The Subclass 188 Visa programs are part of Australia’s “investment migration” framework, allowing individuals to secure Australian residency by making a significant economic contribution through investment or entrepreneurial activities. Specifically designed for individuals with a background in investments or business activities, this visa option is ideal for those looking to invest or establish a business in Australia. Applicants are required to meet specific asset criteria to qualify for this visa. Immediate family members can be included in the visa application.
This provisional visa is for people with business skills. It lets you operate a new or existing business in Australia. To apply, you need to show your business ownership and experience through statements and reports. The visa has low investment requirements, giving you flexibility in your business choices. Visa holders must run at least one business in Australia and can move to a permanent residency visa if they meet certain conditions. Requirements for age and English language proficiency are quite reasonable, and the investment criteria are the lowest among similar programs. This visa is great for small to medium-sized business owners, offering various entrepreneurial opportunities and the chance to get permanent residency in just three years.
Presence in AustraliaBefore applying for permanent residency, the applicant must have lived in the nominated state or region for at least 1 year out of the 3-year period.
This provisional visa requires you to invest at least AUD2.5 million in Australian investments that meet specific requirements and maintain business or investment activity in Australia. It is suitable for individuals with experience in finance, real estate, stocks, securities, funds, and foreign exchange. Business operators owning at least 10% of a company’s shares also qualifies. No business management background is necessary, and there is no specific turnover requirement. However, applicants need to demonstrate a certain level of investment experience with a minimum return. After obtaining the visa, maintaining a designated investment of at least AUD2.5 million and meeting specific conditions allows the applicants to be eligible for permanent residency.
The 188B application can be fairly straightforward and will require applicants to make a complying investment in Australia. It does not mandate applicants to start a business in Australia
Residency RequirementBefore applying for permanent residency, the applicant must have lived in the nominated state or region for at least 2 years out of the 3-year period.
Compliant Investment PortfolioThe primary applicant must maintain a compliant investment of at least AUD2.5 million for a minimum of 3 years.
This provisional visa is for individuals who invest at least AUD5 million in Australian investments that meet specific requirements and maintain investment activity in Australia. After sustaining the investment in Australia for 4 years, applicants can apply for permanent residence through the Business Innovation & Investment (Residence) (Subclass 888) Visa.
This visa offers the most lenient eligibility criteria among the four types available. There is no age limit, no English language proficiency requirement, no need for a points assessment, and no requirement for business management experience.
Residency RequirementThroughout the visa duration, the main applicant needs to spend an average of 40 days per year in Australia (calculated cumulatively). Alternatively, the spouse/partner can fulfil this requirement by spending an average of 180 days per year in Australia (also calculated cumulatively).
Compliant Investment PortfolioThe primary applicant must maintain the significant complying investment of AUD5 million for the whole period of their Subclass 188C Visa.
This is a 4-year temporary visa for startup and early-stage entrepreneurs who have been endorsed to develop their concepts and have been nominated by a State or Territory government agency. After spending 2 years in Australia, you can qualify for permanent residence through the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Visa (Subclass 888).
Residency RequirementYou must have been in Australia for at least 2 years as the holder of the Subclass 188E visa.
*The above are the basic requirements for all visas. Different State Governments may have additional requirements at different times. For more details, please inquire with us.
