The National Innovation Visa is a permanent visa for exceptionally talented people whose internationally recognised achievements and future contribution could benefit Australia.
Candidates cannot lodge a visa application immediately. They must first submit a National Innovation Visa Expression of Interest to the Australian Department of Home Affairs and receive an invitation to apply.
The Department’s published starting visa charge was AUD 6,235 from 1 July 2026. An additional charge may apply to an applicant aged 18 or older who does not demonstrate functional English.
A strong applicant must demonstrate much more than education, experience or a senior job title.
The nominated record must establish that the applicant:
These points are expressly addressed in Home Affairs Form 1000.
The visa regulations recognise achievement in:
Within those areas, current Home Affairs policy particularly identifies:
Home Affairs considers EOIs according to a priority framework.
Exceptional candidates from any sector who are global experts and recipients of internationally recognised “top-of-field” awards.
Examples may include recipients of awards at the highest international level.
Candidates from any sector who are nominated on an approved Form 1000 by an expert Australian Commonwealth, state or territory government agency.
This is the category relevant to successful South Australian, New South Wales, Queensland, Victorian, Tasmanian or Northern Territory government nomination.
Candidates with exceptional achievements in Tier One sectors:
Candidates with exceptional achievements in Tier Two sectors:
South Australia accepts ROIs under five categories:
South Australia accepts direct ROIs across five broad categories. Successful nominees receive Form 1000 and a business-case letter. The state nomination fee is currently nil.
NSW offers five nomination pathways:
Applicants first submit an ROI. If shortlisted, they may be invited to submit a full nomination application. An NSW ROI remains active for six months, and only one active ROI is permitted.
Queensland accepts ROIs for global researchers, entrepreneurs, innovative investors, athletes and creatives.
A limited number of applicants are contacted to submit evidence and may be interviewed. Successful nominees receive a signed Form 1000 for their Home Affairs EOI. Queensland nomination is treated as Priority Two.
Victoria requires the candidate to have engaged with a Victorian Government department or agency on a relevant project and to be referred by a department or agency with expertise in the candidate’s field.
This makes Victoria less accessible to an offshore applicant who does not already have a meaningful Victorian government connection.
Tasmanian nomination generally requires an established relationship with:
A suitable representative must support a compelling business case. Tasmania does not accept unsolicited individual nomination applications.
The Northern Territory does not accept nomination requests directly from individual candidates.
Applicants must first develop genuine engagement with an eligible NT-based organisation, such as a government agency, peak body, research institution, education institution, venture-capital fund, accelerator or incubator. The organisation must refer the candidate to MigrationNT.
The ACT Government states that its National Innovation Visa nomination framework is still under consideration and that it is not currently accepting expressions of interest.
Western Australia’s published State Nominated Migration Program currently describes nomination for Subclasses 190 and 491. A dedicated public NIV nomination route was not identified on the WA Migration Services website at the time of review.
For an exceptional offshore applicant without an existing relationship with an Australian government department:
A state or Home Affairs assessment should clearly explain:
We review:
The case is positioned under:
The ROI should include all supporting evidence available at submission. South Australia states that documents supplied after submission will generally not be accepted unless specifically requested.
If the ROI progresses, the applicant may be interviewed by a panel of South Australian Government representatives.
If approved, South Australia issues:
The state nomination documents are included with the National Innovation Visa Expression of Interest.
Home Affairs considers the EOI under the priority framework. State nomination provides Priority Two treatment but does not guarantee selection.
Only after receiving an invitation can the applicant lodge the National Innovation Visa application. A completed Form 1000 is mandatory for a valid visa application.
The principal applicant and family members must satisfy applicable:
If granted, the National Innovation Visa provides Australian permanent residence.
Common weaknesses include:
Visa charges change periodically and depend on family composition and circumstances. All figures should be checked through the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator immediately before lodgement.
We compare South Australia, NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory according to the applicant’s achievements, sector, existing Australian connections and proposed contribution.
We compare South Australia, NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory according to the applicant’s achievements, sector, existing Australian connections and proposed contribution.
For suitable applicants, we develop the ROI around the relevant South Australian nomination category and explain how the proposed activity could benefit the state.
We connect every award, publication, business result, patent, investment, project and professional recognition to a specific NIV requirement.
We assist in structuring a credible proposal explaining how the applicant intends to establish themselves and contribute to Australia.
Our Dubai team understands employment, business, salary, investment and company records commonly issued across:
The National Innovation Visa is not suitable for every successful professional or wealthy business owner.
We do not recommend the program merely because an applicant has a senior title, substantial funds or many years of experience.
