The Australian Significant Investor Visa (“SIV”)

• The Significant Investor Visa (“SIV”) is a stream within the Australian Government’s Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (Subclass 188) visa and the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (Subclass 888) visa.
• The Australian Government introduced the visa in 2012 to provide a boost to the Australian economy and to compete effectively for high net worth individuals seeking investment migration.
• SIV holders are required to invest AUD5million into complying significant investments for a minimum of four years before being eligible to apply for a permanent visa.

Click here for more information.

The SIV complying investment rules were changed in 2015 by the Australian Government and from 1 July 2015, SIV applicants are required to invest at least $5 million in complying investments, which must include:

1. At least $500,000 in eligible Australian venture capital or growth private equity (VCPE) fund(s) investing in start-up and small private companies;
2. At least $1,500,000 in an eligible managed fund that invests in emerging companies; and
3. A ‘balancing investment’ of up to $3,000,000 in managed funds that invest in a combination of eligible assets that include Australian listed securities, eligible corporate bonds or notes, annuities and real property (subject to the 10% limit on residential real estate).

A one page outline of the complying investment framework is available on the Austrade website here.

Moelis and the SIV

• Moelis were the pioneers behind the SIV in Australia and are now a leading SIV fund manager offering complying investment solutions to our clients across a range of asset classes.
• Moelis has a specialist SIV fund management team offering a “one-stop-shop” of complying investment options across the three components outlined above and also offers complying investment options under the “old” SIV rules (for applicants who applied prior to 1 July 2015).