| 188A | 188B | 188C | 188E | |
| Age Limit | Below 55 | No Limitation | Below 55 | |
| Personal and Business Net Assets | AUD 1.25 million or above | AUD 2.5 million or above | AUD 5 million or above | Have sufficient assets to settle in Australia |
| Business Experience | Business | Business / Investment | Not required | Not required |
| Turnover or Revenue | AUD 750,000 | |||
| Investment Amount | Varies with State Governments | AUD 2.5 million | AUD 5 million | Varies with State Governments |
| Type of Investment | Establish a new or invest in an existing business | Complying Investment | Complying Significant Investment | Complying Business |
| Points Requirement | 65 or above | Not applicable | ||
| English Requirement | IELTS overall 4.5 or above/pay a second instalment of the visa application charge | IELTS all band 6 or above | ||
| Secondary Applicant | Spouse/partner and dependent children under the age of 23 | |||
| Visa Conditions | Multiple entries to Australia within 5 years and the ability to live, study, and work within the nominated state or region | |||
| Residency Requirements | Reside in the nominated Australian State or Territory for at least 1 out of the 3 years immediately before applying for a permanent resident visa | Reside in the nominated Australian State or Territory for at least 2 out of the 3 years immediately before applying for a permanent resident visa | Have a genuine commitment to live in Australia for at least 40 days per year (calculated cumulatively) for the duration of your provisional visa, or your spouse/partner to live for at least 180 days per year (calculated cumulatively) for the duration of your provisional visa | Reside in the Australian State or Territory for at least 2 out of the 3 years immediately before applying for a permanent resident visa |
| Age Limit | Personal and Business Net Assets | Business Experience | Turnover or Revenue | Investment Amount | Type of Investment | Points Requirement | English Requirement | Secondary Applicant | Visa Conditions | Residency Requirements | |
| 188A | Below 55 | AUD 1.25 million or above | Business | AUD 750,000 | Varies with State Governments | Establish a new or invest in an existing business | 65 or above | IELTS overall 4.5 or above/pay a second instalment of the visa application charge | Spouse/partner and dependent children under the age of 23 | Multiple entries to Australia within 5 years and the ability to live, study, and work within the nominated state or region | Reside in the nominated Australian State or Territory for at least 1 out of the 3 years immediately before applying for a permanent resident visa |
| 188B | AUD 2.5 million or above | Business / Investment | AUD 2.5 million | Complying Investment | Reside in the nominated Australian State or Territory for at least 2 out of the 3 years immediately before applying for a permanent resident visa | ||||||
| 188C | No Limitation | AUD 5 million or above | Not required | AUD 5 million | Complying Significant Investment | Not applicable | Have a genuine commitment to live in Australia for at least 40 days per year (calculated cumulatively) for the duration of your provisional visa, or your spouse/partner to live for at least 180 days per year (calculated cumulatively) for the duration of your provisional visa | ||||
| 188E | Below 55 | Have sufficient assets to settle in Australia | Not required | Varies with State Governments | Complying Business | IELTS all band 6 or above | Reside in the Australian State or Territory for at least 2 out of the 3 years immediately before applying for a permanent resident visa |
1
Subclass 188A/B/C Business and Investment Visa – Document Preparation
Subclass 188E Entrepreneur Visa – Prepare Business Plan
2
Submit Expression of Interest (EOI)
3
Wait for Invitation from State Government
4
Obtain State Government Nomination
5
Lodge Visa Application (Within 60 Days of Receiving State Government Nomination)
6
Receive Application Reference Number
7
Health and Police Clearance
8
Notice of Approval-In-Principle
9
Visa Approval
“Net assets” includes global assets of the applicant and his/her spouse/partner.
The definition of “main business” depends on the shareholding percentage you hold in your business:
• If the annual turnover of the company is less than AUD400,000, the applicant needs to hold at least 51% of the shares
• If the company’s annual turnover reaches AUD400,000 or more, the applicant needs to hold at least 30% of the shares
• If the company is a listed company, the applicant must hold at least 10% of the shares
No, each state or region has their own investment requirements and applicants needs to comply with the specific requirements of that state or region.
Yes, applicants can extend their Subclass 188 Visa if they hold a 188A or 188C Visa and require more time to meet the requirements to apply for a Permanent Business Innovation and Investment (Subclass 888) Visa.
The Australian government encourages applicants to obtain at least 4.5 points in each component in IELTS or equivalent. However, for applicants over 18 years old at the time of the application and were assessed as having less than functional English, they may choose to pay a second instalment charge to the Australian government to continue the application, the amount is:
• Main Applicant: $9,795*
• Sub-applicant: $4,890*
*Amount may change on July 1st
If you plan to send your children to attend public schools, certain temporary resident visas can apply for local student concession fees; while permanent residents can share the same educational benefits as citizens.
