Subclass 888 – Business Investment and Innovation Visa (Permanent) – Investor Stream

This stream allows provisional visa holders (under subclass 188) to persist in their investment projects in Australia on a permanent basis. That means you can continue your desired investment activities in Australia without any hindrance. You can apply for this visa whether you are inside or outside Australia. 

Benefits:

• You can carry on your investments projects initiated under a Provisional 188 visa in Australia
• You can live and stay in Australia on a permanent basis with the choice to pursue study or work
• Can register for health projects like Medicare
• Would be able to obtain citizenship and sponsor family members for PR
• Can travel back and forth to Australia for first five years (can continue this after 5 years by obtaining visa RRV )

 Eligibility Criteria: 

• Should have possessed relevant 188 provisional visa as a primary or secondary visa holder for a minimum of 3 years
• Should have a current nomination from an Australian territory/ state that nominated you previously under subclass 188 to make specified investments in Australia 
• Should be complying with the investment requirement of the previous 188 visa 
•  (i.e. maintained complying significant investment of 2.5 million for the entire period of holding 188 visa, or have maintained designated investment in your or your spouse’s name for 4 years in case participated in any investment activity)
• Stayed in Australia physically for 2 immediate years preceding the 888 visa application unless Covid Rules apply
• Not been part of any inappropriate business projects or investments and Complied with Australian Laws while staying in Australia
• Should have a reasonable commitment to pursue business or investment in Australia
• Should not have any pending debt to the government in Australia and no former visa cancellation or refusal
• English Language should be Functional
• Comply with health and character requirements

The Procedure:  

• Current Nomination: For subclass 888, you don’t need to submit any EOI again. However, you have to get nomination confirmation from the relevant state or territory that accepted you under 188. Also, you have to ensure your or your family documents e.g. passports are valid before you apply
• Documents Preparation: Since the 888 visa is given based on the formal provisional visa, you’ll have to provide various support documents indicating all your activities in Australia during the time you had your 188 visa. These include various personal, official, and business documents e.g. residence proofs, family documents, investment details, identity documents, Language proof, health, character, or tax documents, etc. 
• Visa application: Once you have gathered all documented proofs, you’ll submit your visa application online
• Decision wait: Then after some wait, you would receive status updates and would be asked to provide any missing information or document e.g. medical exams, etc. 
• Final Decision: Acceptance or Rejection of Visa

Time & Fee/Cost:

There is no estimated time for processing. It varies for different people and depends if you have filled everything in correctly or not. The visa cost is mentioned on the official website i.e. Australian Government Department of home affairs. Currently, it is around 3030 dollars. 

Secure Australian Visa with Highbrow International:

Highbrow International is the ideal place to go if you are looking for the best Australian Immigration Consultant in Lahore to help you obtain a permanent investor visa under subclass 888 for Australian Immigration from Pakistan. 

We recognize how taxing it can be to handle every aspect of immigration on your own. As a result, from the start of the application to the last Visa Interview, Highbrow provides full assistance. We also give recommendations on how you can achieve desired points to be eligible. 

Our in-house team of immigration experts in Pakistan is aware of all the field challenges hence, can make the entire immigration process easier by guiding and preparing you beforehand.

Subclass 188 – Business Investment and Innovation Visa (Provisional) – Investor Stream

This visa stream is intended for people who want to work on or invest in any business in Australia. To be eligible for Subclass 188, you need to secure a nomination from a certain state or government agency first that accepts you for investing in Australia.

Being a provisional visa, this type allows you to stay temporarily in Australia which can be extended further given that you meet the required criteria. 