Abu Bakar Adil leads the Dubai office and oversees professional assessments, state-nomination strategy, evidence planning and case coordination for applicants across the UAE and GCC.
Adil Ismail provides senior strategic oversight and reviews selected complex National Innovation Visa with his 20+ years of experiene, profiles involving research, entrepreneurship, investment and internationally recognised professional achievements.
A strong résumé does not automatically establish National Interest Waiver eligibility. Your qualifications must be connected to a specific proposed U.S. endeavour and supported by credible evidence.
No. A candidate may potentially be nominated by an eligible Australian individual or organisation.
However, government-agency nomination is strategically valuable because an approved Form 1000 from an expert Commonwealth, state or territory agency receives Priority Two consideration.
Yes. A completed Form 1000 must be included with a valid National Innovation Visa application.
The form must be completed by an eligible nominator who attests to the applicant’s internationally recognised achievements and prospective value to Australia.
Successful South Australian nominees receive a completed Form 1000 and business-case letter from Skilled and Business Migration. The South Australian Government therefore provides the government-agency nomination for that case.
We often recommend assessing South Australia first because it offers:
This is a strategic recommendation, not a claim that nomination or visa approval is easy or guaranteed.
We often recommend assessing South Australia first because it offers:
This is a strategic recommendation, not a claim that nomination or visa approval is easy or guaranteed.
The South Australian checklist allows an applicant to provide a South Australian Government agency referral letter if available, but it is not expressed as a universal prerequisite for submitting an ROI.
This differs from Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, where an existing government or eligible organisational relationship and referral form a central part of the published nomination process.
There is no standard maximum age preventing an EOI. However, applicants who are younger than 18 or aged 55 or above must demonstrate that they would provide exceptional benefit to the Australian community.
Applicants aged 18 or older generally need to demonstrate functional English or may be liable for an additional second visa application charge.
Functional English may be established through an accepted test, qualifying nationality or certain English-medium education.
No. The National Innovation Visa is not assessed through the points system used for Subclasses 189, 190 or 491.
Applicants are assessed through their exceptional record, continuing prominence, potential contribution, nomination and invitation priority.
A standard occupation-based skills assessment is not a universal NIV requirement.
Some applicants may nevertheless need professional registration, licensing or recognition to practise in Australia, depending on their occupation.
An Australian job offer is not a universal requirement.
However, an employment offer, research appointment, institutional partnership or evidence of commercial engagement can help demonstrate that the applicant can become established and contribute in Australia.
Under South Australia’s entrepreneur category, no minimum investment threshold is published.
Nevertheless, the applicant must demonstrate a credible innovative activity, relevant experience, economic potential, job creation or commercialisation, and the capability to establish the proposed enterprise in South Australia.
Generally not under South Australia’s innovative-investor framework.
South Australia expressly identifies cafés, restaurants, consulting companies, labour-hire agencies, franchises, purchases of existing businesses, property management and retail as activities not considered innovative for this nomination category.
Yes. Strong candidates may demonstrate:
The overall evidence must demonstrate international recognition and continuing prominence.
Yes. Sport and the arts are recognised NIV areas.
Applicants normally need significant international-level achievements, recognition and evidence that their future Australian activities would benefit the country or nominating state.
Eligible members of the family unit can generally be included, subject to the applicable definitions, health, character and documentation requirements.
Yes. Offshore candidates may submit an NIV EOI and pursue state nomination while residing outside Australia, provided they meet the relevant requirements.
Our Dubai office assists applicants based across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
Home Affairs states that National Innovation Visa invitation rounds are conducted monthly.
The number and type of invitations depend on available places, candidate quality and the priority framework.
Home Affairs states that National Innovation Visa invitation rounds are conducted monthly.
The number and type of invitations depend on available places, candidate quality and the priority framework.
There is no guaranteed overall timeline.
The process can include:
State nomination does not guarantee the timing of a Home Affairs invitation.
State systems and declarations differ.
Applicants should not submit inconsistent proposals or claim genuine settlement intentions in several jurisdictions without understanding each state’s requirements. A coherent state strategy is preferable to indiscriminate applications.
No. State-government nomination provides Priority Two consideration, but Home Affairs retains complete discretion over EOI invitations.
No. Home Affairs specifically states that an invitation is not a pre-assessment of final visa eligibility. The visa application is assessed independently on its evidence and merits.
No. South Australia decides state nomination, and the Australian Department of Home Affairs decides invitations and visa applications.
Superior Consulting Global can assess, strategise and assist with the agreed preparation process, but no consultancy can guarantee a government decision.
