Australia Subclass 888 Visa Business PR for Investors
The Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) subclass 888 is a state-nominated permanent residency visa designed for foreign entrepreneurs and investors who wish to carry out business activities in Australia. Subclass 888 is the second stage of the Business Innovation and Investment subclass 188 visa, which is a 5-year temporary visa for people who want to own and manage a new or existing business in Australia.
Once a business is successfully established in Australia, the holder of a subclass 188 visa can apply for a permanent residency visa through the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) subclass 888.
The subclass 888 visa has two streams:
The Business Innovation Stream, and
The Investor Stream
Who can apply for this visa?
To be eligible for the subclass 888 visa, you must be a holder of one of the following visas:
A Subclass 188 visa,
A special category Subclass 444 visa, or
A business long-stay Subclass 457 visa (in limited circumstances).
The following types of individuals are eligible for subclass 888 visa:
Business innovators
Significant investors
Premium Investors
Entrepreneurs
Apart from this, they must:
Hold a current Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) or a Special Category visa (subclass 444).
Have fulfilled the eligibility requirements of your provisional visa
Have been nominated by a state or territory government.
Business criteria for subclass 888 visa
| Business activity | Demonstrate business success for the last two years and also a commitment to carry on business activities in Australia. |
| Ownership interest | Owned and operated the business in the last two years preceding application with an annual turnover of at least AUD 300,000 for the past two out of four years. |
| Business management | You must have maintained direct and continuous business involvement for two years before the application. |
| Annual turnover | Your business must have generated at least A$300,000 of turnover in the last year. |
| Net business assets | Not less than A$200,000 in the last 12 months before applying for the visa. |
| Qualifying visa | Must be holding a Business Innovation visa at the time of application. |
The Investor Stream-888 visa
Must produce evidence of a designated investment of at least AUD$ 1.5 million for 4 years.
Provide a performance report of your business or a summary of activities undertaken in Australia in the last two years.
You must have resided in Australia as a subclass 188 holder under the Investor Stream for 2 years in the 4 years before lodging your 888 visa.
Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) subclass 888 - Processing Time
The exact time taken to process an application under the subclass 888 visa depends on the stream you’ve applied for. Business innovation stream: 10–11 months. Investor stream: 7–9 months.
FAQs – Australia Business Visa Subclass 888
Who can apply for the Subclass 888 visa?
Holders of subclass 188, 444, or certain 457 visas can apply for the Subclass 888 visa.
What are the business criteria for Subclass 888?
You must show business success, ownership, and management in Australia with required turnover and assets.
How long does the Subclass 888 visa take to process?
Business Innovation Stream: 10–11 months; Investor Stream: 7–9 months.
Can I invest to qualify for Subclass 888?
Yes, the Investor Stream requires AUD 1.5 million investment for 4 years.
