Australia · Permanent Residence
Permanent Residence in Australia for Founders
Australia grants permanent residence to founders in one step through the National Innovation visa. Existing provisional business visa holders still move to the subclass 888, and every permanent resident relies on a Resident Return visa once the first travel facility ends.
- Startup route
- National Innovation visa (subclass 858)
- Minimum capital
- No investment threshold; exceptional record required
- Permanent residence
- Immediate on visa grant
- Citizenship
- 4 years' residence incl. 12 months as PR
Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888)
Status: Only for holders of a relevant subclass 188 visa
The subclass 888 lets provisional business visa holders continue their entrepreneurial, investor or business-ownership activity and live in Australia permanently. Because new subclass 188 applications closed in 2024, only people who hold a relevant stream of that visa, or in some cases held it, can use this route. In the Entrepreneur stream, applicants need a successful overall record of entrepreneurial activity in Australia while on the provisional visa and a current nomination from a state or territory. The visa grants permanent residence, Medicare, the right to sponsor relatives, a five-year travel facility and a path to citizenship once the residence requirement is met.
- Who can apply
- Holders of a relevant subclass 188 stream
- Nomination
- Current state or territory nomination
- Travel
- 5-year travel facility
- English
- AUD 4,890 second instalment if not functional
- Government fee
- Varies; see the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator
Requirements
- A subclass 188 visa in the Entrepreneur stream, held now or in some cases previously.
- An overall successful record of entrepreneurial activity in Australia while on the provisional visa.
- A current nomination from an Australian state or territory government.
- Health and character requirements for every applicant in the family unit.
How to apply
- Confirm the provisional visa stream and gather records of the entrepreneurial activity.
- Obtain a current state or territory nomination.
- Lodge the subclass 888 application, including family members.
- Pay the second instalment if asked, for adults without functional English who did not pay it before.
Resident Return visa (subclass 155)
A permanent visa's travel facility expires five years after grant, and a permanent resident who leaves Australia after that needs a Resident Return visa to come back as a permanent resident. A holder who has been in Australia for at least two of the last five years as a permanent resident or citizen meets the residence requirement and receives a five-year travel facility. Applicants who fall short can still receive up to 12 months if they show substantial ties that benefit Australia, or if a family member holds or qualifies for the visa. Travel facility cannot be carried over from an earlier visa or extended, so timing the application matters.
- Full facility
- 5 years after 2 of the last 5 years in Australia
- Limited facility
- Up to 12 months on substantial ties
- Extension
- Not possible; apply for a new RRV
- Check expiry
- Travel facility dates shown in VEVO
Requirements
- A current permanent visa, a former permanent visa that was not cancelled, or former Australian citizenship that was lost or renounced.
- Two years in Australia during the past five as a permanent resident or citizen, for the five-year facility.
- Otherwise, substantial ties of benefit to Australia, or a family member who holds or qualifies for the visa.
- Application lodged before the existing travel facility runs out when travel is planned.
How to apply
- Check the current travel facility end date in VEVO.
- Apply for the Resident Return visa before traveling beyond that date.
- Withdraw a pending application in writing if the existing facility already covers the trip.
Permanent residence through the National Innovation visa
For new founders the National Innovation visa is the direct route, since it is a permanent visa from grant and has no provisional stage. Permanent residence starts on the grant date for applicants in Australia, or on the date of first entry for those granted the visa abroad, and that date also starts the clock for citizenship. Holders can bring their family on the same application, sponsor other relatives later and enroll in Medicare at once. Newly arrived residents may wait before accessing certain government payments. Australia currently has no open residence-by-investment program after the Business Innovation and Investment Program closed in 2024.
Questions and answers
How fast can a founder get Australian permanent residence?
Through the National Innovation visa, permanent residence comes with the visa grant itself. The timing depends on receiving an invitation after an Expression of Interest and then on processing, which follows the priority order in Ministerial Direction No. 120. The Department publishes indicative processing times through its online guide tool.
Is the subclass 888 still open in 2026?
It remains available to people who hold, or in some cases held, a relevant stream of the subclass 188 visa. New applicants cannot start on this path, because the subclass 188 closed to new applications on 31 July 2024 together with the rest of the Business Innovation and Investment Program.
Do Australian permanent residents need a Resident Return visa?
Only to travel after the original five-year travel facility ends. A permanent resident who stays in Australia does not need one. Anyone planning to leave and return after the facility expires should apply in advance, since re-entering as a permanent resident is not possible without a valid travel facility.
Official sources
- Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa, Entrepreneur stream - Department of Home Affairsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) - Department of Home Affairsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Resident Return visa (subclass 155 and 157) - Department of Home Affairsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- National Innovation visa (subclass 858) - Department of Home Affairsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- BIIP closure and refunds - Department of Home Affairsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Australia.
Startup visa
National Innovation visa by invitation after an Expression of Interest
02Temporary residence
No provisional stage on the NIV; subclass 188 closed to new applicants
03Permanent residence
PR from grant; 5-year travel facility, then a Resident Return visa
04Citizenship
Conferral after 4 years in Australia, the last 12 months as a permanent resident