Cost of the Australia Business Visa 188: Full Breakdown for 2026

The 188 visa isn't cheap. But the full cost is often underestimated because applicants focus on the headline visa fee and miss the migration agent costs, second instalment charges, state nomination fees, and ongoing investment requirements. By the time you reach 888 permanent residency, the total outlay — across government fees, professional fees, and the required investments themselves — is substantial.

Here's a complete breakdown, by stream.

Government Visa Application Charges (VAC)

Visa Application Charges are set by the Department of Home Affairs and are updated periodically. Current charges for the 188 and 888 streams:

Subclass 188A (Business Innovation)

• Primary applicant: AUD 10,000
• Additional applicants aged 18 and over, including a spouse or partner: AUD 5,000 each
• Additional applicants under 18: AUD 2,500 each

Subclass 188B (Investor)

• Primary applicant: AUD 10,000
• Same dependent structure as 188A

Subclass 188C (Significant Investor)

• Primary applicant: AUD 14,670
• Additional adult: AUD 7,335; additional child: AUD 3,670

Subclass 888A, 888B, 888C (Permanent Residency)

• Primary applicant: AUD 3,500 to 3,615
• Dependants have additional charges

Second Instalment Fees

This is the charge most often overlooked. If the primary applicant or an additional applicant aged 18 or over does not have functional English, a second instalment fee applies before the visa is granted:

• AUD 9,795 for the primary applicant
• AUD 4,890 for each additional adult

For two adults, the maximum combined amount is AUD 14,685.

"Functional English" can be demonstrated in several ways. An IELTS score of 4.5 or higher is one example that waives the second instalment; check the current Home Affairs evidence rules for the relevant application.

For a family where the primary applicant has functional English but their spouse does not, the AUD 4,890 charge applies to the spouse. If both adults do not meet functional English, the two-adult maximum is AUD 14,685.

State Nomination Fees

State and territory governments charge nomination processing fees. These vary by state and are updated occasionally:

• Estimated range: AUD 300 to 3,000 depending on the state and stream; check the current state fee schedule for each nomination.

State nomination fees are separate from Commonwealth VAC fees. Check the relevant state's current refund terms before paying.

Migration Agent Fees

Migration agent fees for business visa applications are the largest professional service cost in the process, and the range is wide. For 188 applications:

188A (Business Innovation): AUD 8,000 to 18,000 for a competent registered migration agent handling the full 188A application, including the state nomination strategy, evidence compilation, and lodgement. Some specialist business visa agents charge more.

188B (Investor) and 188C (SIV): AUD 15,000 to 30,000 is typical, reflecting the additional complexity of investment compliance documentation, CIF structuring advice, and the longer engagement required. Some top-tier agents handling ultra-high-net-worth SIV cases charge significantly more.

888 Application: AUD 5,000 to 15,000 depending on complexity, the stream, and whether the agent needs to assemble years of business records.

These are market rates for competent, experienced migration agents. Budget agents exist at lower price points, but business visa applications are among the most documentation-intensive in Australia's immigration system — the risk of a cheaper agent who misses a compliance issue is real.

It's also worth noting that the agent fee does not include document preparation costs (accountant fees for business valuations, sworn translations of foreign documents, business record organisation).

The Investment Capital Requirement

For investor streams, the required capital is not a fee — you retain it (subject to market movements and investment performance). But it is an opportunity cost:

188B: For holders invited after July 1, 2021, AUD 2.5 million in designated complying investments, held throughout the four-year provisional visa period.

188C: AUD 5 million in the Complying Investment Framework, maintained in complying structures throughout the four-year provisional period.

The returns on CIF investments vary. VCPE fund returns are illiquid and variable. Emerging company investments carry market risk. Balancing investments can include managed funds and Australian corporate bonds or notes; their risk and return profiles vary. The opportunity cost of tying AUD 5 million to Australian CIF requirements for four years is real and should be factored into total cost.

Total Cost Summary

For a 188A applicant with a spouse and no children, the base cost estimate to reach 888A permanent residency:

For 188C/888C applicants, add the AUD 14,670 SIV VAC in place of the base 188 VAC, and account for higher agent fees.

Is a Migration Agent Necessary?

For 188A applications, experienced applicants with strong English, well-organised business records, and significant immigration knowledge do self-lodge. But the rate of errors and RAIs is substantially higher for unrepresented applicants in this visa class. The business visa requirements are genuinely complex, and the Department's expectations around evidence quality are high.

For 188B and 188C, the investment compliance requirements are specialised enough that most applicants use an agent for at least the investment compliance aspects, even if they manage other parts themselves.

The Australia Business Innovation Visa (188) Guide is designed for applicants who want to understand their visa conditions, manage their own compliance, and either prepare their own applications or work effectively with a migration agent — reducing the back-and-forth that drives agent fees higher.

Want to understand exactly what your 188 or 888 application requires — without relying entirely on expensive agent hours? The complete guide covers every evidence requirement in plain language.

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