Unless COVID-19 concessions apply, you must be the holder of a:
- Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor. If you were invited to apply for this visa on or after 1 July 2021, you must have held this visa for at least 3 years, or
- Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor Extension stream, or
- Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) granted on the basis that you were the spouse or de facto partner of a person who held a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor stream or Significant Investor Extension stream and
- you have held this visa for at least three years if the primary visa holder was invited to apply for their Business Innovation and Investment(Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor stream or Significant Investor Extension stream on or after 1 July 2021 and
- either you have ceased to be the spouse or de facto partner of the primary visa holder or the primary visa holder has died
You can also apply if you are the secondary holder of a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) and your spouse or de facto partner is the primary holder of a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor stream. If the primary visa holder was invited to apply for their original Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) on or after 1 July 2021, you must have held your visa for at least 3 years.
COVID-19 concessions
Arrangements are in place for provisional visa holders who may have been disadvantaged as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 19 September 2020 until 3 months after the end of the ‘COVID-19 concession period’, you can also apply for this visa if you held a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Significant Investor stream or Significant Investor Extension stream which expired during the concession period.
From 19 September 2020 until 3 months after the end of the ‘Covid-19 concession period’, you can apply for this visa if you were the secondary visa holder of a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) and:
- your visa expired during the ‘COVID-19 concession period’ and
- you have ceased to be the spouse or de facto partner of a primary holder of a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) in the Significant Investor stream or the Significant Investor Extension stream, or
- the primary visa holder has died.
When you can apply for the permanent visa depends on when you applied for your provisional visa. To learn when to apply see the Step by step tab.
Your family members who wish to apply for the visa must combine their application with your (the primary applicant’s) application. The family members do not need to hold a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188).