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Investor Stream - 188B Visa

Eligibility Criteria

  • Age: Under 55

  • Business ownership: Yes

  • Either: 10% Ownership of Business or managed $2.5m Investments

  • Assets ownership: AUD 2.5m

  • Point test: 65 Required

Benefits

  • Stay for 5 years

  • Bring your family

  • Apply for Permanent Resident (888 Visa) after 2 years

  • Carry out business and investment activity in Australia

Investor Stream (Provisional) visa

This provisional visa allows you to carry out business and investment activity in Australia.

It requires you to invest at least AUD2.5 million in Australian investments that meet certain requirements and maintain business or investment activity in Australia for the life of your provisional visa.

Stay

Up to 5 years

Cost

From AUD6,270

Processing time

26-39 months

Process

Submit expression of interest (EOI) in SkillSelect

Be nominated by a State or Territory government agency

Be invited to apply for the visa

Eligibility

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:

  • AUD2.5 million if you were invited to apply for this visa on or after 1 July 2021

  • AUD2.25 million if you were invited to apply for this visa before 1 July 2021

Obligations

Investment of at least AUD2.5 million.

You must live in the State or Territory in which you made the designated investment for at least 2 years during the period your provisional visa is valid.

With this visa, you can

How long can you stay?

This is a provisional visa. You can stay in Australia for up to 5 years if you were invited to apply on or after 1 July 2021.

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If you applied after 1 July 2015, and were invited to apply for this visa before 1 July 2021, you can stay in Australia for up to 4 years and 3 months.

 

If you applied before 1 July 2015, you can stay up to 4 years.

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

 

The visa is valid from the date we grant it.

Stay longer

This is a provisional visa. You must apply for a new visa if you want to stay longer. Once you have this visa, you can apply for permanent residence through the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Investor stream if certain requirements are met.

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Your business obligations

You must make a complying significant investment of at least AUD2.5 million. You must hold complying significant investments continuously for the life of your provisional visa.

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To be eligible for the grant of a Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Investor stream, you must live in the State or Territory in which you made the designated investment for at least 2 years during the period your provisional visa is valid.

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Income that you earn from your complying significant investment in Australia may be subject to tax under Australian taxation law.

Include family

You can include members of the family unit in your application when you apply. You can also add dependent children to your application at any time before a decision is made on your application. Family members who apply for the visa must meet health and character requirements. In order for the primary applicant to be granted the visa, family members who are not coming to Australia must meet character requirements, and might have to also meet health requirements.

Cost

This visa costs from AUD6,270 for the main applicant. 

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with the main applicant:

  • Additional applicant over 18 years old: AUD3,135

  • Additional applicant under 18 years old: AUD1,565

 

Any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English must also pay an extra charge. This charge is the second instalment charge. Pay it only when the department ask you to. They will refund the charge if the visa is not granted.

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The second instalment charges are:

  • Main applicant: AUD9,795

  • Family members: AUD4,890

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To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs. You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Apply from

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when the department decides on your application, but not in immigration clearance.

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