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
• Second applicant (spouse/partner): included in base fee for partners
• Additional applicants aged 18 and over: 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
• This reflects the higher complexity and priority processing elements historically associated with the SIV

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 a dependent applicant (spouse, child, or other family member) does not have functional English, a second instalment fee applies before the visa is granted:

• AUD 4,890 per person for the first dependent without functional English
• AUD 9,795 per person if the whole family is assessed (not a per-person cap — this can apply multiple times)

"Functional English" is defined as the ability to read, write, and speak English at a level equivalent to having completed at least five years of full-time primary or secondary education taught in English. If your family does not meet this standard, the second instalment fee applies.

For families where the primary applicant has functional English but their spouse does not, the AUD 4,890 charge applies to the spouse. For families from non-English-speaking countries where children may also not have functional English, the total can be significant.

State Nomination Fees

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

• Victoria: Approximately AUD 2,000 for the initial nomination; separate fee for the 888 nomination letter
• New South Wales: Approximately AUD 2,000 to 2,500 for 188A nomination; updated fees for 888 stage
• Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia: Generally AUD 1,000 to 2,000 range

State nomination fees are separate from Commonwealth VAC fees and are non-refundable even if your application is later refused.

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: AUD 2.5 million in designated complying investments, held throughout the provisional visa period and until the 888B is lodged.

188C: AUD 5 million in the Complying Investment Framework, maintained and rebalanced 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 (managed funds, government bonds) are more stable but lower return. 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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