188A Business Innovation stream

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Project Introduction

The main purpose of Australia’s 188A Business Innovation Visa is to attract foreign entrepreneurs with a business background who are willing to operate the business in Australia, contribute to Australia’s economic and industrial development, and create employment opportunities. Eligible applicants will first obtain a 5-year temporary business visa, and can transfer to the 888 permanent resident visa after two years of doing business in Australia.

Project Advantages

No English requirements for applicants

Only need to audit the company's turnover, the investment amount is not high, and the investment business form is more flexible

Can bring eligible direct family members to apply for temporary residency and corresponding permanent residency visas

Visa holders are free to travel to and from Australia

While holding a visa, children can study in Australian public primary and secondary schools for free

The main applicant and secondary applicant (spouse) of 188A and 888A can be interchanged (Role Swapping)

The time to transfer to permanent residence is short, and you can apply for permanent residence after running a business for 24 months, without waiting for four years

Application Requirements

You must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency, before being invited to apply for this visa. The State or Territory government agency that nominates you must not withdraw their nomination after you apply, or we will be unable to grant you a visa.

For 2 out of 4 fiscal years immediately before you receive an invitation to apply, you must have had an ownership stake in 1 or 2 businesses that had at least:

AUD500,000 turnover in each of those 2 years if you were invited to apply before 1 July 2021

AUD750,000 turnover in each of those 2 years if you were invited to apply on or after 1 July 2021

Whether you have 1 or 2 businesses, you must own at least:

51%, of the total value of the business if the business has a turnover of less than AUD400,000 per year

30%, of the total value of the business if the business has a turnover of AUD400,000 or more per year, or

10%, of the total value of the business if the business is operated by a publicly listed company

*If your business provides professional, technical or trade services, you must have spent less than half your time providing those services, rather than general management of the business.

When you are invited to apply for this visa, you, your partner, or you and your partner combined must have total net business and personal assets of at least:

AUD1.25 million if you were invited to apply on or after 1 July 2021.

AUD800,000 if you were invited to apply before 1 July 2021

*Your funds must be available to transfer to Australia within 2 years of us granting the visa.

You must score at least 65 points on the points test.

You must have a successful business career and a genuine desire to continuously own and manage a business in Australia.

You will not receive an invitation if you are aged 55 or older at the time of the invitation to apply for the visa. If you are older, a State or Territory might invite you to apply for this visa if your business will be of exceptional economic benefit.

You and your partner must have had no history of involvement in business or investment activities that are of a nature that is not generally acceptable in Australia.

All applicants aged 18 or over at the time of application must either have at least functional English or you will be asked to pay the second instalment of the visa application charge.

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement. Family members who are not coming to Australia might also meet our health requirement.

You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement. Family members who are not coming to Australia must also have to meet us meet our character requirement.

If you and your family members who have applied for the visa are 18 years of age or older at the time of application, you and your family members must have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia book and sign an Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws.

If you or any family members owe the Australian Government money, you or they must have paid it back or have an approved arrangement in place to pay it back.

You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.

Application Process

You must give us an Expression of Interest (EOI), be nominated by a State or Territory, and then be invited to apply.

You will need to prove your identity, and provide documents about your business and assets. You also need to provide documents about family members applying with you.

Apply for this visa online in ImmiAccount. You must be invited to apply. Your invitation letter contains instructions on how to lodge your application.

Application received

Visa Approved.