Permanent residents share similar benefits as citizens, such as exemptions or subsidies in education, medical, and social assistance.
In the last 4-years, you need to have resided in Australia for at least 3 years, and during these 3 years, you need to hold permanent resident status for at least 1 year. Please note that you must not spend more than 90 days overseas in the year immediately before your application for citizenship.
No, the applicant only requires to “activate” the visa by visiting Australia before the date indicated under “for first entry, arrive by” in your visa grant notice. Applicants can then fulfil the residence requirements according to their own schedule.
Our core mission has one fundamental goal, Your Success. We are dedicated to putting your best interests front and center.
Our migration team is guided by two former immigration officers with extensive experience at the Australian Department of Home Affairs; combining their knowledge with Ray White’s network built over 120 years in Australia, our team can swiftly and accurately navigate the ever-evolving immigration regulations and allows them to craft tailor-made migration solutions that not only suit your needs but also demonstrate a deep consideration for your specific circumstances.
Yes, the age limit to apply for a Skilled Visa is 45 years old; the age limit for Business/Investment Visa is 55 years old (except the Subclass 188C and GTI visas).
EOI is a formal submission to the government indicating your intention to immigrate. The submitted EOIs will be listed in the Immigration department’s “SkillSelect Pool”. The Immigration department will select applicants who meet their requirements from the “SkillSelect Pool” and issue invitations on a monthly basis. Once the applicant receives an invitation, they can submit the visa application.
When submitting an EOI, you should pay attention to the following:
1. Obtaining a minimum Points-Test score of 65 points
2. Each individual has only 2 chances to be invited
3. Submitting a visa application within 60 days of receiving the invitation, otherwise the invitation will expire
Thanks for the professional service by Raywhite team (including David Ma, David Bao, Yolanda Chan…) who helped me successfully get my GTI visa. Appreciated much for the professional effort and advices by the team, I have obtained a lot of guidance on the pre-application consultation, documents preparation, application submission & even post application reminders. The whole process was smooth which addressed each of the questions I raised.
The Raywhite team is very experienced and knowledgeable on the Australia immigration process. I was very impressed by their pre-consultation advice who gauged the suitability of my profile before I decided to engage them for the service, this delivered good comfort for applicant to choose and decide for application effectively. During the documentation preparation stage, the migration specialist team was very professional in digesting all my over-flooded materials and turning into well-organized information for application submission. The patient and efficiency during the process by their team were all highly appreciated. It was with pleasant experience too at the last mile of the process where rounds of RFI were required after EOI, their servicing team prompted me timely for further information required which let me feel hassle-free even during the application journey.
All-in-all, thanks for the professional service by Raywhite team, I would like to express my thankfulness again to the team for the impressive service throughout the journey!
Eddie Mak
10 month(s) ago
We are a retired couple. Our son works in Australia. He wants us to go to Australia for retirement. Due to the epidemic, we cannot go to Australia in person to choose a property. Thanks to Ray White, we have a one-stop service in Hong Kong. Whether buying a property or renting it, we can do it as an agent, especially Jason. Cheung’s considerate service not only allowed us to buy our favorite property in Melbourne, but also introduced us to the local climate, transportation, customs and customs, making us feel at home. We are very grateful for his enthusiastic service. He is the best person we have ever encountered. A good agent. I will also introduce my friends to Ray White to buy property. This is the most ideal place to buy cattle across the mountain. Save yourself the hassle of traveling and traveling, why not?
