In the last year there's been significant negative press and uncertainty about the Global Talent visa and the significant investor visa. The significant investor visa or SIV is a visa that requires a $5 million investment into a complying investment fund.
There was a statement from Minister of Home Affairs Claire O'Neill in 2020 to casting doubt into the future of the investment visa.
The Global Talent isa is a visa stream of the 858, which requires applicants to have expertise in a relevant sector and to have a salary above the Fair Work high income threshold.
There were articles criticizing the integrity of the global talent visa in 2022, so it's a little surprising that there are some positive comments about both in the review.
This is what the review says about the significant investor visa recommendation number eight.
Reconsider the size and role of the Business Innovation and Investment program, noting more positive outcomes from the significant investor visa. Based on this, I would expect a lower overall allocation for the 188. Perhaps even a closing of the 188A or business innovation stream.
But for the significant investor visa to survive and receive allocations.
Recommendation ten.
Consider changes to the existing global talent visa to improve the clarity in the selection criteria and remove the need for a nominator.
Based on this, there may be more specific criteria added to the Global Talent Visa.
The current nomination process is likely to be cut. Changing the nomination process is a good idea. Nomination often proved to be a barrier to applicants that did not personally know an Australian citizen or PR holder. The report makes 31 references to highly skilled migrants. While global talent is not the only way to secure highly skilled migrants. I feel stuck in the global talent visa has risen.
Another way to secure highly skilled migrants is through the points system.
The report looks to refine the points system to better target highly skilled migrants.
So where to from here?
A new migration program year begins very soon. From the 1st of July 2023. There is not enough time to make large legislative and regulatory changes before the 1st of July 2023. What's more likely is that the current visa categories will be managed with different allocation levels.
This will give more time for substantial changes in 2024
So that's the report on the future of the global talent visa and the significant investor visa.
Many Americans fight hard for their Permanent Residency in The State and a green card. As a result, they are pondering their options.
While Canada is a geographically closer option, Australia offers a practical and attractive option for US citizens looking to move abroad temporarily or permanently.
Australia has a lot of types of visas to offer for Americans who are interested in getting an Australia permanent residency or citizenship.
In this article, we explain all possible Australian visa options available to US citizens.
1) The Subclass 462 Work and Holiday Visa
The Work and Holiday visa 462 suits young Americans aged 18 to 30. There is an ongoing review to increase the age limit to 35 years of age, but that is not in effect as yet. Other requirements for the visa are:
- You must have a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or equivalent.
- Have approximately AUD 5000 available as travel funds
- Hold travel health insurance
- Be healthy and have no criminal records
The visa is valid for 1 year and an extension for additional 2 years is possible if you have met specific work requirements, usually in specified high-needs industries in the regional areas of Australia.
While this visa is temporary for a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years, you may be eligible to apply for other visas for further stay in Australia after that.
If you have skills or qualifications in America, you may be eligible for more visas mentioned below. Otherwise, you can start with a student visa to start your way to Australian Permanent Residency.
Overall, This working holiday 462 visa is a fabulous opportunity for young Americans to visit and work in Australia to see if they like what Australia offers.
2) Skilled Migration visas: Visa 189 Skilled Independent, Skilled Nominated Visa 190, Skilled Regional Visa 491
Post-Pandemic Covid-19, Australia needs skilled professional and technical workers. US citizens are in the right mold because of the following factors:
- Excellent English abilities
- Accredited and easily verifiable education qualifications and work references
- Easier transition to an English and Western work environment and process
The upper age limit for these skilled visas is 45 years and below. You are likely someone who has completed a tertiary qualification and has worked a few years or more.
These skilled visas are a pathway to Australian permanent residency, allowing you and your family to live in Australia for as long as you want.
Especially the skilled independent visa 189, the Australian Department of Home Affairs is doing its best effort to attract skilled people worldwide post-pandemic hit.
Recently, they have invited more than 10,000 skilled migrants to apply for this visa 189 - direct Permanent Residency of Australia.
Skilled nominated visa 190 is also an Australian PR with a direct grant, however, it could be more selective to some popular states like Victoria or NSW as this visa is state based visa with different requirements for each state.
