National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858)

The National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858) is an invitation-only permanent residency pathway. You cannot apply for this visa directly; you must first be invited by the Australian Government after demonstrating that you are a global leader in your field.

Step 1: Secure a Nominator

Before you begin, you must find a nominator who can attest to your exceptional achievements. Your nominator must have a national reputation in the same field as you and must be one of the following:

• An Australian citizen or permanent resident.
• An eligible New Zealand citizen.
• An Australian organization.

Your nominator will need to complete Form 1000 (Nomination for National Innovation Visa), which you will upload later in the process.

Step 2: Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)

You must submit an EOI through the National Innovation Visa online form. This is not a visa application, but a request to be invited to apply. You will need to provide:

• Evidence of your international recognition (awards, patents, or publications).
• Proof that you can earn at or above the Fair Work High Income Threshold (AUD 183,100).
• Details of your nominator.

Step 3: Receive an Invitation

If your EOI is successful, you will receive a unique invitation reference number and an invitation identifier. Note: If you do not receive an invitation, you cannot proceed to the visa application.

Step 4: Lodge the Visa Application

Once invited, you have 60 days to lodge your visa application. You must do this online via ImmiAccount.

1. Create or log in to your ImmiAccount.
2. Select the Subclass 858 visa.
3. Attach your supporting documents, including your passport, Form 1000, police clearances, and health examination results.
4. Pay the application fee.

Step 5: Finalize Health and Character Checks

After lodging, you may be asked to complete medical examinations and provide additional police certificates from any country where you have lived for 12 months or more over the last 10 years. You can be either inside or outside Australia when the visa is granted.

Item	Cost
Primary Applicant Base Fee	AUD 4,985
Additional Applicant (Partner/Spouse)	Variable (approx. AUD 2,495)
Additional Applicant (Child)	Variable (approx. AUD 1,245)
Second Instalment (for applicants 18+ without Functional English)	AUD 4,890

Total Estimate: Approximately AUD 4,985 for a single applicant with English proficiency. Does not include: Costs for health examinations, police certificates, biometrics, or NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) translation services for non-English documents.

Processing times are divided into two distinct stages and vary significantly based on your "Priority Group" (determined by your sector and whether you have a government nomination).

Expression of Interest (EOI) Stage

• Priority 1 & 2 (Top-tier awards or State/Territory nomination): A few weeks.
• Priority 3 (Tier One Sectors - Health, Renewables, Tech): Approximately 3 months.
• Priority 4 (Tier Two Sectors - Agri-food, Defence, FinTech, etc.): Up to 12 months.

Visa Application Stage

• Standard Processing: Once the visa is lodged in ImmiAccount, most applications are finalized within 6 to 12 months.

Document Validity:

• Invitation: Valid for 60 days from the date of issue.
• Police Certificates: Generally valid for 12 months from the date of issuance.
• Medical Exams: Generally valid for 12 months.