National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858)

To qualify for the National Innovation Visa, you must meet high-level thresholds regarding your professional standing, earning potential, and connection to Australia.

Exceptional Achievement

You must demonstrate that you are currently prominent in your field and have a record of sustained achievement that is unlikely to diminish. You must be recognized as exceptional in any country where your field is practiced. This applies to four broad categories:

• A Profession
• A Sport
• The Arts
• Academia and Research

The Nominator

You cannot apply for this visa independently. You must be nominated by a "nominator" who has a national reputation in Australia in the same field as you. The nominator must be:

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

High Income Threshold

You must demonstrate the ability to earn at or above the Fair Work High Income Threshold, which is currently AUD 183,100. You can prove this through current salary slips, a job offer in Australia, or evidence that you are a recent PhD graduate in a priority sector with high future earning potential.

Priority Sectors and Processing

The Australian government prioritizes applicants based on their field of expertise. Under Ministerial Direction 112, priority is given in the following order:

1. Priority 1: Recipients of "top-of-field" international awards (e.g., Nobel Prize, Oscar, Olympic Gold).
2. Priority 2: Candidates nominated by an Australian Commonwealth, State, or Territory government agency.
3. Priority 3 (Tier One Sectors): Critical Technologies, Health Industries, Renewables, and Low Emission Technologies.
4. Priority 4 (Tier Two Sectors): Agri-food, Defence, Space, Education, Financial Services, Infrastructure, and Resources.

Age and Language

• Age: While there is no strict age limit, if you are under 18 or 55 years or older, you must demonstrate that you will provide an "exceptional benefit" to the Australian community.
• English: You must have Functional English (e.g., an IELTS average score of 4.5). If you do not meet this, you may still be granted the visa but will be required to pay a significant "second instalment" fee.