Australia is facing a severe skills shortage, particularly in regional areas which are South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, Northern Territory, or even Regional Areas of metro states like Queensland, Victoria or NSW.
With this 491 Visa, you may live and work in the regional area of Australia and has a pathway to Visa 191 Permanent Residency once certain requirements (The primary one is the income threshold of 53,900 per annum) are met.
As a permanent resident of Australia, you will be eligible for social benefits including cheaper education, universal healthcare (Medicare), welfare (criteria apply) and more.
Watch this video below to understand more about Regional and Metropolitans and what incentives you might get for living and working or studying in Regional areas of Australia.
Contact Work Visa Lawyers today to find out if you are eligible for the skilled visas mentioned.
3) Employer Sponsored Visas – TSS 482 visa, PR 186 visa and RSMS subclass 187 visa
Do you work for a large multinational corporation in the United States? Does the company have an overseas office in Australia? If they do, you may look for an overseas transfer by being sponsored by the Australian office of your current employer
While this would involve the endorsement and approval from your employer, this also means that you arrive in Australia with a job in hand.
Not just being employed by a multinational corp, if you are being offered a job in Australia, you may be eligible to ask for sponsorship. Most genuine businesses in Australia can nominate foreign skilled workers.
This is reflected in the new Ministerial Direction 100 about Skilled Visa Priority Processing.
It states that Skilled Visa program and Employer sponsorship program will be prioritized and offshore skilled migrants will be favoured.
Amongst all employer-sponsored visa, TSS 482 Visa is the most popular one with pathway to Permanent Residency of Australia for certain occupations which are listed in medium and Long Term Strategic Skilled List (MLTSSL).
Watch this video to learn more how a 482 Visa can help you get PR in Australia
The team at Work Visa Lawyers can provide dedicated visa services to the individual and professional corporate services to the sponsoring company. We ensure the best interests of both the employee and employer are catered to when applying for employer-sponsored visas.
This is a fast-tracked Permanent residency visa, Global Talent Visa Australia is the most popular one during pandemic for Offshore Skilled Migrants. Work Visa Lawyers has done a lot of cases for American highly skilled persons who got Permanent Residency and moved to Australia during Covid-19.
The Global Talent visa application process is simpler, faster and more affordable than many other Australian visas, so naturally, this makes it very popular. No age limit or points is testing and it grants immediate Permanent Residency
In General, visa applicants are required to meet the following 4 core requirements to be able to apply for a Global Talent visa:
Skills in a relevant field - There are 10 targeted sectors in Global Talent Visa to fit your skills in
Internationally recognized for outstanding achievement in your field - You may use your career history or publications. GTI 858 Visa (Global talent Visa) is quite popular for PhD graduates.
Salary Income Threshold - Your annual salary income with currency exchange must meet the high income threshold of AUD$162,000 or you need to prove that you have secured a job offer with higher income than the threshold.
Nomination - You need to have a prominent nominator in your field of expertise.
5) Business innovation and investment visas – for current business owners and managers, investors and entrepreneurs
Australia welcomes successful business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs on the rise. Visas available under this category include:
The Business Innovation Visa 188a stream is unsurprisingly the most popular amongst all business visa Australia because of its lower capital requirements than the investor stream and the Significant Investor Stream. But it requires a points test, English, Business establishment experience, and more.
The Significant Investor Visa 188C stream requires none of those mentioned above; however, the investment amount is set at 5 Million Australian Dollars into Australian Complying Fund.
Business visas to Australia can be complex, and you will need a detailed assessment before applying. The experienced Registered Migration Agents at Work Visa Lawyers can assist you with the initial eligibility assessment and handle the complex visa application on your behalf in an efficient manner. Contact us today to learn more.
While the above lists the most common Australian visas for US citizens looking to move abroad, there may be other visa options including student visas, distinguished talent visas and so on. Each individual and family have their circumstances, therefore you should speak to a Registered Migration Agent to discover your options before deciding what is best for you and your family in the short and long term.
Comments by Chris Johnston – Principal Immigration Lawyer at Work Visa Lawyers
Australia is an ideal destination for US citizens looking to explore and discover a different country. The people, culture and environment are not vastly different from the United States so there will be less of a culture shock to Americans looking to move. Australian cities also consistently rank high in the top ten among the world’s most liveable cities or cities with the highest quality of life.
