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Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa - Investor stream (Subclass 188)

AustraliaInvestment

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Get your free results Read the five questions ↓

What investment option or options qualify?

The Investor stream (subclass 188) accepts two investment paths depending on invitation date. If invited on or after 1 July 2021: a complying significant investment of at least AUD2.5 million, allocated across venture capital/growth private equity funds, approved managed funds investing in emerging ASX-listed companies, and a balancing investment in managed funds. If invited before 1 July 2021: a designated investment of at least AUD1.5 million made in the nominating State or Territory. This stream closed to new applications on 31 July 2024.

See recorded sources
  • Overview tab — intro
    This stream closed to new applications on 31 July 2024.
  • Eligibility tab — Invest in Australia
    If you were invited to apply for this visa on or after 1 July 2021, you must make (on or after the time of application for this visa), a complying significant investment of at least AUD2.5 million.
  • Eligibility tab — Invest in Australia
    If you were invited to apply for this visa before 1 July 2021, after you lodge your application, you must make a designated investment of at least AUD1.5 million in the State or Territory in which the nominating State or Territory government agency is located.

What official minimum amount, tier or threshold applies to each relevant option?

Investment capital (post-1 July 2021 invitees): a complying significant investment of at least AUD2.5 million, allocated as at least AUD500,000 in venture capital/growth private equity funds, at least AUD750,000 in approved managed funds investing in emerging ASX-listed companies, and a balancing investment of at least AUD1.25 million in managed funds. Pre-1 July 2021 invitees: a designated investment of at least AUD1.5 million. Net business/investment/personal asset thresholds: at least AUD2.5 million (post-2021 invitees) or AUD2.25 million (pre-2021 invitees). Government fees: the official source does not state the main-applicant first-instalment visa application charge; the second instalment (payable only if an applicant aged 18+ lacks functional English) is AUD9,795 for the main applicant and AUD4,890 per family member.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The main-applicant first-instalment visa application charge (a dynamic price widget) rendered blank on this page at capture time and could not be captured as literal text; it is documented elsewhere in this program from routes where the widget rendered a value (e.g. the same charge amount as other 188 base streams, AUD12,505.00 per the subclass-188 hub page).

How long must the investment be maintained and what continuing ownership, investment or physical-presence conditions are important?

Post-1 July 2021 invitees must hold complying significant investments continuously for the life of the provisional visa (switching between complying investments is allowed if reinvested within 30 days), and must live for at least 2 years in the State or Territory where the investment was made in order to qualify for the subclass 888 permanent Investor stream. Pre-1 July 2021 invitees must maintain their designated investment in the relevant State or Territory for at least 4 years to qualify for the subclass 888 Investor stream, and must genuinely intend to continue business/investment activity after the designated investment matures.

See recorded sources

Which family members can be included where officially stated, and what broad residence/work rights result?

Eligible family members can be included: dependent children can be added to the application at any time before a decision is made, and the spouse or de facto partner not included in the initial lodgement can make a subsequent entrant application (which can only be granted after the main applicant's visa is granted, and carries its own application charge). Family members must meet health and character requirements. Holders of this visa may work and study in Australia, and may bring eligible family members with them.

See recorded sources
  • Overview tab — With this visa, you can
    bring eligible members of your family with you
  • About this visa tab — Include family
    You can add your dependent child or children to your application at any time before we decide on your application. They will need to meet our health and character (if applicable) requirements.
  • About this visa tab — Include family
    The spouse or de facto partner of the main applicant who did not make a combined application at the initial lodgement of the subclass 188 visa, can make a subsequent entrant application. A subclass 188 visa can only be granted to a subsequent entrant after the main applicant's subclass 188 visa is granted.

What status is obtained, how is it renewed, what longer-term residence/citizenship direction is officially stated, and what happens to the investment when relevant?

This is a provisional (temporary) visa. Stay is up to 5 years for those invited on or after 1 July 2021, up to 4 years and 3 months for those invited before 1 July 2021 (applied after 1 July 2015), or up to 4 years for those who applied before 1 July 2015; it is a new visa application, not a renewal, if the holder wants to stay longer. The officially stated longer-term direction is to apply for the permanent Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 888) visa, Investor stream, if requirements are met; investment-maintenance conditions for that pathway are 2 years' State/Territory residence (post-2021 invitees) or 4 years holding the designated investment (pre-2021 invitees). This stream closed to new applications on 31 July 2024.

See recorded sources

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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