Premium Investor Subclass 188D Visas

Premium Investor Subclass 188D Visas

188D Premium Investor (PIV) Stream

The Business Innovation and Investment visa program (BIIP) will end, with visa application charge refunds available from September 2024 for those who wish to withdraw their BIIP application. This visa is exclusively for applicants nominated by AusTrade.

The 188D Premium Investor visa is a 4-year temporary visa for individuals willing to invest at least AUD 15 million in qualifying investments in Australia. After maintaining this investment in Australia for 1 year, applicants can apply for permanent residency through the Business Innovation & Investment (Residence) Subclass 888 visa.

Applicants can lodge this visa application either from within Australia or from overseas.

If the applicant is in Australia: They must hold a Substantive Visa or a Bridging A, B, or C visa.

General Requirements: Applicants must invest at least AUD 15 million in a “premium investment” before the visa is granted. A “premium investment” includes:

  • Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed assets
  • Australian government or semi-government bonds or notes
  • Corporate bonds or notes issued by an ASX-listed entity (or its wholly-owned subsidiary) or investment-grade rated Australian corporate bonds or notes from an AFS-licensed debt rating agency
  • Australian proprietary limited companies
  • Real property in Australia (excluding residential property)
  • Deferred annuities issued by Australian registered life companies
  • State or territory government-approved philanthropic contributions

Advantages:

  • No residence requirement
  • Fast-tracked 12-month pathway to permanent residency

Other 188 Visa Eligibility Streams:

  • Business Innovation – for business owners aiming to establish operations in Australia.
  • Investor – for individuals willing to invest $1.5 million in Australian State or Territory bonds.
  • Significant Investor – for those investing $5 million in qualifying investments in Australia.
  • Premium Investor – for individuals with substantial funds willing to invest at least $15 million in qualifying premium investments in Australia.
  • Entrepreneur – for those with a funding agreement of at least AUD 200,000 from a third party to undertake a qualifying entrepreneurial activity.

Business migration can be very complex, and determining your eligibility can be challenging. Additionally, you may qualify under several different business migration categories.