Work Visa Lawyers has received inquiries from new and past clients about Australian visa options to move to or remain in Australia. Get in touch with us today to speak about how Work Visa Lawyers can assist with your intentions to make Australia your temporary or permanent home.
Do you need help with an Australian visa application?
At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) Review, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.
If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:
(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956
or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
States have announced that they are running out of allocations as they are working from a interim allocation of about 800 places. 800 places for all states and territories are too short to fill up the demand of the Business and Investor visa program in Australia.
Watch our full video about Business Visa news in November 2022 here:
In that, QLD and NSW have already used up their interim allocation and closed the program temporarily. VIC and SA are very careful in selecting the applicants. SA decided to temporarily close the Investor Stream 188B and Significant Investor Stream 188C streams.
Hopefully, the states can receive further allocations for the Business Visa Australia shortly after the Federal Budgets announcement and open to all the streams.
Now, let's look at some of the most popular stream in Business Visa 188 Australia and why should you go for it.
The 188A Business Innovation stream remains popular among applicants all over the world. This is because it has lower capital rewquiremetns than the investor path, and builds on the applicants existing business skills.
The 188C Significant Investor stream is the most simple one except for the amount if investment fund with NOT much criteria including:
No Age limit (good for parents who are not able to do parent visa 143);
No English Requirement (You only need to pay for the secondary fee for non-english applicant);
No Qualification or Business Skills and experience required;
No Points Test (Business Innovation stream 188A and Investor Stream 188B requires Points Testing)
In order to find your best Business and Investor Visa Australia, please use our Business Visa Compare tool:
Business and Investor Visa news recap
There is still a shadow over the 188C visa which requires a 5 million dollar investment.
"I think most Australians would be pretty offended by the idea that we've got a visa category here where effectively you can buy your way into the country,"
"I don't see a lot of great benefits to the country currently." When she was asked by Andrew from Sky News if the Golden Visa Australia (Significant Investor Visa 188C) might be abolished.
The minister has criticized the Significant investor visa to be bringing in older people who can cost the budget.
=> Applicants wish to put in a SIV application need to take actions as soon as possible.
Or, you may consider to apply for a 188B - Investor Stream instead.
Similar to 188C, 188B Visa requires applicants to invest 2.5 million Australian Dollarto the complying investment fund of Australia. It also has a pathway to Australian Permanent Residency.
The 188B Visa has grown in popularity recently and the comments on the SIV may make more people consider the visa 188 Investor stream.
The final category is the 188E Entrepreneur Stream.
While it has no capital investment requirement, the level of interest is surprising low. This may be because the of the requirements being harder to quantify or predict.
The 188E visa requires applicant to show innovated business ideas.
State such as SA and Victoria require endorsement from service providers or investor incubator bodies.
There is a pathway to permanent residency after you hold the visa for 2 years and have a successful record of entrepreneurial activities.
Ministerial Direction 100 - Business Visa Processing
Following the Federal Budget, there is a new Ministerial Direction 100 for skilled visa processing priority instruction published recently.
The new labor government has pointed out that their primary focus at this stage is to:
- Clear the visa backlogs caused by the delay in processing time during Pandemic Covid-19.
- Address skills shortages
The government will still process efficiently those skilled visas in the near future to make the visa backlogs to a manageable level before Christmas.
The following skilled visas are subject to Ministerial Direction No. 100:
In the last point of the Direction 100 Factsheet, it says that the Government will reduce priority to some programs to shift attention to skilled visas such as State Nomination, Employer Sponsorship program.
The report states that this reduction will help increase efficiencies in reducing processing times across caseloads. This is reflected by the total allocation number of those programs this financial year 2023.
However, Visa applications for the Global Talent and Business & Investment program will still be processed efficiently in line with the planning levels of the Migration Program.
Summary of current Business Investment Visa Australia situation
In summary, the allocations are now lower, at 5000. But with only 800 state allocations so far, there is still over 4000 potential places to be sending out in the next 7 months.
