In Short
The National Innovation Visa is a permanent Australian visa for globally recognised experts with exceptional achievements. It does not require employer sponsorship, a points test or a skills assessment. Eligibility depends on your achievements, your ability to contribute to Australia, and securing a suitable nominator.
Tips for Businesses
If your business is looking to attract or retain world-class talent, consider whether the National Innovation Visa could be suitable for key individuals. Check whether their expertise aligns with priority sectors and whether they can demonstrate sustained international recognition. Planning early for nomination, evidence gathering and timing can help avoid delays in the application process.
Summary
This article is a guide for Australian businesses explaining the National Innovation Visa and how it applies to highly skilled individuals under Australian migration law. LegalVision, a commercial law firm, specialises in advising clients on immigration and visa pathways for businesses and high-calibre talent.
If you are interested in living and working in Australia as a globally recognised expert in your field, you may be eligible for the National Innovation visa (NIV) – subclass 858. The NIV, formerly known as the Global Talent Visa (GTV), is designed to attract high-calibre migrants with internationally recognised records of exceptional and outstanding achievements. This exclusive permanent visa particularly targets exceptional talent across critical technology, health, renewable energy, and other priority sectors. The NIV is part of Australia’s strategy to attract world-class talent that can help create jobs and drive productivity growth in key sectors of the Australian economy.
Migration Program planning levels for the NIV in the 2025-26 financial year: 4,300 places have been allocated. In the previous 2024-25 financial year, under the predecessor GTV program, 4,000 places were available, and 5,000 for the 2022-23 financial year. The article explains who is eligible for the National Innovation Visa and how exceptional global talent can secure Australian permanent residency.
Benefits of the National Innovation Visa
If you meet the eligibility criteria, the NIV offers several significant advantages over other permanent residency pathways:
- no skills assessment required;
- no minimum points threshold to meet;
- no mandatory state or territory nomination;
- no employer sponsorship required;
- more flexible English language requirements (functional English only);
- no upper age limit restriction – Candidates under 18 or over 55 can apply if they demonstrate exceptional benefit to the Australian community;
- priority processing based on achievement levels and sector priorities;
- direct pathway to permanent residency without temporary visa requirements; and
- ability to include family members in your application.
Visa Application Process
To put it simply, here are three steps:
1. Expression of Interest (EOI)
- submit an EOI through the Department’s online form;
- provide evidence of your exceptional achievements; and
- wait for an invitation based on priority processing order.
2. Receive an invitation to apply for NIV – subclass 858
- if selected, receive a unique reference and identifier; then
- must apply within 60 days of invitation.
3. Visa Application: Submit an NIV subclass 858 visa application.
Continue reading this article below the formEligibility Criteria
The NIV is designed for established and emerging leaders with high-calibre talent and skills who can make significant contributions that will benefit Australia’s future prosperity, such as:
- global researchers;
- entrepreneurs;
- innovative investors; and
- athletes and creatives.
To be eligible, you must:
- be invited to apply through the Expression of Interest (EOI) process;
- have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession, sport, the arts, or academia and research;
- demonstrate superior abilities and achievements compared to others in your area;
- be acclaimed as exceptional in any country where your area is practised;
- have a record of sustained achievement unlikely to diminish in the near future;
- continue to be active in your area with recent exceptional achievements and ongoing contributions to your field;
- have a nominator with a national reputation in your field, who must also provide a completed Form 1000 – Nomination for National Innovation visa;
- prove you can work or become independently established in your area of expertise in Australia without difficulty;
- meet the health requirements; and
- meet the character requirements.
Indicators of Exceptional Achievement
The Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) considers various indicators of exceptional talent, including but not limited to:
| Academic Excellence | + PhD from top global universities with strong academic influence; + publications in top-ranked journals (Nature, Lancet, etc.); + high h-index for career stage; and + national level research grants (ARC grants, international equivalents). |
| Professional Recognition | + keynote appearances at high-profile international conferences; + earnings at or above the Fair Work high income threshold ($183,100 as of 1st July 2025); + leadership of internationally reputed companies; and + recognised intellectual property and international patents. |
| Innovation and Investment | + track record of supporting successful innovative ventures; + promising entrepreneurial activities for commercialisation in Australia; and + connection with Commonwealth, State or Territory innovation hubs. |
| Sports and Arts | + athletes and creatives who will raise Australia’s international standing; + sustained record of well-recognised work and major commissioned works; and + success at major national or international competitions. |
Seeking Nomination for the National Innovation Visa
You are required to select a nominator and have them complete Form 1000 at the time of lodging your NIV application. A nominator must be an:
- Australian citizen;
- Australian permanent resident;
- eligible New Zealand citizen; or
- Australian organisation.
Only one nominator is necessary for your application. If you provide more than one nomination, the Department may request that you select only one nominator. However, you can provide additional letters of support from other experts in the same field who also are:
- Australian citizens;
- Australian organisations; and
- internationally recognised individuals or organisations in your area of expertise.
When submitting your EOI for the NIV, you are not required to have a nominator. However, it strengthens your EOI to include a completed Form 1000 identifying an appropriate nominator. You can change your nominator between submitting an EOI and lodging the NIV application.
