The National Innovation visa – A new immigration program

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The new National Innovation visa to be launched in late 2024 

The Australian government confirmed in the May 2024 budget that a new National Innovation visa will be launched in late 2024.

The launch date and criteria hasn’t been confirmed.

The National Innovation Visa

National Innovation visa – coming in 2024

Visa to replace the BIIP & Global Talent visa programs

The National Innovation visa will replace the Business Innovation and Investor Provisional (Subclass 188) visa program. As well as the Global Talent (Subclass 858) visa.

The BIIP program will now be officially  closed. Although it has been effectively closed since 1st July 2023, when the states/territories weren’t allocated any 188 visa places.

This follows the closure of the permanent residency Subclass 132 Business Talent (Permanent) visa on 1st July, 2021.

Who is the National Innovation visa for?  

The visa be targeted at High-calibre Talent including:

  • Researchers & Thought Leaders
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Innovative Investors
  • Athletes & Creatives

What type of visa? 

Unlike the BIIP program, the National Innovation visa is likely to be a permanent residency visa.  It will however, like the Subclass 132 visa,  be monitored to ensure applicants comply with their intentions.

Under the BIIP applicants were initially granted temporary residency,  with a pathway to apply for permanent residency after at least 4 years of business/investment activity.

Why is the visa being introduced? 

The government in recent years has undertaken a review of the Migration Strategy.

The findings of the review included, that the BIIP temporary residency visa holders, especially the Business Innovation Stream,  weren’t providing the economic benefit they should and could have.

Alternately, there is a recognition that applicants who have held, or hold, the Subclass  the Significant Investor Stream do provide economic benefit. A significant investment is an in investment of at least AUD $5m into complying investments.

Are you interested?

It is expected that the visa will be in high demand. Applicants will need to be ready to submit their interest, potentially seek state/territory nomination and then submit an application as soon as they can.

While we all wait for the details of the National Innovation visa to be released, potential applicants can register their interest.

We will discuss your credentials as a entrepreneur, major investor or research history. We will make introductions to professional service providers that can assist in preparing for the application.

Got any questions?

If you want to know more about the visas, and whether you are eligible please Contact Us

CBI

Australian 2024-25 budget update – What’s relevant for immigration? 

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The 2024-25 budget & immigration measures 

The Australian treasurer has delivered the budget for the 2024-25 financial year (FY). The FY runs from 1 July to 30 June. 

A whole raft of changes have been announced. With a focus on actions to ease the cost of living and a housing shortage. 

Key immigration measures outlined in the budget include the following. 

Net Overseas Migration 

As part of addressing this the government have plans to reduce net overseas migration by half  in 2024-25 — from 528,000 to 260,000.

Permanent Migration program –  Skilled stream numbers  

The permanent migration cap for 2024-25 will be 185,000. Of these places 132,200 places will be allocated to the skilled stream.

National Innovation Visa to replace the Global Talent & BIIP program

The Global Talent (Subclass 858) & Business Innovation and Investment (BIIP) visa (Subclass 188) programs are to be replaced by the National Innovation visa.

The National Innovation Visa will be introduced in late 2024. This visa will target talented migrants – such as entrepreneurs & major investors – in key sectors. The details of the visa are yet to be confirmed.

Subclass 482 changes  – required work experience reduced 

Work experience requirements for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (Subclass 482) will be reduced from two years to one year from 23 November 2024. 

Student Visas

The government will propose a numbers of legislation changes for international students. These include:

  • capping the number of international students that can be enrolled by the education providers (colleges & universities)
  • allowing education providers to go over these caps  if they invest in student-specific accommodation
  • significant application fees increases  

Theses changes are in addition to  recent announcements that applicants will also have to meet higher English language requirements, as well as financial capacity evidence.

Our view

It appears clear that there will be  opportunities for talented people, business & investors  who can contribute to Australia in key skill shortage areas and target sectors. 

It’s likely that those that work in healthcare and STEM will  have more opportunities than others. Education and trade/construction workers too.

It doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be opportunities for others. However you will have to be ready to act. These will likely be through state/territory nominated visas – Subclass 190 & 491. Or employer sponsored visas such as the Subclass 482.

As some of the the states/territories have exhausted their 2023-34 allocations,  they will be eagerly waiting their 2024-25 cap. Applicants should look out for these state/territory announcements as we get closer to the 1st July 2024. 

Business owners & investors have had reduced visa opportunities in recent years. Culminating in the formal closure of the BIIP program.  Whilst the details are yet to be released, the National Innovation visa will be warmly welcomed. 