The demand on the Business Investment visa 188 is still high so the new allocations could be filled quickly. Imagine the 800 allocations have been filled within 2 months since announcement, the rest is expected to be running out soon in 3-4 months.
This leads to a more selective process from the government. That means your documents and profile must be clear and well-managed to be successfully get the visa 188.
An application for business or investment visa Australia must be handled with care as it involves demonstration of significant assets (AUD 2.5 - 5 million) and the preparation to liquidate the amount for transfer into the complying investments before the visa is granted.
The team at Work Visa Lawyers has extensive experience in compiling financial and business documents from different countries and submitting the information in an organised manner for the DHA to process the documents smoothly.
Today we are going to talk about the recent news about business innovation and investment visa 188 in Australia.
There is not so much good news regarding the Business and Investment Visa in Australia recently from the minister's talk and the Business Visa Allocation announced in late August 2022.
There are comments that Investor Visa streams do not bring benefits to Australia or are being criticized by the Minister of Home Affairs, Ms Clare O'Neil and the Grattan Institute.
State criteria has become more difficult for the Business Innovation stream 188a visa with higher points score. This is due to the low allocation provided by the Department of Home Affair which makes it harder to nominate applicants for states and territories.
Though there is negative news, the business and investor visa program is still very beneficial to Australia on my perspective. There are a lot of values it brings that are mentioned in the video.
It becomes more difficult to get a 188A, the applicants need to apply for ITR and be invited to apply for nomination.
Other than that, applicants must:
- Score at least 80 points in the points test (including state nomination points).
- Provide a business plan detailing the economic impact of your proposal to South Australia
A business plan will be given more weight in terms of nomination ranking factors.
It is also more difficult to get 888A Business Innovation Stream (PR Australia):
Higher investment requirement, 300k instead of 200k, AND
2 full-time employees
Director's loan is not considered as business asset by Move to SA.
It wants the 188A visa holders to spend the money in SA to show Benefits to the State!
Business and Investor Visa QLD
Migration Queensland advises that the interim nomination allocation (quota) for the business program (BIIP) has now been filled.
However, the business program remains open and MQ will continue to process applications – although we are unable to nominate on Skillselect.
MQ is currently awaiting further advice from Home Affairs as to when this final allocation will be provided.
For applications that are already submitted to MQ, and would like to withdraw to apply to another state or territory, please contact us here.
SIV news from the Minister’s talk
In the latest talk, Minister Clare O’Neil mentioned:
"I think most Australians would be pretty offended by the idea that we've got a visa category here where effectively you can buy your way into the country,"
"I don't see a lot of great benefits to the country currently." When she was asked by Andrew if the Golden Visa Australia might be abolished.
The minister has criticized the Significant investor visa to be bringing in older people who can cost the budget.
Investor Visa Australia - Comments from Grattan Institute
These comments reflect what has been published by the Grattan Institute, a private research body in which recommends public policy.
The Grattan Institute has put forward the view that business migrants pay less tax over the lifetime than skilled visa migrant workers.
The institution seems to be criticizing all 4 streams of the business and innovation program.
What is the future for Business and Investor Visas Australia?
There is a strong possibility that the Federal Government will totally cut the Significant Investor Visa stream of the 188 sometime in the future.
There is also an unanswered question that will also cut the investor visa.
This is also referred to as the 188B Visa Australia.
It requires a 2.5 million investment into the complying fund.
But the investor is difficult because it does have a prerequisite of investment experience and an age limit of 55.
We still need more time to see what is going to happen with the Significant investor stream and the investor stream.
In the meantime, it is still available and no ministerial guidelines about the abolishment of the program.
Chris's comment on current Business and Investor Visa news
I personally don’t agree with the analysis of the Minister nor the Grattan institute
The measure of individual tax payment does not reflect the true benefits of business and investment visas.
These include:
Create capital for small businesses or venture capital funds
Create more jobs for Australians
Export Australian products especially 188a visa stream
Create ties to increase international relations.
Can promote regional property development, especially for 188A stream
What to do now?
With limited allocations, it is no doubt the business visa program will become more difficult
The quotas can be filled very quickly before this financial year ends.
There is also the possibility that some of the 188 visa streams will be cut.