Benefits:

• You can participate in different business and investments projects in Australia
• You can bring your family along
• Visa Validity of 5 years 
• Can apply for PR in case you meet specified requirements (through subclass 888)
• Can travel freely inside or outside Australia until your visa expires

 Eligibility Criteria: 

• Nomination from Australian territory/ state to make specified investments in Australia
• Have managed a business with 10 percent ownership or have owned a combined amount of 2.5 million Australian dollars for one of the five fiscal years preceding the invitation to apply
• Have a minimum of 2.5 million in overall personal assets which can be sent to Australia in 2 years after granting of visa (1.5 million in case you receive a visa application invitation before July 2021)
• Secure the required profile points (65 minimum)
• Have previous experience in business (3 years) without involvement in inappropriate activities that are intolerable in Australia
• Have an age under 55
• English Language should be Functional
• Comply with acceptable health and character requirements 
• Not have any pending debt to the government in Australia and no former visa cancellation or refusal

The Procedure:  

• See Eligibility: Since each state has its own requirement, you first have to go through different state’s eligibility criteria, once you find an option relevant to your background, you would calculate your scores which should be 65 or higher
• EOI: Next, You would indicate the state you are interested to invest in by submitting the expression of interest on the SkillSelect
• Decision wait: Then after some wait, you would receive the decision regarding the nomination, the acceptance or rejection of your EOI, and the visa invitation
• Document Submission: In case you get an Invitation for a visa application, you would submit the documentation required to support your case including prospective investments documents and other supporting documents 
• Visa Application: You have to apply for the final Visa 

Time & Fee/Cost:

The overall time spent in processing ranges from 18 months to 42 months. The visa cost is mentioned on the official website i.e. Australian Government Department of home affairs. Currently, it is around 6300 dollars. 

Secure Australian Visa with Highbrow International:

Highbrow International is the ideal place to go if you are looking for the best Australian Immigration Consultant in Lahore to help you obtain a business visa under subclass 188 for Australian Immigration from Pakistan. 

 We recognize how taxing it can be to handle every aspect of immigration on your own. As a result, from the start of the application to the last Visa Interview, Highbrow provides full assistance. We also give recommendations on how you can achieve desired points to be eligible. 

Our in-house team of immigration experts in Pakistan is aware of all the field challenges hence, can make the entire immigration process easier by guiding and preparing you beforehand.

SUBCLASS 189 (SKILLED INDEPENDENT – PERMANENT)

Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189 is a Permanent Resident Visa for Australia. The applicant has to meet the points criteria on the basis of Age, Skills, English Language and other requirements of relevant occupation. This visa subclass must be lodged only through skill select system (Expression of Interest-EOI).

BENEFIT OF THIS VISA:

This visa allows applicant and his family unit to live as permanent residents in Australia. Permanent visa will be evidenced in Pakistan before leaving for Australia.

AUSTRALIAN PERMANENT RESIDENTS CAN:

Live and work in Australia on permanent basis

Study in Australia at school or university

Receive subsidized healthcare through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

Access certain social security payments (subject to waiting periods)

Eligible for Australian citizenship (subject to the residency eligibility criteria)

AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION POINTS

SUBCLASS 190 (PERMANENT)

The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a permanent General Skilled Migration visa which requires nomination by a state or territory government via Skill-Select. Each state and territory publishes a list of occupations in demand and nomination approval will generally be determined by factors such as your overall commitment to residing in the nominating state or territory, the number of years work experience, specialized skills, employability, English language skills, relatives already residing in the state or territory, settlement funds and your overall points score.

You must also be able to meet the following basic DHA criteria:

• Nominate an occupation that is either on the MLTSSL or the STSOL
  •    Obtain a suitable skills assessment in your nominated occupation
  •    Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation
  •    Have at least competent English
  •    Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)
  •    Be invited through Skill-Select to apply for a visa
  •    Satisfy health and character requirements

Skill-Select

Skilled Nominated visas offer a pathway to Australia if you cannot meet the required criteria for Skilled Independent visa or your nominated occupation only features on the STSOL. Then application must submit through Skill-Select which is the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) online visa application system. Once you have received a positive skills assessment from an Australian assessing authority and by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) you can generate points for:

1. Your age
2. Recognized qualifications
3. Employment
4. English language skills
5. Nominated by a state or territory government
6. Partner skills
7. Study in Australia
8. Professional education
9. Accredited language skills
10. Professional year in Australia 

Changes to the points test from 16 November 2019

• Changes being introduced to the points test on 16 November 2019 will enable applicants to claim additional points to reach their point’s target which include:
• Applicants with a partner under 45 with a positive skills assessment in an occupation on the skills list with competent English – 10 points;
• Applicants whose partner has proficient language skills only – 05 points,
• Applicants without a partner – 10 points;
• A Master’s degree or PhD in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – 10 points.

