188 Business Innovation & Investment (Investor Stream) Visa

188 Business Innovation & Investment (Investor Stream) Visa

The Investor Stream of the subclass 188 visa provides a pathway to permanent residency for business people who want to own and manage a business or to make an investment in Australia.

The investor stream of the Business Innovation and Investment visa is for applicants who have experience in managing a business or investments, and are able to make a designated investment in Australiafollow for at least four years.

188 Visa Investor Stream Requirements

At the time that you are invited to apply for the subclass 188 (Investor Stream) visa, you must:

• be under 55 years of age
• score at least 65 on the innovation points test
• be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency
• genuinely intend to live in that State or Territory for at least two years

Business/Investment Experience

At the time that you are invited to apply for the subclass 188 (Investor Stream) visa, you must:

• you must have a high level of skill (and a successful record) in managing eligible investments and/or qualifying businesses
• you must have a minimum of three years of direct involvement in the management of at least one qualifying business or eligible investment
• you (and your spouse/de facto partner, if applicable) must have had no involvement in unacceptable business or investment activities

In at least one out of the last five financial years, you directly managed

• eligible investments owned by you (and/or your spouse or de facto partner, if applicable) totalling at least AU$1.5 million, or
• a qualifying business, where you (and/or your spouse or de facto partner, if applicable) owned at least 10% of the business’s total value)

An investment is eligible if you own it for the purpose of producing a return in the form of income or capital gain, and not for personal use. Acceptable investments include ownership of a business, cash on deposit, stocks or bonds, real estate, or gold or silver bullion.

A qualifying business is operated for the purpose of making profit by providing goods and/or services to the public. It is not operated for the purpose of speculative or passive investment.

Designated Investment

You must make a designated investment of at least AU$1.5 million in a government security in the State or Territory that nominates your application, using unencumbered funds accumulated from qualifying businesses or eligible investments. The investment may be made in your name, or in the names of you and your spouse/de facto partner (if applicable).

You must be prepared to hold this investment for at least four years, and you must be committed to maintaining business or investment activity in Australia after this investment matures.

Net Assets

During the two financial years immediately before you are invited to apply, you (and/or your spouse or de facto partner, if applicable) must have personal and business assets with a net value of at least AU$2.25 million.

These assets must have been legally acquired, and must be available for legal transfer to Australia within two years of the date that your visa is granted.