Priority Sectors
DOHA has determined two priority sectors, divided into Tier One and Tier Two. These two tiers provide clarity in terms of the processing order.
Tier One Priority Sectors
| Critical Technologies | Potentially transformative enabling technology. This includes artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and cybersecurity technology, for example: + advanced information and communication technology; + artificial intelligence technology and autonomous systems; + biotechnology; + clean energy generation and storage technology; + cyber security and quantum technology; + photonics and robotics; and + positioning, timing and sensing technology. |
| Renewables and Low-Emission Technologies | Technology that will support Australia to reach net zero, for example: + bio-methane production; + circular economy innovations and clean energy technology; + emission reduction and carbon storage; + green metals; low-carbon liquid fuels; + processing and refining of critical minerals; + renewable hydrogen and energy generation; + transmission, distribution or storage; and + Waste to Energy (WtE) technology. |
| Health Industries | Innovation in medical manufacturing and sovereign capabilities in medical science, for example: + antimicrobial resistance; + artificial intelligence in health; + biochemistry and cell biology; + emerging health threats and emergencies; + health economics; implantable and wearable devices; + infectious disease prevention; + pharmaceuticals and precision medicine; and + medical science manufacturing for therapeutic products. |
Tier Two Priority Sectors
| Agri-food and AgTech | Innovation or value-adding in agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors, for example: + biotechnology; + biosecurity and disease management; + farm management technology; + food technology; + processing primary industry outputs into higher value goods; + innovation and sustainability in agriculture, forestry and fisheries; and + manufacturing of products for use in or connection with primary industries. |
| Education | Academia, research or management in universities and higher learning institutions, for example: + senior management of universities and higher learning institutions; and + senior academics and researchers at Australian academic level D or E (or international equivalent). |
| Defence Capabilities and Space | Advancing sovereign defence and space capability, including: + development, manufacturing and sustainment of products that are inputs to defence capability; + electromagnetic technologies; + propulsion systems; + space objects; and + space systems engineering. |
| Financial Services and FinTech | Advancing innovation in the financial services or technology industries, for example: + innovations in application programming; + blockchain engineering; + cloud technologies; + FinTech cyber and data security; and + financial data science and analysis software engineering. |
| Infrastructure and Transport | Advancing innovation in the transport sector and infrastructure projects, for example: + innovative manufacturing and technologies to support the development of the transport sector; and + large and complex transport infrastructure projects for roads, bridges, tunnelling, rail and airports. |
| Resources | Innovation, product development or value adding in resource sectors or critical minerals supply chains, for example: + automation and industry 4.0 skills; + beneficiation technology; + critical and battery minerals; + exploration services; + geology and metallurgy; + oil and gas decommissioning; + resource waste management; and + value-add in resource sectors, including manufacturing products and technologies to advance mineral processing. |
Processing Order
DOHA processes NIV applications in strict priority order based on Ministerial Direction 112. Applications are assessed according to four priorities, which are based on the Two Tiers mentioned above, with higher priority applications processed first:
| Priority one (Highest) | Exceptional candidates from either Tier One or Tier Two priority sectors who are global experts and recipients of international ‘top of field’ level awards, including but not limited to: + Nobel Prizes; + Breakthrough Prizes; + Rousseeuw Prize; + Eni Award; + Institution of Electrical Engineers Medal of Honor; + Fields Medal; + Chern Medal; + Abel Prize; + L’Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science; + Turing Award; + ACM Prize in Computing; + Pulitzer Prize; + International Booker Prize; + International Tchaikovsky Competition Gold Medal; + Olympic Gold Medal; and + Laureus World Sportsman or Sportswoman of the year. |
| Priority two | Candidates from either Tier One or Tier Two priority sector nominated on the approved Form 1000 by an expert Australian Commonwealth, State or Territory Government agency. |
| Priority three | Candidates with exceptional and outstanding achievements in a Tier One sector. |
| Priority four | Candidates with exceptional and outstanding achievements in a Tier Two sector. |
Visa Application Fees
As of 1st July 2025, the following NIV application fees apply.
- Primary Applicant: $4,985.00;
- Applicant Over 18: $2,495.00; and
- Applicant Under 18: $1,250.00.
Furthermore, you should factor in additional costs, such as:
- health examinations;
- police checks; and
- translations of documents.
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Key Takeaways
The National Innovation visa represents an exceptional opportunity for world-class talent to obtain Australian permanent residency. With its streamlined requirements, priority processing, and focus on exceptional achievement rather than traditional point-scoring systems, the NIV is designed to attract the calibre of migrants who can make significant contributions to Australia’s future prosperity.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The National Innovation Visa is for internationally recognised experts, leaders and innovators who have an outstanding record of achievement in their field and can make a significant contribution to Australia. This includes researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, creatives and elite athletes working in priority sectors.
No. You do not need a job offer, employer sponsorship or state nomination to apply for the National Innovation Visa. However, you must be nominated by an eligible individual or organisation with a national reputation in your field and demonstrate that you can work or establish yourself independently in Australia.
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