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- 01 / EOISubmit an Expression of Interest
Use the Home Affairs online form. An EOI is separate from a visa application.
Read the EOI guide - 02 / InvitationReceive a written invitation
Home Affairs issues invitations by email in the Direction 120 order. An invitation is not a pre-assessment.
Read the priority order - 03 / ApplyLodge within 60 days
Apply in ImmiAccount using Form 47NI and include Form 1000. The deadline cannot be extended.
Read the application guide - 04 / DecisionGrant or refusal
Home Affairs assesses the application on its merits and issues a decision.
Read about refusals
| Label | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official name | National Innovation (Class BX) visa, Subclass 858, under the Migration Regulations 1994 |
| In force since | 6 December 2024, under the National Innovation Visa amendment regulations |
| Former names | Global Talent visa, 27 February 2021–5 December 2024; before that, Distinguished Talent visa |
| Visa type | Permanent from the day of grant, according to Home Affairs’ visa listing |
| How you apply | Expression of Interest, then a written invitation from the Minister |
| Time to apply after an invitation | 60 days, not extendable, under Home Affairs’ after-submission guidance |
| Who nominates | Australian citizen, permanent resident, eligible New Zealand citizen or Australian organisation with a national reputation in your area, on Form 1000 |
| Priority order | Ministerial Direction 120: five priorities, from 25 July 2026 |
| Where you can be | In or outside Australia, not in immigration clearance |
| Family included | Partner and dependent children who meet the family-unit definition |
| Source check | Home Affairs information checked against the supplied research dated 3 October 2026 |
What is the 858 visa?
The 858 visa is the National Innovation visa (subclass 858), officially the National Innovation (Class BX) visa under the Migration Regulations 1994. The Migration Amendment (National Innovation Visa) Regulations 2024 renamed it on 6 December 2024 and restricted new applications to invited applicants, while retaining the assessment criteria in clause 858.212(2).
The Regulations’ history records the Global Talent visa Australia name from 27 February 2021 to 5 December 2024, preceded by the Distinguished Talent visa, whose offshore subclass 124 was later repealed. Home Affairs’ National Innovation visa (subclass 858) listing explains the current visa.
Who is the 858 visa for?
The 858 visa covers four areas under clause 858.212 of the Migration Regulations 1994:
- A profession.
- A sport.
- The arts.
- Academia and research.
The Regulations list no occupation and no points test in Part 858.
Home Affairs’ National Innovation visa page names global researchers, entrepreneurs, innovative investors, athletes and creatives. The researcher visa Australia guide covers research evidence; the entrepreneur visa Australia guide explains why founders still need the achievement record—Part 858 has no investment, turnover or business-ownership criterion.
Who is eligible for the 858 visa?
The 858 visa’s main-applicant criteria in the Migration Regulations 1994 require you to:
- Have been invited in writing by the Minister.
- Have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in one of the four areas.
- Still be prominent in that area.
- Be an asset to the Australian community.
- Have no difficulty finding employment, or becoming established on your own, in that area in Australia.
- Produce a completed Form 1000 from your nominator.
Under Part 858, your area and achievements must match the invitation; applicants under 18 or 55 and over must demonstrate exceptional benefit, and health, character and other public interest criteria are tested before decision.
Read the full 858 visa requirements before preparing evidence.
How do the 858 EOI and invitation work?
Submit the EOI. Home Affairs’ online EOI form is separate from ImmiAccount. Its submission guidance says nothing can be added afterwards; the EOI remains current for two years.
Wait for an invitation. Home Affairs’ invitation guidance describes monthly rounds in the Direction 120 order. Invitations arrive by email with a reference identifier and invitation code, and state the achievements the application must evidence.
Apply within 60 days. Home Affairs’ after-submission page says this deadline cannot be extended. The approved application is Form 47NI through ImmiAccount, with Form 1000 required under Schedule 1 item 1113.
Receive the decision. Home Affairs assesses the application on its merits and grants or refuses it; its invitation-round page says an invitation is not a pre-assessment.
Home Affairs’ after-submission guidance says there are no progress updates if you are not invited; the EOI expires after two years. Missing the application deadline means submitting a new EOI, without a guarantee of another invitation.
