a complying entrepreneur activity.
• Have at least $200,000 in funding from a specific entity under a legally binding agreement.
• At the time of the agreement, have held at least 30% interest in the activity.
• Have a business plan in place stating how the idea will lead to the commercialisation of the product or service, or development of an enterprise in Australia.
• Applicants do not need to qualify for a points test and age requirement for their SIV application.

If you hold a provisional visa (Subclass 188) and have complied with its conditions, and wish to continue business operations in Australia or have maintained investment in bonds, you may then apply for a permanent visa.

This Visa will allow you to visit Australia for a period of 3 months to conduct meetings and explore business opportunities in Australia.

This Visa is for successful business people who have significant history in business with ownership interests in large bueinsess or for those with venture capital funding fat least $1,000,000.00