On the same day it revamped the Entrepreneur stream, Home Affairs updated the Premium Investor stream of the Subclass 888 permanent visa, signalling a tougher stance on “passive capital parking”. The refreshed guidance (dated 25 June 2026) emphasises that the required AUD 15 million investment must be ‘deployed’—not merely held—in complying assets for a continuous 48-month period. Acceptable assets now include “patient capital funds” that back national-priority technologies such as quantum computing and green hydrogen, reflecting priorities mapped out in the 2026 Budget. Importantly, applicants can no longer count funds parked in residential property-derived trusts. Family offices that have relied on large real-estate portfolios to satisfy the threshold will need to re-allocate before lodging. Austrade, the nominating agency, is expected to release a companion list of exemplar funds in early July. Processing guidance mirrors the Entrepreneur stream – four to six months for fully documented files – but Home Affairs warns that source-of-funds checks will be ‘forensic’. Mobility advisers should prepare clients for deeper anti-money-laundering scrutiny, potentially including offshore tax-return extracts and third-party audit statements. Multinationals using the Premium Investor visa as a board-level talent retention tool will welcome the clarity but should engage investment managers swiftly to restructure portfolios if needed.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
