BUSINESS INVESTOR VISA (Subclass 188)

Investor Stream

Who is this visa for?

Do you want to own a business in Australia?
Do you want to manage a business already existing in Australia?
Do you want to invest in an Australian state or territory?
Then this visa is for you.

The visa includes three streams:

  • Business Innovation stream: for people with business skills who want to establish, develop and manage a new or existing business in Australia.
  • Investor stream: for people who want to make a designated investment of at least $1,500,000 in an Australian state or territory and maintain business and investment activity in Australia.
  • Significant Investor stream: for people who are willing to invest at least $5,000,000 into complying investments in Australia and want to maintain business and investment activity in Australia

The Validity Period of this Visa

You will get a 4 year visa.  You can apply for permanent residence once you have met the requirements, in some instances in as little as 2 years.You might be able to extend your stay under an extension stream if you need extra time to meet the criteria for a permanent visa.

Reasons to Apply for this Visa

This visa lets you

  • Apply for permanent residence in Australia once you meet the visa requirements;
  • establish a new or purchase an existing business and/or invest in Australia;
  • make a designated investment with an Australian state or territory government or make and maintain complying investments in Australia
  • travel in and out of Australia for the life of your visa
  • bring family members with you to Australia

The General Requirements

You might be able to get this visa if:

  • you are nominated by a state or territory government
  • you are invited to apply
  • you (and all your family members) meet certain health and character requirements
  • you meet the additional requirements for the stream in which you apply.
  • You do not have outstanding debts to the Australian Government or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government before this visa can be granted.

You must:

  • be under 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 nominating state or territory
  • score at least 65 on the points test
  • have a high level of management skill in relation to the eligible investment or qualifying business activity
  • have at least 3 years’ experience of direct involvement in managing one or more qualifying businesses or eligible investments
  • have an overall successful record of eligible investment or qualifying business activity
  • have a genuine and realistic commitment to continuing your business and investment activity in Australia after the original investment has matured
  • have a genuine intention to live for at least 2 years in the state or territory in which you have made a designated investment.

You (or through your partner) must:

  • for at least 1 of the 5 fiscal years immediately before you are invited to apply, have directly managed one of the following:
    • an interest owned by you, your partner or you and your partner combined of at least 10% in a qualifying business
    • at least $1,500,000 in eligible investment owned by you, your partner or you and your partner combined
  • during the 2 fiscal years immediately before you are invited to apply, have legally acquired net business, investment and personal assets of at least 2,250,000 that are available for legal transfer to Australia within 2 years of the visa being granted
  • make a designated investment of at least 1,500,000 in a state or territory government security using unencumbered funds accumulated from qualifying businesses or eligible investments and be prepared to hold that investment for at least 4 years from date of issue in your nominating state or territory
  • have had no involvement in unacceptable activities.
  •  

Family in your Application

You can include the following people in your visa application:

  • your partner (married or de facto)
  • your or your partner’s dependent children
  • other dependent relatives.

These members of your family unit must meet the requirements for including family members in your application. The application must include documentary evidence of their relationship to you.

Points Test

You must score at least 65 points (the pass mark) in the points test to be eligible to apply for a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Business Innovation stream or the Investor stream.The points test does not apply to you if you are applying in the Significant Investor stream or the Business Innovation Extension stream or the Significant Investor Extension stream.The test gives points for various elements of human capital and business innovation and includes objective measures of business performance.

Points are awarded for:

  • age
  • English language ability
  • qualifications
  • experience in business or investment
  • net personal and business assets
  • business turnover
  • innovation.

Points are awarded on the basis of the factors listed in the following table. All factors are assessed as at the time you are invited to apply for this visa, unless otherwise noted.

Factor Description Points
Age
18–24 years
20
25–32 years
30
33–39 years
25
40–44 years
20
45–54 years
15
55 and older
0
English language ability
Vocational English: IELTS 5 on each of the four components of speaking, reading, listening and writing
5
Proficient English: IELTS 7 or OET score B on each of the four components of speaking, reading, listening and writing
10
Australian trade certificate, diploma or bachelor degree by an Australian education institute; ora bachelor qualification recognised by an education institution of a recognised standard
Qualifications
Bachelor degree in business, science or technology by an Australian institution; or a bachelor qualification by an education institution of a recognised standard
10
Special endorsement
The nominating state or territory government agency could decide that your proposed business is of unique and important benefit to the state or territory where the nominating government agency is located
10
Financial assets
Net business and personal assets of you, your partner or you and your partner combined in each of the preceding two years of at least:
AUD800 000
5
AUD1.3 million
15
AUD1.8 million
25
AUD2.25 million
35
Business turnover
Annual turnover in your main business during a period of at least two years of the preceding four fiscal years of at least
AUD500 000
5
AUD1 million
15
AUD1.5 million
25
AUD2 million
35
Business Innovation stream only Business experience
You have held one or more businesses before you were invited to apply for the visa for:
Not less than four years within the preceding five years
10
Not less than seven years within the preceding eight years
15
Investor stream only Investor experience
Eligible investment of at least AUD100 000 held for:
At least four years before the time of invitation to apply for the visa
10
At least seven years before the time of invitation to apply for the visa
15
Business innovation qualifications At the time of invitation to apply for the visa:
Evidence of registered patents or registered designs
15
Evidence of registered trademarks
10
Evidence of formal joint venture agreements
5
Evidence of export trade
15
Evidence of receipt of grants or venture capital funding
10
State or territory nomination
Special endorsement (limited places)
10

Health Requirements

We will tell you of all the details whether you will have to undergo medical examinations or not.This applies to all dependent family members included in your application, whether they are migrating or not.

Character Requirements

You will have to provide a police certificate declaring your good character. This applies to all members older than 18 included in the application.