Investor Visa for Australia

Foreign businessmen interested in immigration in Australia have the possibility of applying for a visa created especially for investment purposes. Our Australia immigration lawyer can present the steps investors have to follow when applying for this type of visa and offer legal representation during all the stages.

What are the characteristics of the investor visa?

In December 2024, the legislation on immigration in Australia prescribed a new visa for investments, which has the following basic characteristics:

• the visa is known as the National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858);
• the investor visa in Australia provides the right of living in this country for an undetermined period of time (it represents a permanent visa);
• the new program establishes four pillars of interests (priorities), based on which candidates will be selected;
• those who want to apply in 2026 must initiate an Expression of Interest and, if the Australian authorities deem the application suitable, the applicant will receive an invitation to apply for the visa;
• once the invitation is sent, the foreigner has a period of 60 days to complete the visa formalities.

What are the advantages of the National Innovation Visa?

Foreigners who migrate to Australia under this new visa program can receive many advantages. In the list below, our Australia migration lawyer highlights the main benefits:

1. the right to permanent residency in Australia;
2. the right to work and study here;
3. access to the country’s public health system;
4. visa holders can sponsor their close family members to relocate to Australia;
5. the right to free movement to and from Australia;
6. the possibility to apply for Australian citizenship (the program does not provide automatic right to citizenship);
7. access to free English classes.

What categories of investors can apply for the investor visa for Australia?

There are 4 criteria of specialists that can apply for this document, namely:

1. researchers;
2. entrepreneurs;
3. innovative investors;
4. athletes and creatives.

What is the priority system?

Additionally, it must be noted that the program has a priority system under which the visa can be granted to the 4 categories of specialists mentioned above, as follows:

1. 1st priority – candidates of excellence, who can be global specialists, experts, recipients of international/top level awards;
2. 2nd priority – candidates from various sectors who have been nominated by the Australian Commonwealth or other Australian national/regional agencies;
3. 3rd priority – exceptional candidates who have notable achievements in fields such as health industry, critical technology or renewable energies;
4. 4th priority – candidates with remarkable results in a wide range of fields (defence, education, financial services, infrastructure, transportation, agri-food, etc.).

You can also watch this presentation on how to obtain an investor visa in Australia:

How can I submit an Expression of Interest for the Subclass 858 visa?

Foreigners who plan to migrate to Australia under this new visa program must initially submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), which is made through the National Innovation Visa Expression of Interest Form, along with the required paperwork, as follows:

1. the person’s identification documents;
2. his or her resume;
3. the papers attesting the applicant’s highest level of qualification;
4. those who apply for the 2nd priority must submit the Form 1000 and a supporting document issued by the agency that nominated the applicant;
5. if the submitted documents are not written in English, they must be accompanied by an English translation.

Where can I apply from?

Interested parties can start the application overseas or from Australia; however, they can’t be in immigration clearance (when they apply or when they receive an answer concerning the application).

What are the fees I must pay for my application?

The processing of this visa type incurs some fees, which are regulated by the law on immigration in Australia. According to the Department of Home Affairs, the processing of the National Innovation Visa implies the following fees:

• the basic application fee is AUD 6,235 (from 1 July 2026);
• provided that the applicant wants to relocate to Australia with close family members (above 18 years old), an additional charge of AUD 3,120 is imposed for each adult family member;
• in the case in which the applicant has minor children (under the age of 18), the costs increase by AUD 1,560 per each minor added to the application.

Are there any age requirements for the National Innovation visa in 2026?

Concerning age obligations, for those who want to enter the National Innovation program in 2026, we mention that the visa is addressed to individuals of 18 to 55 years old. Exemptions can be made, but applicants need to prove that they can be of exceptional benefit to Australia.

Can I make changes to my application after the submission?

The application rules for this visa state that once the application has been submitted, the applicant can no longer edit it or add other documents, therefore the application should be made with the utmost care. For this, you can always rely on the services of our Australia migration lawyer, who will make sure that your application is flawless.

How long does it take to process the application for the National Innovation Visa?

Once the application has been submitted, it can take around 6 months to process the documentation and receive an answer (this timeline applies to approximately 50% of all the applications). The maximum amount of time can increase to 7 months.

Do I need to have my visa on my passport?

No. As with almost all visas issued in Australia, no physical document needs to be added in the passport of the visa holder, and this also applies to the National Innovation Visa. The visa is digitally linked to the individual’s passport.

Can I withdraw my application if I change my mind?

If you are no longer interested in continuing the application process, you can withdraw the EOI by personally contacting the representatives of the Department (via e-mail).

You are invited to contact our Australia migration lawyer for legal assistance and legal representation on the issuance of one of the visas presented in this article.