So if you are interested in a business and investment visa in Australia, you should consider applying soon.
If you want a business visa in Australia, please book an appointment or use our Business Visa Compare tool.
With Business visa compare, you only need 5 minutes to answer some simple questions and get your best business visa options.
Australia is always the top desitnation for family to enjoy the quality of living standard, education and outdoor activities. Work Visa Lawyers has professional Immigration Lawyers and Agents to deal with your Visa matters. We also have trusted financial advisory partners who are eligible to manage your investment portfolio in Australia.
For a quick assessment of your best Australian Business Visa options, please visit our FREE assessment tool: Business Visa Compare
More about the Business Visa Australia Agents and Lawyers
Understanding the difficulties in choosing the best Australian Business Visa options, Business Visa 188 Agents and Lawyers team have worked together to create this tool to help experienced business owners or investors find their best Business and Investor Visa options in Australia.
Work Visa Lawyers has strong immigration knowledge and committed to keep updating our website and Business Innovation and Investment news in Australia.
Work Visa Lawyers ® is a migration firm founded by Lawyer Chris Johnston in 2011. Our team is focused on providing quality immigration services to our clients, wherever they are in the world. We speak English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Hindi, Tagalog (Filipino), Portuguese and Vietnamese.
We can help you with the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) for the following four streams and Global Talent Visa:
We are experts in Business and Investor Visas 188 and Global Talent Visa 858 in Australia. We help overseas business owners, investors to create a new life in Australia with their family much faster through those visa streams.
Investor visas are one of the best ways to get permanent residency in Australia. If you want to move to Australia and you have the means to invest five million Australian dollars, the 188 Significant Investor visa might be ideal for you.
The Business Innovation and Investor 188 visa is the visa for experienced business people or high net-worth individuals. There are four streams of the 188 visa, depending on how much you are able to invest, but the Significant Investor visa is the stream with the most benefits. Here are 10 reasons we think you’ll love the Significant Investor visa.
Work Visa Lawyers is pleased to bring you the latest update to the Australian migration programme. The videos below will cover topics such as:
Visa options for 457 visa holders whose contract was not renewed or terminated early due to downturn in the industry, e.g. mining
New Occupation List for the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Subclass 187 Direct Entry visa applications
Supplementary Occupation List for South Australia State Sponsorship
Client feedback about the Pearson PTE Academic Exam
Changes to eligible complying investments for the Significant Investor Subclass 188C visa
Recap of Work Visa Lawyers in China as part of the Shandong-South Australia Cooperation and Development Forum in May 2015
We hope you find the news video informative. Remember that you should seek advice of a Registered Migration Agent to find out your specific options. The situation and scenario of each individual may mean different visa application pathways.
Contact us today to find out more! Remember to subscribe and follow Work Visa Lawyers on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to get immediate updates about the Australia migration programme.
More news in relation to the Australian migration programme in the new fiscal year! Here is an overview:
Immigration SA is the first to release its Occupation Lists for State Sponsorship
Amendments to the SOL and the CSOL (Dentists and Urban Planners take note)
Austrade becomes a nominator for the SIV programme
Immigration SA releases Occupation List
Immigration South Australia has published their occupation lists and will be accepting applications for state sponsorship on the 6 July 2015. All occupations are now listed as “High Availability” but it is expected that places for popular occupations will be filled up very quickly, especially since no other state or territory has published a new list of occupations for sponsorship. Here is a highlight of the SA occupation list:
All ICT occupations are available for sponsorship
Registered Nurses (nec), Enrolled Nurses and Mothercraft Nurses are available for sponsorship
Mining and Oil & Gas occupations are not on the list
Applicants who register 80 points or higher in the Skillselect pool can now access the Supplementary Skilled List
A reminder that Immigration SA now charges for processing a state sponsorship application. Read up in our previous news post about the fees applicable here. There are also updates to the English requirements.
On a separate note ACT (Canberra) will announce their occupation list in August 2015.
Amendments to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and Consolidated Skilled Occupation List (CSOL)
There have been amendments to the SOL and CSOL, specifically:
Urban & Regional Planners, Dental Specialist and Dentists are removed from the SOL and moved to the CSOL – this means that these occupations now require state sponsorship
Panelbeater and Cabinetmaker are removed from the CSOL and moved to the SOL
Primary School Teacher is removed from the CSOL
Austrade becomes a Nominator for the Significant Investor Visa (SIV)
In addition to the Australian states and territories Austrade is now a nominator for the SIV programme. The application fee for nomination is A$ 1000 which is significantly higher than other states and territories. However applicants nominated by Austrade will be allowed to settle down in any part of Australia.
Comments by Chris Johnston – Principal Lawyer and Registered Migration Agent at Work Visa Lawyers
Immigration SA is taking the lead in receiving new applications for state sponsorship in the new fiscal year. However the allocation numbers for SA are usually low so expect places to be filled up quickly. You should apply as soon as possible on the 6 July 2015. The new role of Austrade as a SIV nominator is also beneficial for applicants who do not have a preferred location for settlement as they will not be geographically restricted.
Work Visa Lawyers will bring you more updates as soon as they are announced.
Do you need help with an Australian visa application?
At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications, including state sponsorship applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as Migration Review Tribunal, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.
If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:
(08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091
or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Business visa options are popular among overseas business owners seeking to obtain an Australian visa for their family to settle down and enjoy a better quality of life in Australia. There are a few different options and each has its unique criteria and obligations to fulfil. The six visa options available on 1 July 2015 are:
188A Business Innovation
188B Investor
188C Significant Investor Visa
132A Significant Business History
132B Venture Capital Entrepreneur
Premium Investor Visa
Work Visa Lawyers has created a summary that provides an overview of the options. The summary includes new complying investment requirements for the 188C Significant Investor Visa (SIV) and the new Premium Investor Visa (PIV). Click on the images to load the table in a larger format.
Do take note that the summary is an overview of the business and investment visa options available and your personal circumstances will need to be assessed to determine your eligibility for the visas available. Contact Work Visa Lawyers if you need our Registered Migration Agents to assess your eligibility for the visas above.
What are complying investments?
Complying investments are investment products designated by the Australian Government for the investment purposes of the 188C SIV and the new PIV.
Complying investments for a Significant Investor visa include:
At least AUD500,000 in eligible Australian venture capital or growth private equity fund(s) investing in start-up and small private companies. Note the Government expects to increase this to $1million for new applications within two years as the market responds;
At least AUD1.5 million in an eligible managed fund(s) or Listed Investment Companies (LICs) that invest in emerging companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX); and,
A ‘balancing investment’ of up to AUD3 million in fund(s) or LICs that invest in a combination of eligible assets that include other ASX listed companies, eligible Australian corporate bonds or notes, annuities and real property in Australia (subject to the 10% limit on residential real estate).
For a total investment of at least AUD 5 million.
Eligible investments for the Premium Investor visa will be investments in:
An Australian managed fund
Australian securities exchange listed assets
Australian government or semi-government bonds or notes
Corporate bonds or notes issued by an Australian exchanged listed entity (or wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian listed entity) or investment grade rated Australian corporate bonds or notes rated by an Australian Financial Services licenced debt rating agency
Australian proprietary limited companies
Real property in Australia (subject to the exclusion of direct investment in residential property and limit of 10% indirect investment in residential real estate as part of a fund’s net assets)
Annuities issued by Australian registered life companies that do not repay capital during the qualifying period
State and territory government endorsed philanthropic donations.
For a total investment of at least AUD 15 million.
Comments by Chris Johnston – Principal Lawyer and Registered Migration Agent at Work Visa Lawyers
The biggest change that will come into effect on 1 July 2015 is that investors on the 188C SIV will be unable to invest all their designated AUD 5 million into one passive investment product such as government bonds or real estate funds. With AUD 500,000 minimum required to be invested in venture capital or growth private equity funds, you may be better off considering the 132B where you are required to obtain AUD 1 million from a venture capital firm but obtain permanent residency from day 1. This is compared to having to wait 4 years under the 188C before being able to apply for a permanent resident visa. The 132 visas might be more attractive to business and investment migrants starting 1 July 2015.
Work Visa Lawyers is already working with relevant financial institutes which are lining up financial products that fulfil the requirements as a complying investment.
