🇦🇺 Asia-Pacific

Australia business pathways

Subclass 188 closed to new applications (31 Jul 2024). Exceptional talent may look to National Innovation Visa (858); skilled/employer streams (482/186) remain separate.

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Not legal advice

Immigration, tax, and investment rules change. Use this guide to compare pathways, then verify amounts and procedures on official government sites and with qualified counsel. Content reviewed: 2026-08

At a glance

Decision signals for founders and investors considering Australia.

Best for

Exceptional innovators / existing 188 holders; not a new cheque-based BIIP entry

188 status

CLOSED to new applications since 31 July 2024

Existing 188 holders

May still path to Subclass 888 permanent (verify)

Talent alternative

National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858)

Employer / skilled

TSS 482 / ENS 186 (non-founder-primary)

Citizenship

Separate naturalisation after PR — verify Home Affairs

Which path fits you?

I already hold a Subclass 188 provisional visa

You may still be able to progress to Subclass 888 permanent residence if you meet current criteria — verify Home Affairs.

Jump to pathway

I have exceptional talent / innovation credentials

National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858) is the current talent-focused alternative — not a simple investment cheque.

Jump to pathway

I will relocate as a sponsored skilled worker

Employer-sponsored pathways (e.g. 482 / 186) — not designed as a founder/investment primary route.

Jump to pathway

Visa pathways

Focused on startup, investor, and self-employment routes - not study or tourism visas.

CLOSED to new applications

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Subclass 188 → Permanent 888

The Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (Subclass 188) is CLOSED to new applications from 31 July 2024 (Home Affairs). Do not plan a new Australian expansion around lodging a fresh 188. People who already hold a Subclass 188 may still be able to apply for the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (Subclass 888) if they meet the requirements that apply to their stream — always verify the live Home Affairs pages for your exact stream and transitional arrangements. Treat any agent claim of a “new 188 opening soon” as unverified until it appears on homeaffairs.gov.au.

Min. capital

N/A for new 188 lodgements (closed); 888 criteria as published for your stream

Best for: Existing Subclass 188 holders working toward Subclass 888 permanent residence — not new applicants seeking a BIIP provisional visa.

New Subclass 188 applications are not accepted. For Subclass 888, investment / business / residence conditions depend on the provisional stream you hold — verify on Home Affairs before assuming a capital figure from older guidance.

Investment options

  • No new Subclass 188 lodgements after 31 July 2024
  • Existing 188 holders: assess Subclass 888 eligibility for your stream (verify-on-official-site)
  • Do not transfer funds expecting a new 188 grant
  • Monitor Home Affairs for any future replacement programmes (verify-on-official-site)

Eligibility

  • New applicants: Subclass 188 is closed — not eligible to lodge
  • Existing 188 holders: meet Subclass 888 criteria for the relevant stream (business, investment, significant investor, etc. — verify current list)
  • Maintain lawful status and any conditions attached to your provisional visa
  • Standard character, health, and document requirements as published

Process timeline

  1. 1

    Confirm your 188 stream & conditions

    Check grant letter and Home Affairs stream pages for what 888 expects.

  2. 2

    Document business / investment compliance

    Evidence of activity, ownership, investment holding periods, and residence as required for your stream.

  3. 3

    Lodge Subclass 888 if eligible

    Apply only when criteria are met; processing times vary — verify Home Affairs.

  4. 4

    PR obligations

    After 888 grant, manage travel facilities and any ongoing conditions; plan separately for citizenship if desired.

Family

Family inclusion depends on how dependents were included on the provisional visa and Home Affairs rules for 888 — verify before assuming spouse/children transfer automatically.

Work rights

As attached to your 188/888 grant and conditions. Operating a business must stay within visa conditions — verify your specific grant.

Route to PR

Subclass 888 is the permanent residence outcome for eligible existing 188 holders. New applicants cannot use a fresh 188 to start that path.

Route to citizenship

Australian citizenship by conferral is separate after meeting permanent residence and residence requirements — verify citizenship.gov.au / Home Affairs. Dual nationality implications for Pakistan need personal legal advice.

