Business Innovation and Investment - Provisional

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa

This visa is for people who want to own and manage a new or existing business or to make an investment in Australia. 

The visa has three main streams.

• The Business Innovation stream is for people who want to own and manage a new or existing business in Australia.
• The Investor stream is for people who want to make a designated investment of at least AUD1.5million in an Australian state or territory and want to maintain business and investment activity in Australia after the original investment has matured.
• The Significant Investor stream is for people who are willing to invest at least AUD5million into complying investments in Australia and want to maintain business and investment activity in Australia after the original investment has matured.

Provisional visa holders in the Business Innovation and the Significant Investor streams may be eligible to apply for an extension to their provisional visa.
See: SkillSelect

Business Skills - Provisional

For business people to establish a business in Australia, manage a new or existing business or invest in Australia. These are temporary visas that offer a pathway to a permanent visa (except for the Subclass 405 – Investor Retirement visa).
Note: If you are a business owner, investor or senior executive overseas and you intend to migrate to Australia, you will not be guaranteed permission to enter Australia to operate a business until you are granted an appropriate visa.

Business Owners

Business Owner (Provisional) (Subclass 160)

For people who have a successful business career, and have a genuine and realistic commitment to be involved as an owner in a new or existing business in Australia.

State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (Provisional) (Subclass 163)

For people sponsored by a state or territory of Australia. Applicants must have a successful business career, and a genuine and realistic commitment to be involved as an owner in a new or existing business in Australia.

Senior Executives

Senior Executives (Provisional) (Subclass 161)

For senior executive employees of a major overseas business, who have significant net assets and a genuine and realistic commitment to participate in the management of a new or existing business in Australia.

State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive (Provisional) (Subclass 164)

For senior executive employees of a major overseas business, sponsored by a state or territory of Australia, who have significant net assets and a genuine and realistic commitment to participate in the management of a new or existing business in Australia.

Investors

Investor (Provisional) (Subclass 162)

For people who have a successful business or investment career, and have a genuine and realistic commitment to be involved in investing or business in Australia.

State/Territory Sponsored Investor (Provisional) (Subclass 165)

For people sponsored by a state or territory of Australia, who have a successful business or investment career, and have a genuine and realistic commitment to be involved in investing or business in Australia.

Investor Retirement Visa (Subclass 405)

A temporary visa for people aged 55 years or older who are able to make a significant long term financial investment in Australia. This visa is not a pathway to a permanent visa.

Independent Executives

Independent Executive Further Application Onshore (Subclass 457IEFAO)

For holders of a Temporary Business (Long Stay) Independent Executive visa (subclass 457IE) who need more time to be eligible to apply for a permanent business visa.