Sam Ho
12 month(s) ago
Ray white not just a real estate company. They have various professional services which is convenient for us non Australian to own property in Australia and any other advices. Recently l was lucky to meet Jason Cheung who is very professional and approachable. No hard sale but cater for the need of customers. Very patient in listening to customers and provide professional advice and recommendation. He even arranged me to meet the sales team in Australia and visit various properties in short notice. Really thankful and appreciate. He also able to advice me on various legal and taxation issues. Highly recommend Ray white HK and Jason Cheung for their professional services and advice.
CB Tan
12 month(s) ago
Appreciate great help for my visa application from Mei and her team
Chating Mak
1 year(s) ago
David Ma and David Bao have done an excellent job in helping us on the 858 visa. They are reliable and fast.
Michelle Ho
1 year(s) ago
Ray White immigration consultants has done a marvellous job in assisting my family application as well as giving out invaluable advices during the process! We are much appreciated of their professionalism!
Wong Wsquare
1 year(s) ago
Many thanks to Jolie and Julia for their help.
During the entire Visa application process, from the selection of nominees to writing letters of recommendation to filling out the forms, in addition to seeing their professionalism and carefulness, I also saw their familiarity with the application process and the Immigration Bureau’s requirements for applicants, and they were approved in one go. The application was successful. Not only does it not have to go back and forth to provide information documents, it also saves a lot of time.
Bennet Yu
1 year(s) ago
A big thanks to Mei, Louisa and their team. They not only prepared the paperwork, but also gave advice on my situation, helping me obtain the 820 partner visa in 4.5 months time. Strongly recommended.
hunter 1120
1 year(s) ago
Thank you for providing professional service and efficient work!
ho wan leung
1 year(s) ago
Thanks to the advice and assistance of Mei and her team, we are able to obtain our PR in 15 months’ time.
Aidan Law
1 year(s) ago
I loved the professional service & advice from Mei Lai (migration agent), Jolie (associated Director) and their team. Without Raywhite, it would be a disaster to organise the complicated procedures and required supportive documents by myself.
The whole process was smooth and successful. Hightly recommend Raywhite to anyone who is interested in moving to Australia.
Ken Cheung
1 year(s) ago
Thanks Jolie, Mei and Ray White team. They are very professional with the VISA application. The team addressed to all my enquiries clearly and never tired to help my application. Highly recommended. Much appreciated
Chi Hang Ma
1 year(s) ago
I express my sincere gratitude 🙏 for Raywhite’s professionalism, assistance, courtesy throughout the entire procedure!
Especially Jason, with his help, I finally got my first apartment though raywhite! Appreciated so much for the team to make my 🇦🇺 dream come true!
Tsz Yeung “Adonis” Li
1 year(s) ago
I want to take this chance to appreicate Mei, Ken and the rest of team members effort for my wife & myself’s visa application. Without your help the whole Australia journey will not be easy. Strongly recommend to seek for professional advice and assistance.
Mikey Boy
2 year(s) ago
The entire visa application process went smoothly
Migration Consultant Ken is also very attentive, answers all questions, and is very helpful.
Genie Ma
2 year(s) ago
Thanks Mei, David and the team assisting us to get out 188 visa successfully last year. They provided us valuable and professional advice along the application process. Their guidance and seamless support gave us confidence in getting our visa approval.
Great work for the team! We will definitely refer our friends to Ray White (and actually we did☺️).
So Susanna
2 year(s) ago
Thanks Ray White for their professional assistance in my student visa application as well as the dependent visa for my partner. Besides handling all the tedious and complicated paper work, they offered guidance based on my situation to facilitate the application process. I highly recommend this amazing team with great experience.
Vincent Chiu
2 year(s) ago
Thanks Infinity for helping me apply for my 188B visa. I am especially delighted to express my sincere gratitude to Mei. Mei’s snd Jolie’s patient guidance & advice play a crucial role when I have got some queries during the complicated application process. Mei definitely serves as a bridge to maintain communication with Home Affairs so that I can figure out an efficient way and justify my strategies in various aspects. Thanks again! Now, my family and I have eventually got our visas granted! Hooray!
miss lau
2 year(s) ago
A few years ago, when my daughter decided to study in Australia, I checked the local rental information in Melbourne online. I felt that the rents were not affordable, so I asked a friend and recommended Ray White to inquire about some property prices. Hello Patrick. Professional, he explained to me the planning and development, transportation facilities and investment returns near the city center.
