Australia · Temporary Residence
Residence Status for Founders in Australia
Founders on the National Innovation visa skip temporary residence entirely, because the visa is permanent from grant. The provisional business visas that once bridged that gap closed in 2024, and existing holders keep their original terms.
- 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
National Innovation visa (subclass 858)
Status: Invitation-only
Holders of the National Innovation visa become permanent residents on the day it is granted, so there is no temporary permit to renew or convert. They can live, work and study anywhere in Australia, enroll in Medicare and sponsor eligible relatives. Partners and dependent children can be included at application or added before a decision, provided they meet health and character requirements. The visa is linked digitally to the passport, with no label. Its travel facility allows unlimited trips for five years from grant. Holders and their families must obey Australian law, and the Department expects them to contribute to Australia in their area of expertise.
- Stay
- Indefinite; travel facility of 5 years
- Family
- Partner and dependent children in the same application
- Health care
- Medicare enrolment
- Visa label
- None; linked digitally to the passport
- Conditions
- Obey Australian law; contribute in the field
Requirements
- Each family member included in the application meets the health requirement.
- Family members aged 16 and over meet the character requirement.
- Applicants inside Australia hold a substantive visa or a Bridging visa A, B or C when applying.
- Current or last holders of a subclass 491 or 494 visa have held it for at least three years.
How to apply
- Include the partner and dependent children in the application, or add them before a decision.
- If granted in Australia, permanent residence starts that day; if granted abroad, it starts on first entry.
- Check the travel facility end date in VEVO before planning long absences.
Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)
Status: Closed to new applications on 31 July 2024; existing holders keep their terms
The subclass 188 was a provisional visa for business owners, investors and entrepreneurs, and its streams closed to new applications on 31 July 2024. People who already hold it keep its terms. In the Entrepreneur stream that means a stay of up to five years with multiple entries, the right to work and study, and the obligation to carry out the complying entrepreneurial activity under the funding agreement. Holders who meet the requirements can move to the permanent subclass 888 visa in the matching stream. Applications lodged before the closure are still processed, and refunds are not available for the Business Innovation Extension or Significant Investor Extension streams.
- Status
- Closed to new applicants since 31 July 2024
- Stay
- Up to 5 years, multiple entry
- Work and study
- Allowed during the visa
- Next step
- Subclass 888 in the matching stream
Requirements
- Existing holders continue the business, investment or entrepreneurial activity the visa was granted for.
How to apply
- Plan the subclass 888 application before the provisional visa ends.
- Holders who need more time explore other visa options, since the provisional visa cannot simply be extended.
Travel limits for permanent residents
Permanent residence in Australia is indefinite, but the right to re-enter is not. The travel facility on a National Innovation or subclass 888 visa lasts five years from grant. A permanent resident who wants to leave and come back after that needs a Resident Return visa. Someone who has spent at least two of the last five years in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen receives a five-year travel facility. Without that, substantial ties that benefit Australia can support a travel facility of up to 12 months, which matters for founders who run companies from abroad.
Questions and answers
Is there a temporary founder visa in Australia now?
Not one that is open to new applicants. The subclass 188 provisional business visas closed on 31 July 2024. The National Innovation visa, which has taken over as the founder route, grants permanent residence immediately, so invited founders never hold a temporary permit on this pathway.
What happens to people who already hold a subclass 188 visa?
Their visas remain valid on the original terms. An Entrepreneur stream holder can stay for up to five years, travel in and out, work and study, and apply for the permanent subclass 888 visa in the matching stream once its requirements, including a current state or territory nomination, are met.
Can family members join a National Innovation visa holder later?
Family members are best included in the original application or added before the Department decides it. Each must meet the health and character requirements. Once the main applicant holds permanent residence, the visa allows them to sponsor eligible relatives under the relevant family visa rules.
Official sources
- National Innovation visa (subclass 858) - Department of Home Affairsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa, Entrepreneur stream - Department of Home Affairsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- BIIP closure and refunds - Department of Home Affairsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Resident Return visa (subclass 155 and 157) - 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