Do you need help with an Australian visa application?
At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas – 188, 132 and 888, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as Migration Review Tribunal, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.
If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:
(08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091
or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The new financial year for Australia is coming and here are some migration related news you need to know.
Visa Application Fees (VAC) are increasing on 1 July 2015
Immigration South Australia (SA) will start collecting fees on 10 June 2015
Changes to the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) and introduction of the Premium Investor Visa (PIV)
Visa Application Charges for 1 July 2015
If you missed our earlier news entry on the VAC increments, click here to find out more. The new fees apply if you submit a visa application on 1 July 2015 or after, so you can still submit an application now to avoid the fee increase. The increase ranges from 2.3% to 50%.
A word of caution: try not to leave your application until the last day (30 June 2015) for submission. The online system may be flooded and users can experience system outages. A scheduled outage has been announced for Midnight Tuesday 30 June to 7am Wednesday 1 July 2015.
Immigration SA now charges fees for state sponsorship effective 10 June 2015
Immigration SA announced earlier that they will start collecting fees for state sponsorship application, following what other states and territories have been doing for a while now. Here is the breakdown of the charges:
Application Type
SA
Skilled migrants
State nominated skilled – 190 permanent
A$ 200
State nominated skilled – 489 regional provisional
A$ 200
Business migrants
Business 188 provisional
A$ 500
Business permanent 888/892/893
A$ 750
Business 132 permanent
A$ 750
Business retiree 405
A$ 500
SA Employers
Employer Nominated – RCB advice by State Government agency
Nil
Note: A credit card and processing surcharge of 3.2% is charged in addition to the fees listed.
Changes to the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) and announcing the Premium Investor Visa (PIV)
The SIV has been suspended since 24 April 2015, and will resume on 1 July 2015. While the investment amount of A$ 5 million has not changed, the structure of the complying investments has been modified to ensure allocation of investment funds to start-ups, instead of mainly government bonds. Here is the breakdown:
At least A$ 500,000 in eligible Australian venture capital or growth private equity fund(s) investing in start-up and small private companies (“VCPE”). The Government expects to increase this to A$ 1 million for new applications within two years as the market responds;
At least A$ 1.5 million in an eligible managed fund(s) or Listed Investment Companies (“LICs”) that invest in emerging companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”); and
A ‘balancing investment’ of up to A$ 3 million in managed fund(s) or LICs that invest in a combination of eligible assets that include other ASX listed companies, eligible corporate bonds or notes, annuities and real property (subject to the 10 per cent limit on residential real estate).
For the new PIV, a minimum investment of A$ 15 million will be required. It will be available at the invitation of the Australian Government only, with potential applicants to be nominated by Austrade. The investor will be able to apply for permanent residence in 12 months’ time, compared to 4 years for the SIV.
Comments by Chris Johnston – Principal Lawyer and Registered Migration Agent at Work Visa Lawyers
The new financial year usually brings Visa Application Charge (VAC) increases and changes to the visa programme. The best mentality for Australian visa applications is to submit an application when you are eligible as soon as possible. Do not put yourself and your family at risk of fee increases (which may be significant if you are from overseas) and migration legislation changes. Act now and lodge your application as soon as possible.
Do you need help with an Australian visa application?
At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as Migration Review Tribunal, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.
If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:
(08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091
or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has announced that new Significant Visa (SIV) applications will be suspended from 24 April 2015 to 30 June 2015. The suspension of new applications is to facilitate changes to the complying investment framework.
What Does This Mean?
Current SIV applicants who have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and lodged their visa applications will not be affected by the suspension and any new rules introduced after or during the suspension. With changes upcoming it is best to lodge your SIV application as soon as possible if you have received an ITA.
While you can still submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the SIV uptill 23 April 2015, no further ITAs will be issued until after 1 July 2015.
More updates to follow...
This information is accurate on the 7 April 2015
Do you need help with an Australian visa application?
At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in various Australian visa applications including General Skilled, Employer Sponsored, Business Skills, Family, and Migration Review Tribunal applications. Our vast experience allows us to understand that each business setup and investment portfolio is different and thus applicants can meet visa application requirements in different ways.
If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:
(08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091
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