Pros

  • Existing 188 holders may still have a published path to permanent 888
  • Clear official closure date reduces ambiguity for new planners
  • Strong rule-of-law and mature startup/investor ecosystem for those already in-system

Watch-outs

  • CLOSED to new 188 applications since 31 July 2024 — do not budget a new BIIP provisional visa
  • Agent marketing of “investment visas” may be outdated — rely on homeaffairs.gov.au
  • 888 criteria and evidence packs are stream-specific and can be demanding
  • Always verify transitional rules on the official site before lodging
Home Affairs — Subclass 188
Talent & skilled options

National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858) & skilled / employer pathways

With Subclass 188 closed to new applications, Home Affairs points exceptional talent toward the National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858) — a talent / innovation pathway, not a passive capital-investment product. Separately, many professionals relocate via employer-sponsored or skilled streams such as the Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) and Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186). Those are non-founder-primary options: they usually require an Australian employer nomination or skilled criteria, not “buy a company and get residence.” Always re-read homeaffairs.gov.au for invitation, nomination, and eligibility rules before planning capital moves. Supporting business setup information is on business.gov.au (verify-on-official-site).

Min. capital

Not a fixed investment-visa capital floor (858 is talent-based; 482/186 are employment-based)

Best for: Globally competitive innovators considering Subclass 858; or founders/executives who will instead take a genuine skilled/employer-sponsored role (482/186) rather than a closed BIIP route.

Subclass 858 is assessed on exceptional talent / innovation criteria (verify current Home Affairs guidance) — not a published “invest X dollars” BIIP cheque. Subclass 482 and 186 depend on nomination, occupation, and skills — not founder capital minimums.

Investment options

  • National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858) — exceptional talent / innovation (verify-on-official-site)
  • Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) — employer-sponsored temporary work
  • Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) — employer-sponsored permanent (where eligible)
  • Company formation via Australian business processes is separate from visa grant (see business.gov.au)

Eligibility

  • 858: meet Home Affairs National Innovation Visa criteria (invitation / assessment as published — verify-on-official-site)
  • 482/186: approved nomination / sponsorship and occupation / skills criteria as published
  • Health, character, and genuine-temporary or permanent-stream requirements as applicable
  • Do not treat these as substitutes for the closed Subclass 188 investment programme

Process timeline

  1. 1

    Choose talent vs employer track

    Map profile to 858 vs 482/186 honestly — capital alone does not replace closed 188.

  2. 2

    Gather evidence / nomination

    For 858: innovation / achievement evidence per Home Affairs. For 482/186: employer nomination and skills docs.

  3. 3

    Lodge only when invited / eligible

    Follow current invitation, EOI, or nomination steps on Home Affairs — do not invent steps from blogs.

  4. 4

    Enter, comply, plan longer stay

    Meet visa conditions; PR and citizenship are separate stages where available.

Family

Dependent inclusion is common on many skilled visas when criteria are met — confirm secondary applicant rules for 858 / 482 / 186 on Home Affairs.

Work rights

As per grant: 858 and skilled visas usually authorise work under their conditions; founding a side business may need separate advice and must not breach conditions.

Route to PR

Some streams lead to or are already permanent (e.g. certain 186 grants); temporary skilled visas may have permanent pathways later. Subclass 858 outcomes depend on the grant — verify Home Affairs.

Route to citizenship

After permanent residence and meeting residence requirements for conferral — verify official citizenship guidance. Not automatic with a work or talent visa.

Pros

  • 858 provides a published talent alternative after 188 closure
  • 482/186 remain established employer routes for relocating executives and specialists
  • Clear official portals (Home Affairs + business.gov.au) for compliance

Watch-outs

  • 858 is selective — not an open investment residency cheque
  • 482/186 require real sponsorship / skilled eligibility — not founder-primary by design
  • Processing, occupations lists, and nomination rules change — verify-on-official-site
  • Pakistan source-of-funds and character documentation still matter for banking and visas
Home Affairs — National Innovation Visa 858

Compare pathways

Scan capital, innovation requirements, and fit in one table.

