National Innovation visa / subclass 858
The National Innovation visa (NIV), subclass 858, is a permanent Australian visa for people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession, a sport, the arts, or academia and research. It is intended for researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, senior professionals, athletes and creatives whose work would benefit the Australian community.
Invitations go first to top-of-field award holders and government agency nominees, then to Tier One and Tier Two sectors. Priority depends on both the achievement record and the sector.
Why the NIV is different
The Department of Home Affairs (the Department) assesses the NIV on the applicant's record of achievement. Age, qualifications and work experience earn no points, and no skilled occupation list applies. The two questions that matter are whether that record places the applicant among the best in the field internationally, and whether the applicant would be an asset to the Australian community.
The visa is permanent on grant. It carries a five-year travel facility, and holders who later meet the residence requirements may apply for citizenship.
The NIV requires neither an Australian employer sponsor nor a job offer. Applicants must, however, show that they could find work, or become established, in their field in Australia without difficulty.
Applicants of any age may apply. Those under 18 or aged 55 or over must also satisfy the Department that they would be of exceptional benefit to the Australian community.
Applicants aged 18 or over must either show functional English or pay the second instalment of the visa application charge in place of that evidence.
A partner and dependent children may be included in the application, subject to health and character requirements.
Applicants may be in or outside Australia both at lodgement and at grant, provided they are not in immigration clearance.
Core requirements
The legal test is demanding. The applicant's record must be internationally recognised in a profession, a sport, the arts, or academia and research, and the achievements must be recent enough to show that the applicant remains active and prominent in that field. A successful career alone, without independent recognition, does not meet the standard.
See the achievement indicatorsThe Department must be satisfied that the applicant has superior abilities and achievements compared with others in the field, is acclaimed as exceptional wherever that field is practised, and has a sustained record of achievement that is unlikely to diminish in the near future.
Indicators of exceptional achievement
Ministerial Direction 120 sets out the indicators the Department considers when assessing whether an applicant's achievement is exceptional and outstanding. The Direction describes them as guidance, and each case is decided on its overall merits. In practice, the strongest applications combine several indicators with independent evidence of the applicant's impact in the field.
Awards that place the recipient at the top of the discipline worldwide, such as a Nobel Prize, Fields Medal, Turing Award, Pulitzer Prize or Olympic gold medal.
Competitive grants from national or international funding bodies, such as the Australian Research Council, UKRI, the European Commission or the US National Science Foundation.
A PhD combined with demonstrated influence in the field, shown through recent publications in top-ranked journals, an h-index that is high for the applicant's career stage, or a research degree from a university ranked in the top 100.
Recent keynote or invited addresses at major international conferences in the applicant's field.
Recognised intellectual property attributed to the applicant, such as international patents for new products or technology relevant to the field of achievement.
Current earnings, or a written offer of employment in Australia, at or above the Fair Work high income threshold, earned in the applicant's area of achievement. The threshold is AUD 190,100 from 1 July 2026.
Other evidence the Department may consider includes senior technical or leadership roles with recognised organisations, Academic Level D or E appointments, leading a company to an initial public offering, advisory board appointments, statements from peak professional bodies, and international media coverage of the applicant's work.
How to build the evidencePriority sectors
The Department issues invitations in priority order. Top-of-field award holders come first, then candidates nominated by an expert government agency. Candidates with exceptional achievement in a Tier One sector follow, and then those in a Tier Two sector.
This tier covers artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous systems, cyber security, quantum technologies, photonics, advanced ICT and advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, genomics, precision medicine, AI in health, wearable devices, renewable energy, green hydrogen, green metals, carbon storage and critical minerals processing.
Our assessment benchmark for Tier One is at least one strong indicator, supported by evidence of achievement in the sector.
This tier covers food technology and biosecurity, propulsion and space systems engineering, senior university leadership and Level D or E academic appointments, blockchain, cloud computing and financial data science, large transport infrastructure projects, and automation and value-adding in the resources sector.
Our assessment benchmark for Tier Two is at least two indicators relevant to the sector, each supported by evidence of achievement.
Priority 1 is reserved for recipients of international top-of-field awards. Priority 2 covers candidates nominated on Form 1000 by an expert Australian Government, State or Territory government agency; for these candidates, investment, entrepreneurial and community achievements may also be considered.
Read the FAQBuilding the evidence
Decision makers look for independent proof that the applicant's work is recognised beyond the employer. Job titles and salary support the case; third-party evidence of impact, such as awards, citations, media coverage and expert references, carries the greater weight.
See the application sequenceEvery indicator claimed in the Expression of Interest (EOI) must be supported by documents in the visa application, and the claims should remain consistent from EOI to lodgement.
How the process works
A visa application cannot be lodged until the Department issues an invitation. Invitation rounds are held monthly. Between April and June 2026 the Department received 2,166 EOIs and issued 248 invitations, most of them to Tier One candidates. An invitation does not amount to a pre-assessment; the application must still prove every claim made in the EOI.
What an NIV assessment reviews
Before submitting an EOI, the record should be organised around three areas: sector fit, indicators and supporting proof. A gap identified at this stage can still be addressed; after invitation, only 60 days remain in which to lodge.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions applicants ask most often. Visa settings change, so current requirements should be confirmed before lodging.
No. The NIV requires neither employer sponsorship nor a job offer. Applicants must, however, show that they could find work or become established in their field in Australia, and a written job offer at or above the high income threshold may be relied on as an indicator of achievement.
The nominator must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, an eligible New Zealand citizen or an Australian organisation, and must have a national reputation in the applicant's field. The nominator completes Form 1000 attesting to the applicant's record, and the form must accompany the application at lodgement. Nomination by an expert government agency places the applicant in Priority 2.
There is no fixed number. The Direction treats the indicators as guidance, and the Department weighs the record as a whole. As a working benchmark, a Tier One candidate may succeed with one strong indicator, while a Tier Two candidate should show at least two, each backed by evidence of recognised achievement in the sector.
An EOI may still be submitted, but candidates outside the priority sectors are considered after Priorities 1 to 4. Top-of-field award holders, athletes, creatives, and experienced entrepreneurs or investors are exceptions to this order, particularly where an expert government agency provides the nomination.
The visa application charge for the main applicant starts at AUD 6,235, with additional charges for each family member. A second instalment of AUD 4,890 is payable for each applicant aged 18 or over who does not have functional English. Health examinations, police certificates and biometrics are charged separately.
Processing time depends on the applicant's priority level, the completeness of the application, and the time taken for health, character and security checks. Higher priority candidates are invited and processed first.
An early assessment of sector, indicators and evidence shows whether an EOI is realistic and which parts of the record need strengthening first.
Contact us
Send us your contact details and a short message. We'll be in touch as soon as we can.
Fields marked are required.