He helped me find a well-priced property near the center of Melbourne. Although the repossession was delayed due to the epidemic, Patrick has always followed up with me. The entire repossession process was well arranged, and my daughter arrived. I can live in peace and contentment without having to look around for rent. The floor has been upgraded. Thank you Patrick!
Nicole Choi
2 year(s) ago
Patrick Shea is a good helper and often provides the latest market trends.
Teresa To
2 year(s) ago
Good service provided by Adam So to assist on property sourcing and purchase in Australia
Yi Sum Li
2 year(s) ago
Ray White’s team is very professional. From the consultation to the follow-up of the successful GTI application, they performed very well, answered all questions and were very patient.
Ray White successfully applied for GTI in one go, with full marks for professionalism💯
Angie Au
2 year(s) ago
Decided to choose Raywhite for assisting out visa application was because their prompt and responsive via email or phone as well as able to keep their attitude all the way until the visa grant.
From zero to visa successful grant, this is not an easy process at all. However, the advice and opinion from them especially Mei & Jolie are always pertinent and not flashy, this made the overall process without any error or hassles.
Thank you for helping us accomplish our goal and recommended to their professional service for the NEXT you.
Stephanie Luk
2 year(s) ago
Thank you to Mei, Alan and colleagues in the team. Kuaishou and Tongmian have been following up on the matter, and Azai’s student visa was issued very quickly.
Mei Fung Chiu
2 year(s) ago
RayWhite provides professional service and advice to their clients and my assigned agent is very helpful and responsive to all my enquiries.
Definitely will recommend to family and friends!
cheuk him ng
2 year(s) ago
The Ray White team has successfully helped me to get an invitation of my GTI application. I want to say a big thank you to the team especially Kenneth, Elrica, and Mei for their professionalism, integrity and knowledge. The whole team has given me lots of guidance on the whole process especially Kenneth has provided tons of background information, clear procedures and addressed all my questions from the beginning till now.
Elrica has also done an amazing job during my whole application process. She has provided suitable suggestions and solutions based on my background and profile on my application. She really did a great job !
Overall, the whole Ray White team has great capability and experience in the Australian immigration process. They are able to help me in every step and provide professional suggestions to me. They made good recommendations and professional advice that can best fit for my application.
Once again, I would like to give a sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude to the Ray White team for the hard work and assistance.
Hope Ray White can achieve more successful cases to bring in more talented people into Australia.
Betty Ku
2 year(s) ago
David and the Ray White Team are really helpful and professional immigration service provider. They help me a lot on handling my GTI submission and the whole process is very efficient. Good job and thanks Ray White.
KW T
2 year(s) ago
Ray White helped me get an invitation of GTI, and they are really
professional immigration organization. They provide me detail background, knowledge and relevant guidance during the process.
Ray White Team has great capability and experience to analyze every step and recommend strategy which is best fit for you. Hope Ray White can help more talent people who need help to become Aussie.
Kwok Man Yu
2 year(s) ago
Thank you Mei, Jolie and the Ray White team for successfully obtaining the RRV for us. Thank you for your efforts and professional assistance. It is definitely not an easy task to reapply after a visa has expired for 11 years. You are the right choice.
Vincent Kan
2 year(s) ago
Thanks Mei, Jolie and the Ray White team for your good job in our successful 188 VISA application today… especially your wonderful effort, skills, quality of work and timely responses as always. Our smart choice of your team.
Wishing you a beautiful holiday season filled with joy and laughter. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
kin liu
2 year(s) ago
The team of Raywhite has been very helpful in the immigration application. They have been very responsive to our needs. They are also very thorough in their follow up. Thanks for the professionalism!