Pathway Status / bar Founder-primary? Typical outcome Best if you…
Subclass 188 (BIIP Provisional) CLOSED to new applications (31 Jul 2024) Was investment/business provisional No new grants; existing holders may aim for 888 Already hold 188
Subclass 888 (BIIP Permanent) For eligible existing 188 holders Follow-on permanent Permanent residence if criteria met Can evidence stream conditions
National Innovation Visa 858 Exceptional talent / innovation (verify) Talent-primary, not cheque-based Per Home Affairs grant Have globally competitive credentials
482 / 186 (skilled / employer) Nomination + skills criteria No — employer/skilled primary Temporary or permanent (stream-dependent) Have an Australian sponsor / skilled role

Route to PR & citizenship

Australia separates temporary/provisional visas, permanent residence, and citizenship. Closing Subclass 188 to new applications does not cancel existing holders’ potential 888 paths — but new founders must look to other published programmes.

Settlement / permanent residence (888)

Eligible existing Subclass 188 holders may apply for Subclass 888 permanent residence when stream criteria are met. Verify current Home Affairs requirements for your stream before lodging.

Talent and skilled PR routes

Subclass 858 and employer-sponsored permanent streams (where available, e.g. certain 186 grants) are separate from BIIP. Outcomes depend on nomination, invitation, and grant conditions — verify-on-official-site.

Citizenship

Citizenship by conferral generally requires permanent residence plus residence and other criteria. Confirm on official Australian citizenship guidance; dual nationality with Pakistan needs separate advice.

Do not rely on closed programmes

Planning capital transfers for a new Subclass 188 application is not viable while the visa remains closed to new applications (from 31 July 2024).

After you arrive

Operational checklist once the visa is granted.

  1. 1 Activate / collect visa evidence and meet any entry conditions
  2. 2 Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) and understand tax residency
  3. 3 Register the business (ABN / company) via official channels if operating locally — see business.gov.au
  4. 4 Open Australian bank accounts with full source-of-funds KYC
  5. 5 Arrange Medicare eligibility or private health cover as applicable to your visa
  6. 6 If on 188 progressing to 888: track stream-specific business/investment evidence continuously
  7. 7 If employer-sponsored: keep nomination and work conditions compliant
  8. 8 Engage a registered migration agent only if needed — still verify primary facts on Home Affairs

Living costs & runway

Rough monthly estimates for a relocating founder (excluding major capex or visa capital). Australian cities are expensive — treat as estimates.

Sydney

AUD 3,500 – AUD 5,500+ (est.)

  • Housing (1-bed) AUD 2,200 – AUD 3,500
  • Food & groceries AUD 500 – AUD 800
  • Transport AUD 150 – AUD 280
  • Utilities & mobile AUD 180 – AUD 300
  • Misc / coworking AUD 250 – AUD 500

Melbourne

AUD 3,200 – AUD 5,000+ (est.)

  • Housing (1-bed) AUD 1,900 – AUD 3,200
  • Food & groceries AUD 480 – AUD 750
  • Transport AUD 140 – AUD 260
  • Utilities & mobile AUD 170 – AUD 280
  • Misc / coworking AUD 220 – AUD 450

Pakistan founder checklist

Practical prep before you book consulate appointments or move capital.

  • Accept that Subclass 188 is CLOSED to new applications since 31 July 2024
  • If you hold 188: map Subclass 888 criteria for your exact stream on Home Affairs
  • If you are a new founder: assess National Innovation Visa 858 vs realistic employer/skilled options (482/186)
  • Do not wire “investment visa capital” based on outdated BIIP marketing
  • Document source of funds early for Australian banking KYC
  • Use business.gov.au for company setup — separate from visa eligibility
  • Budget high living costs in Sydney/Melbourne from month one
  • Re-read homeaffairs.gov.au immediately before any lodgement — rules change

Official sources

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