Business or Investment-stream Permanent Visa

The Business Innovation and Investment Visa (Subclass 888) is a permanent residency visa for individuals who have successfully held a Subclass 188 provisional visa and met the business, investment, or entrepreneurial requirements of their stream. It is the second stage of Australia’s Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP) and offers a pathway to citizenship.

Key Benefits of the Subclass 888 Visa

• Permanent Residency
  Live, work, and study in Australia indefinitely
• Access to Medicare
  Enrol in Australia’s public healthcare system
• Pathway to Citizenship
  Apply for Australian citizenship after meeting residency requirements
• Sponsor Family Members
  Include your spouse and dependent children in your visa application
• No Points Test or Age Limit
  Unlike the provisional visa, Subclass 888 does not require a points test or age limit
• Multiple Streams Available
  Choose from five tailored streams based on your business or investment background

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the Subclass 888 visa, you must meet general and stream-specific requirements:

General Requirements

• Hold a valid Subclass 188 visa in the relevant stream (or Subclass 444/457 in some cases)
• Have a current nomination from a state or territory government or Austrade
• Meet health and character requirements
• Demonstrate a genuine commitment to continue business or investment activities in Australia

Visa Streams

The Subclass 888 visa includes five main streams, each with unique criteria:

Business Innovation Stream

• Owned and operated a business in Australia for at least 2 years.
• Meet at least two of the following:
  • Business turnover ≥ AUD $300,000
  • Net business assets ≥ AUD $200,000
  • Combined personal/business assets ≥ AUD $600,000
  • Employ at least 2 full-time eligible Australian workers

Investor Stream

• Held a Subclass 188 Investor visa for at least 4 years.
• Maintained a complying investment of AUD $2.5 million.
• Lived in Australia for at least 2 years during the provisional period

Significant Investor Stream

• Held a Subclass 188 Significant Investor visa for at least 4 years.
• Maintained AUD $5 million in complying investments.
• Met residency requirements (e.g., 40 days/year or 180 days for spouse)

Premium Investor Stream

• Held a Subclass 188 Premium Investor visa for at least 1 year.
• Maintained AUD $15 million in complying investments.

Entrepreneur Stream

• Held a Subclass 188 Entrepreneur visa for at least 4 years.
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial success (e.g., revenue ≥ AUD $300,000 or funding ≥ AUD $200,000).
• Made an economic contribution to the nominating state or territory.

Visa Conditions

Once granted, the Subclass 888 visa comes with the following conditions:

• Permanent Residency
  You can live, work, and study in Australia without restrictions
• Travel Facility
  Travel freely for 5 years from the visa grant date. After that, apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV)
• Family Inclusion
  Your family members can live, work, and study in Australia
• Business Obligations
  You must continue your business or investment activities in Australia

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)