A P
2 year(s) ago
Ray White help me get VISA of 188, it is very amazing experience that during the whole process. They have qualified people to do each steps as well as their explanations i detail to clients. Hope Ray White can help more and more people who need help to become Aussie.
CR Wong
2 year(s) ago
At the end of 2020, through online research, we learned that Ray White is a professional consultant for Australian immigration, and attended the immigration seminars held by him, where he clarified some common issues and obtained information on the latest immigration policies, such as changes in quotas. What’s more important is the news that the government will raise investment thresholds. After comparing other reputable consulting companies, we finally chose to hire RayWhite for two reasons in addition to their professional qualifications and attitude. First of all, RayWhite only focuses on Australia, and the quality will not be affected by serving immigration services from other countries, which is more conducive to strengthening the depth of services. Secondly, RayWhite provides suitable solutions and suggestions based on the customer’s personal situation. Unlike some consulting companies, which insist on customers striving for higher scores in order to enhance their market reputation, resulting in avoidable additional costs. Throughout the entire process, the RayWhite team deployed for us step by step, and we were nominated by the state government to apply for a visa before the end of May 2021. As mentioned above, the Australian government raised the investment threshold in July. We are fortunate that at this critical moment, professional consultants took the time to help us stay away from the risk of policy changes. Since then, the COVID-19 epidemic has raged in Hong Kong and Australia at different times, but it has not affected the professional support they provided. Finally, our visa was approved in November 2022. Special thanks to Jolie, Eric, Mei and the RayWhite team for their full assistance in solving various problems we faced in applying for immigration, allowing us to enjoy the fruit of success and open a new page in our lives.
Ji Jeor
2 year(s) ago
Thank you so much with Raywhite’s help on my family migration plan via the GTI visa. Mei and the team are providing professional advise all the way during the application process. Very helpful indeed.
Hope Raywhite team all the best!
Jordan Cheung
2 year(s) ago
A quick note to share my experience about the GTI application and would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the Raywhite Affinity team for their professional services.
I have been working in the IT industry for more than 20 years and learn about the Global Talent VISA Program last year. Having studied the materials on the Home Affairs website of Australian Gov, I considered myself met the requirements of the programme. I have compared the services of a couple of migration agents, and appointed Raywhite finally to assist in my submission. The reason for my decision was not the dollar sign, but the experience, professionalism, transparency and integrity of their work. Say for example, when I asked about the arrangement of the nominator, the team shared with me the experiences of their client’s cases and also gave fruitful advises (e.g. going for ACS or other institution nominator), instead of selling the “fake” nominator sourcing service as other agents.
After I engaged Raywhite for the service, an experienced consultant was assigned to handle my case. He recommended going for “Digiech” (with pros and cons of others sectors for my consideration) after studying my profile and expertise. He also did a lot of preparations, and included lots of research and local facts to strengthen my case. Due to my work nature, I prepared and reviewed a lot of business papers every week. Frankly, the submission drafted by Raywhite was very solid and of professional standard.
Another point I would like to highlight is the resilience of the team. When my first submission was rejected, the team discussed with me immediately about their proposed ways forward (instead of giving my the excuses). They also supplement my cases swiftly with load of materials (without asking me for additional payment).
I finally got my GTI invitation earlier this month, but the work of the team did stop there. They are now assisting me on the VISA application, and gave lots of useful advices for my future settlement in Australia.
All in all, the services of Raywhite exceed my expectations and I have recommended their services to my friends. I’m sure their cases will be well handled in the team’s capable hands.
Warm regards.
QuantLinker Global
2 year(s) ago
Appreciated I was lucky to engaged Ray White Migration service with high quality strategic approach and superb experience in effective communication to achieve great outcome for our visa successfully granted in very short period of time
Sammy Hui
2 year(s) ago
I reached RayWhite HK through one of my friend last year for Aussie immigration visa application. Overall their service is very professional and follow up is in timely manner.
Simon Chen
2 year(s) ago
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