Frequently Asked Questions

Business Visa Compare is a tool for quickly comparing your options under Australia’s business and investment visa program based on a short series of questions.

No. Any information presented by Business Visa Compare is provided as general information only and is not legal advice. Business Visa Compare is only a starting point and is not a substitute for legal or professional advice. The site;s contents are for general information purposes only. We recommend you seek advice from a Registered Migration Agent or an Immigration Lawyer. Immigration Lawyers can be found by contacting the Law Society of the various Australian States or Territories. Registered Migration Agents can be found through the Migration Agents Registration Authority.

Work Visa Lawyers® is a migration firm founded by immigration lawyer Chris Johnston in 2011. Work Visa Lawyers is now one of the largest migration firms in Australia. Work Visa Lawyers has a team of Lawyers and Registered Migration Agents that can help you. Work Visa Lawyers is focused on providing quality immigration services to their clients.

If you complete the short series of questions and provide a valid email address (optional), the information is provided to Work Visa Lawyers to allow them to assist with your enquiry. To learn more about Work Visa Lawyers visit their website at www.workvisalawyers.com.au.

You can still complete the short series of questions and choose not to provide your email address. In this case no information will be provided to Work Visa Lawyers.

Business Visa Compare considers the fours steams of the Business Innovation and Investor 188 visa and also the Business Talent 858 visa.

The Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) has for the following four streams:

• 188 visa - Business Innovation stream
• 188 visa - Investor stream
• 188 visa - Significant Investor stream
• 188 visa - Entrepreneur stream

Business Visa Compare also considers your eligibility for the Global Talent Visa:

• 858 Global Talent Visa

There is also a second-stage permanent visa called the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) available to existing holders of the subclass 188 visa. Therefore, the subclass 888 is not covered by Business Visa Compare.

* Business Talent (Permanent) visa (subclass 132) is no longer available from July 2022.

The subclass 188 business and investment visas are temporary residence visas. You will need to meet specified requirements according to your stream and apply for the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) to obtain permanent residence.

Holders of permanent residency business visas (888) are eligible to apply for Australian Citizenship once certain requirements have been met.

The Global Talent Visa subclass 858 goes straight to Australia PR.

The most common path to Australia Citizenship for overseas nationals is through Citizenship by conferral.

The major precondition for becoming an Australian citizen is your length of residence in Australia. Before you are able to apply for citizenship you must have:

• Resided in Australia for a specified number of years (currently, 4 years), or
• Spent a specified period of time as an Australian permanent resident (currently, 12 months).

More details on Australian Citizenship by conferral can be found here.

The types of visas covered by Business Visa Compare are similar to those available in other countries. The following are examples of other visas available globally that are designed to attract experienced businesspeople and high-net-worth individuals:

Canada

• Self-Employed Program
• Investor Visa
• Entrepreneur Visa

United States

• EB5 Investor Visa

United Kingdom

Innovator visa
• Start-up visa
• Entrepreneur visa (Tier 1)
• Exceptional talent visa (Tier 1)
• Graduate Entrepreneur visa (Tier 1)
• Investor visa (Tier 1)

Europe (Portugal, Greece, Spain, Cyrus, and Ireland)

• Golden Visa

Global Talent Visa program is suitable for high earnings potential clients and is a streamlined visa program for highly skilled professionals to move to Australia.

Global Talent Visa is a fast-tracked direct Permanent Residency with no post visa grant requirements. GTV holders can bring their family, work any job, and open business in Australia at their own interest.

More information about Global Talent Visa Australia here >

If you answer all the questions and find that you are not eligible for an Australian business visa, you are welcome to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss other options you might have through a different program.

Other types of Australian visas that might be of interest to you include:

• General skilled migration visas (subclass 189, 190 or 491)
• Employer sponsored visas (subclass 482, 186 or 494)
• Student visas (subclass 500)
• Working holiday visas (subclass 417 or 462)
• Temporary visas (subclass 400, 403, 408, 417 or 485)