For further information on nomination criteria applied by the Australia state and territory government’s kindly select the state and territory in which you are interested:

• New South Wales
• Victoria
• South Australia
• Queensland
• Tasmania
• Western Australia
• Australian Capital Territory
• Northern Territory

SKILLED VISA WORKING SUBCLASS -491

The new subclass 491 will come into effect on 16 November 2019 and will have similar characteristics to the subclass 489 visa.

Applicants must be nominated by a state or territory government or sponsorship from a close relative residing in a designated area of Australia and will be able to reside anywhere in Australia except, the Metropolitan areas of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

The visa will be valid for 5 years and applicants and family members will be subject to more stringent monitoring to ensure that they only live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia for a period of 3 years.

Pathway to permanent residence

After 3 years of holding  a subclass 491 visa, applicants can apply for permanent residence (subclass 191 – Skilled Regional) but must have complied with all the conditions of the subclass 491 visa including presenting evidence of three years tax assessment notices with an annual income of $53,900.

Changes to the points test

There are also changes being introduced to the points test:

• If you have a partner who has a valid skills assessment with competent English, he/she will be able to add 10 points rather than 5 to the overall points total;
• If you do not have a partner or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you will also be able to claim 10 points;
• If you have a partner who has competent English only, you will be able to claim 5 points;
• Specialist education points for studying in Australia in a Master or PhD course with certain fields defined in CRICOS will increase from 5 to 10 points;
• Designated regional nomination or sponsorship points will also increase from 10 to 15.

PARTNER VISA (SUBCLASS 820 AND 801)

The temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) allows you to live in Australia if you are the spouse or defacto partner of:

• An Australian citizen
• An Australian permanent resident
• An eligible New Zealand citizen.

The temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) is the first stage towards a permanent Partner visa (subclass 801). You must be in Australia when you apply and also when this visa is decided.

You lodge one application form for your temporary and permanent visas and pay one application charge. Your application is processed in two stages, about two years apart.

The temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) allows you to live in Australia if you are the spouse or de facto partner of:

The temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) lets you:

• Stay in Australia until a decision is made about your permanent Partner visa
• Work in Australia
• Study in Australia, but with no access to government funding
• Enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses.

You can include your dependent children in your application, but not other dependent relatives (unless you hold or held a Prospective Marriage visa). Dependent applicants must be in Australia when they apply.

If you are later granted a permanent visa, you can:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely
• Work and study in Australia
• Apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• Receive some social security payments
• Travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time you will need another visa to enter Australia.

PARTNER (PROVISIONAL) VISA (SUBCLASS 309) AND PARTNER (MIGRANT) VISA (SUBCLASS 100)

The Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) allows you to live in Australia if you are the spouse or de facto partner of:

• An Australian citizen
• A permanent resident
• An eligible New Zealand citizen.

The Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) is the first stage towards a permanent Partner visa (subclass 100).

You lodge only one application for your temporary and permanent visas and pay one application charge. Your application is processed in two stages, about two years apart.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and also when the Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) is granted. You can be in or outside Australia when Partner visa (subclass 100) is granted.

The Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) lets you:

• Enter Australia and stay here until a decision is made about your permanent Partner visa
• Work in Australia
• Study in Australia, but with no access to government funding
• Enroll in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses.

If you are later granted a permanent visa, you can:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely
• Work and study in Australia
• Apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• Receive some social security payments
• Travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time you will need another visa to enter Australia.

PROSPECTIVE MARRIAGE VISA (SUBCLASS 300)

The Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) is for people who want to come to Australia to marry their prospective spouse.
It is a temporary visa for nine months. You must be outside Australia when you lodge your application and when the visa is granted. You can have the wedding in any country: the wedding does not need to be in Australia.

This visa allows you to:

• Enter Australia before you marry your prospective spouse.
• Travel in and out of Australia as often as you want.
• Work in Australia, although some employers might not hire people with temporary visas.
• Study in Australia, but with no access to government funding for tertiary study.
• Apply for a Partner visa, in Australia, after your marriage.