Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Business Innovation stream

This provisional visa is for people with business skills. It lets you operate a new or existing business in Australia.

Stay Up to 4 years and 3 months.

​You must operate a new or existing business in Australia.

You must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency.


Business Innovation and Investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Investor stream

This provisional visa requires you to invest at least AUD1.5 million in an Australian State or Territory and maintain business or investment activity in Australia.

Stay 4 years and 3 months.

  • ​You must invest AUD1.5 million in an Australian State or Territory.
  • You must be nominated by an Australian  State or Territory government agency.

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Significant Investor stream

This provisional visa is for people who invest at least AUD5 million in Australian investments that meet certain requirements and maintain investment activity in Australia.

There are no standard processing times available for this stream.

  • ​You must invest at least AUD5 million in complying significant investments in Australia.
  • You must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Business Innovation Extension stream

This provisional visa lets holders of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Business Innovation stream extend their stay in Australia for 2 more years.

Stay 6 years after the date of the grant of the original Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Innovation stream that you held at the time of application.

  • ​Extend your stay for up to 2 more years. This means you can stay in Australia for a total of 6 years from the date of grant of your Subclass 188 visa in the Business Innovation stream.
  • You can only have held 1 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188).
  • You must hold a Subclass 188 visa in the Business Innovation stream.
  • You must have held your Subclass 188 visa in the Business Innovation stream for at least 3 years.
  • You must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency.

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Significant Investor Extension stream

This provisional visa lets holders of a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Significant Investor stream holders extend their stay in Australia for up to 4 more years.

​Extend your stay for up to 4 more years. This means you can stay in Australia for a total of 8 years from the date of grant of your Subclass 188 visa in the Significant Investor stream.

You must hold a Subclass 188 visa in the Significant Investor stream for at least 3 years, or a Subclass 188 visa in the Significant Investor Extension stream.

You cannot have held more than 1 Subclass 188 visa in the Significant Investor Extension stream.

You must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.


Business Innovation and Investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Premium Investor stream

This provisional visa is for people who are nominated by Austrade and who invest at least AUD15 million in Australian investments and/or philanthropic contributions.

  • ​You must invest AUD15 million in Australian investments and/or philanthropic contributions that meet certain requirements.
  • You must be nominated by Austrade.

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Entrepreneur stream

This provisional visa lets you carry out entrepreneurial activities in Australia.

  • ​You must have a funding agreement with a third party to carry out entrepreneurial activities.
  • You must first be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency.