What is the Significant Investor Visa (Subclass 888)?
The Significant Investor visa has been introduced as a new business stream (Permanent) (Subclass 888) visa. Australia introduced the Significant Investor visa to provide a boost to the Australian economy and to compete effectively for high net worth individuals seeking investment migration. Migrant investors will be required to invest AUD5million into complying investments for a minimum of four years before being eligible to apply for a permanent visa.
Top five countries applying for the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) are:
- China (90.8%)
- Hong Kong (3.1 %)
- Malaysia (1.1 %)
- South Africa (0.6 %)
- Taiwan (0.6%)
The SIV program has been successful in achieving a $2.36 billion invested into the Australian economy by recipients of this visa with complying investments ranging from State or Territory Government bonds, managed funds or direct investment into Australian companies.
Why choose to invest in Australia?
Australia ‘s 20 + years of uninterrupted economic growth and high global ranking for business competitiveness and attracting global talent makes Australia an ideal place to do business and combined with a highly competitive interest rates, a safe and secure place to invest. Australia is also considered as having the lowest level of political, macroeconomic and external political risk in the Asia Pacific.
Worthy of particular mention are the following;
- Australia ranks highly in many international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, and the protection of civil liberties and political rights.
- Economic resilience – Australia has had a AAA credit rating for over a decade, and a reputation as the innovation and knowledge powerhouse of Australia, generating almost a quarter of the nation’s economic activity.
- Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China was signed on the 17th November 2014, whereby the benefits and gains are deemed to favour the Australian services sector with access to the world’s second largest economy. Australian businesses are likely to benefit in the areas such as education, financial services, legal services, tourism and hospitality.
- World-class schools and universities. Eight Australian universities made the top 200 in this year’s Times Higher Education world university rankings, led by Melbourne University at number 33. Australia also seeks to benefit from the recent Free Trade Agreement with China giving Australian providers direct access to the largest source of full-fee-paying international students making it the only country in the world to enjoy this special access.
Investments that comply with the SIV visa requirements:
For clients planning to apply for this visa we can provide free consultation and advice on the investments that comply with the SIV visa requirements including:
- Commonwealth, State and territory government bonds
- Australian Securities and Investment (ASIC) regulated- managed funds with the required mandate for investing in Australia.
- Portfolio construction based on the visa applicants specific risk profile and the required specific re-investment advice
- Access to all the allowed categories including, cash in Australian institutions, Fixed Interest, Bonds, Real Estate and Australian Equities.
- Switching between complying investments.
SIV Processing Time as of 31 October 2014:
- 2 per cent of primary visa applications have been on hand for less than three months. The service standard for the Business Innovation and Investment visa is 6-9 months.
- AUD 2.450 billion has been invested in Complying Investments
- AUD 2.895 billion is proposed to be invested in Complying Investments.
To learn more about the process visa the Significant Investor Visa Frequently Asked Questions. To determine your eligibility and apply for the SIV, please complete the online contact form.