In particular the target sectors will be eagerly awaited. Whether these will mirror the recent target sectors under the Global Talent visa remains to be seen.  

Whether there is a pathway for investors also be keenly watched. Especially as the recent  Australia migration review suggested that the BIIP  pathway for major investors, e.g. $5m AUD+, provided a favourable outcome for Australia. A continuation of an investment pathway would be warmly welcomed. It would also allow Australia to continue to offer a pathway that competing migrant countries provide.  

If you would like would like to discuss the budget, or any matter raised, please Contact Us. 

 

Australia’s plan to reopen borders will boost migration market …. Uglobal Immigration magazine

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Uglobal – We would like to thank Mark Welch for his contribution ..

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We would like to thank Mark Welch for his contributions to the article “Why cryptocurrency is not widely used in the RCBI world, yet”

If you would like to discuss cryptocurrency and/or  Australian investor visas please Contact Us

  • Office: +44  (0)800772 0570
  • Mobile: + 44  (0)7710 649194
  • Email:  mark@cargilmigration.com

 

Global visa options for same-sex couples … Uglobal Immigration magazine

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Uglobal Immigration magazine

It’s always great to be able to contribute to leading industry magazines & forums.

We were recently asked to provide comment on Australia’s recognition of same sex partners for investor visas. Our response was recently published in an ARTICLE on the Uglobal Immigration website.

Mark Welch, another Registered Migration Agent from Australia who founded the law firm Cargil Migration, added that same-sex applicants have to provide “evidence that the relationship is mutually exclusive, and is genuine and continuing. Evidence can include financial aspects, nature of the household, social aspects of the relationship and the nature of your commitment.”

If you would like to discuss the recognition of your same-sex relationship for Australian visas, investor or otherwise, please Contact Us

  • Office: +44  (0)800772 0570
  • Mobile: + 44  (0)7710 649194
  • Email:  mark@cargilmigration.com

UPDATE: Australian Business & Investor visa programs – July 2020

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UPDATE: Business & Investor visa visa program – July 2020 

As with the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program the business and investor program is currently being reviewed by the DHA. It is expected that it will re-open in the coming weeks & months.

At the stage it there have been no changes announced to the visas themselves, just when the program will reopen. If you are interested in knowing what your business or investor visa options are please get in touch.

We can still provide visa options, discuss your plans, confirm what is required by applicants, introduce you to our partners, (eg. VC ensure Capital providers) and look to prepare submissions upon re-opening of the visa program.

An overview of the states/territories nomination status as of now is below:

ACT – The ACT nomination program is currently suspended.  Any submitted applications will not be processed until further notice. 

NEW SOUTH WALES – NSW is currently closed to applications for nomination under the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP). NSW will open to new nominations once the DHA provides NSW with an allocation of positions for 2020-21

NORTHERN TERRITORY – At this stage all Business Investment and Innovation Program nomination applications will continue to be accepted and assessed, but no nominations can be issued until the Northern Territory has been allocated quotas.

QUEENSLAND  – The business migration program will remain closed until further notice. Please note:  BSMQ are not accepting any Expressions of Interests and look forward to opening the business program as soon as is possible.

TASMANIA – The Tasmanian Business Nomination Program is currently being reviewed. Tasmania have confirmed with us that they hope to have this review completed and new requirements published by the end of August 2020.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Business Migration programs are scheduled to re-open from early August. This will be dependent on the Commonwealth Government’s allocation of state nomination places for program year 2020-21. 

VICTORIA 

The Victorian Government’s state nomination program will remain temporarily closed while we await the Commonwealth Government’s allocation of state nomination places for 2020-21.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA – All State nomination places from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for Western Australia have now been allocated. They are not accepting any new applications for subclasses 188 or 132 until further notice.

If you want to discuss how you are effected, your current visa application or your visa options going forward please Contact Us. 

  • Office: +44 (0)800772 0570
  • Mobile: + 44 (0)7710 649194
  • Email: mark@cargilmigration.com

 

Australian visas – business owners, investors & venture capital entrepreneurs

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Research Shows Immigrants Help Businesses Grow

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… Immigrants contribute disproportionately to entrepreneurship ..

An interesting article on the impact of immigrants on businesses. Whilst it is a US article, from Harvard Business Review, it no doubt applies to Australia too.

What the key takeaway of the study?

” …. that immigrant-led companies grow at a faster rate and are more likely to survive long term than native-led companies are.” 

 

Please read the article and Contact Us if you want to discuss the Business Owner, Investor and Venture Capital visas available to migrate to Australia.