Australia doesn’t have a direct citizenship-by-investment program like some other countries do. However, there are certain investment visa options that can lead to permanent residency, and eventually citizenship, if certain conditions are met. Here’s an overview:
Investment Visas: Australia offers several visa options for investors and business people who wish to migrate to Australia. These visas typically require a significant investment in Australian businesses or complying investments.
Significant Investor Visa (SIV): The Significant Investor Visa (SIV) is designed for high-net-worth individuals who are willing to invest at least AUD $5 million into complying investments in Australia. This visa leads to permanent residency after a specified period of maintaining the investment.
Business Innovation and Investment Visa (subclass 188 and 888): This visa is aimed at individuals with business skills who want to establish, develop, or manage a new or existing business in Australia. There are several streams under this visa category, including the Investor Stream and the Business Innovation Stream, each with its own investment requirements.
Investor Stream: This stream of the Business Innovation and Investment Visa requires applicants to invest at least AUD $1.5 million in an Australian state or territory government security and maintain the investment for a specified period. After meeting the requirements, applicants can apply for permanent residency through the subclass 888 visa.
Business Innovation Stream: This stream requires applicants to establish a business or invest in an existing business in Australia. They must also meet certain business turnover and asset requirements. Successful applicants can apply for permanent residency after meeting the requirements of the subclass 888 visa.
Pathway to Citizenship: While these visas lead to permanent residency, which allows individuals to live and work in Australia indefinitely, they do not provide an automatic pathway to citizenship. After living in Australia as a permanent resident for a certain period (usually four years), individuals may be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship, provided they meet the residency and other eligibility requirements.