The National Innovation Visa (NIV) — subclass 858 — is an Australian permanent residence visa for individuals with an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement. The NIV is designed for established and emerging leaders who have high-calibre talent and skills that can make significant contributions to Australia's future prosperity. The subclass 858 previously existed as the Distinguished Talent visa and then the Global Talent visa — the NIV is the current form of this visa stream.

The NIV operates through an invitation-only pathway: applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), and the Department of Home Affairs invites eligible candidates to apply based on the NIV program priorities. For current guidance, refer to the DHA National Innovation Visa page.

• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 858 (National Innovation) — the visa criteria
• DHA: National Innovation visa (subclass 858) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/national-innovation-visa-858
• DHA: Visas for innovation — National Innovation Visa — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/national-innovation-visa
• DHA: NIV priorities — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/niv-priorities
• DHA: NIV EOI form — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/niv-eoi-form

What "exceptional and outstanding achievement" means

The core eligibility requirement is an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement. This is a high bar — the NIV is not for skilled workers generally, but for individuals who have demonstrated achievement recognised internationally in their field. Evidence of achievement may include:

• Prestigious prizes, awards, or fellowships with international recognition
• Leadership roles in significant organisations or projects of international standing
• Published work, patents, or research with significant international citation or impact
• Demonstrated commercial or creative success with international reach
• High-level contributions to a field that are recognised by peers and industry internationally

The NIV covers both established leaders (those with an extensive track record) and emerging leaders (those earlier in their career who have already demonstrated exceptional achievement relative to their career stage). For the current definition and evidence requirements, refer to the DHA NIV page.

The EOI and invitation process

The NIV pathway requires the following steps:

1. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI): Using the DHA's online NIV EOI form, the applicant describes their achievements, field, and how their work would benefit Australia. An EOI is not a visa application — it is a request to be considered for an invitation.
2. Assessment by DHA: DHA assesses the EOI against the NIV criteria and the program priorities. The Department considers all submitted EOIs with regard to the indicators of exceptional and outstanding achievement claimed and the NIV priority order.
3. Monthly invitation rounds: Invitation rounds occur monthly. DHA extends invitations to exceptional candidates according to the NIV priority order. Not all EOI submitters receive an invitation.
4. Visa application on invitation: If invited, the applicant submits a full visa application, meeting all substantive criteria including health and character requirements.

EOI validity: If a person submits an EOI and does not receive an invitation within 2 years, the EOI expires and the applicant must re-submit if they wish to continue being considered.

NIV program priorities

DHA publishes the NIV priority order, which guides which EOIs receive invitations in each monthly round. The priorities reflect areas of particular national importance to Australia's innovation and prosperity. For the current priority fields and the priority order, refer to the DHA NIV priorities page.

What the NIV grants

The NIV grants permanent residence in Australia from the date of grant. NIV holders can:

• Live and work in Australia permanently without restriction
• Include partner and dependent children in the application
• Sponsor eligible family members
• Travel to and from Australia on the standard permanent visa travel facility
• Apply for Australian citizenship after meeting the residence requirements

NIV compared to other skilled visa pathways

The NIV is distinct from the employer-sponsored skilled visa streams (subclass 482 SID and subclass 186 ENS) and the points-tested skilled visas (subclass 189/190/491). Unlike those streams, the NIV:

• Does not require an employer sponsor or nomination
• Does not require a skills assessment from a designated assessing authority
• Does not require points testing under the general skilled migration framework
• Is based entirely on demonstrated achievement rather than occupation codes or skills assessment

The trade-off is the high evidence threshold and the invitation-only process — there is no guarantee of an invitation regardless of the level of achievement claimed.

The subclass 858 has evolved through several iterations — from Distinguished Talent to Global Talent to the current National Innovation Visa. The NIV program places emphasis on innovation and the benefits an applicant's talent would bring to Australia's national priorities, rather than simply recognising past achievement in isolation. For current NIV guidance, the EOI form, and information about the current invitation round, refer to the DHA visas for innovation page. For visa application charge amounts, refer to the DHA visa pricing page.