Start with the 858 visa EOI guide, then read how to apply for the 858 visa.
Who can nominate you for the 858 visa?
Under the Migration Regulations 1994, your nominator must be one of the following:
- An Australian citizen.
- An Australian permanent resident.
- An eligible New Zealand citizen—a protected Special Category visa holder.
- An Australian organisation.
Every type must have a national reputation in your area.
Government agencies nominate as organisations; qualifying expert Australian Government or state or territory agency nominations fall within Priority 2 under Direction 120.
Form 1000 asks the nominator to attest your record, current prominence, value to Australia and ability to become established. It requires that no fee be paid to the nominator, and nomination itself is free.
Schedule 1 item 1113 requires Form 1000 with the visa application; Home Affairs requires agency nomination documents at EOI stage too, but not other nominations.
Read who can nominate for the National Innovation visa or the separate 858 visa state nomination guide.
How does the 858 priority order rank applicants?
Ministerial Direction 120, effective from 25 July 2026, sets the following order.
| Priority | Who is in it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — highest | Exceptional global experts with top-of-field international awards on Schedule A | Direction 120, section 8(2)(a), Schedule A |
| 2 | Candidates nominated on Form 1000 by an expert Australian Government or state or territory government agency | Section 8(2)(b) |
| 3 | Exceptional achievement in critical technologies; renewables and low emission technologies; health industries | Sections 8(2)(c), 8(4): tier 1 sectors |
| 4 | Exceptional achievement in agri-food and AgTech; defence capabilities and space; education; financial services and FinTech; infrastructure and transport; resources | Sections 8(2)(d), 8(5): tier 2 sectors |
| 5 | All other applications | Section 8(2)(e) |
Home Affairs applies this order to invitations too; its priorities page lists only Priorities 1–4, while Direction 120 includes a fifth. The 858 visa priority order guide explains the distinction.
858 or another permanent visa?
The comparison uses Part 858 and Home Affairs’ 482 Specialist Skills listing dated 14 September 2026, 186 Direct Entry listing dated 3 August 2026, 189 listing dated 1 July 2026 and 190 listing dated 2 October 2026.
| Question | 858 (National Innovation) | 482 Skills in Demand, Specialist Skills | 186 Direct Entry | 189 / 190 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent? | Yes | No: temporary, generally up to four years | Yes | Yes, both |
| Who backs you | Nominator with a national reputation, on Form 1000 | Approved sponsor nominates the position | Australian employer nominates | No nominator for 189; state or territory nomination for 190 |
| Occupation list / skills | Regulations list no occupation | ANZSCO occupations except Major Groups 3, 7 and 8 | Positive skills assessment and three years’ relevant experience, unless exempt | Suitable occupation skills assessment stated on the 189 page; a separate 190 assessment row is not established here |
| Age | Any age; exceptional benefit if under 18 or 55+ | No age requirement | Under 45 at application unless exempt | Under 45 when invited |
| English | No English criterion in Part 858; adults without functional English face a second instalment | Minimum standard unless exempt | At least competent | At least competent at invitation |
| How you get in | Invitation after an EOI | Sponsor nomination | Employer nomination | SkillSelect EOI, invitation and at least 65 points |
Home Affairs’ 482 listing says a holder’s sponsor may later nominate them for permanent residence through the 186.
Is the 858 visa permanent residency?
Yes. Home Affairs’ National Innovation visa listing says you become a permanent resident from the day of grant.
Under Part 858, the travel facility lasts five years from grant; Home Affairs says a Resident Return visa is needed afterwards to re-enter as a permanent resident. An offshore grant also requires first entry before the date specified by the Minister.
For citizenship, Home Affairs counts permanent residence from grant if you are in Australia, or first entry on the visa if granted outside Australia. Read more about 858 visa permanent residency.
What changed for the 858 visa, and what is out of date?
Source position as at 3 October 2026.
| You may read | Current position |
|---|---|
| “You must earn the Fair Work high income threshold” | Income is not a legal criterion. Direction 120 treats earnings at or above the threshold as one indicator, not a checklist requirement. |
| “Ten target sectors” | Direction 120 has three tier 1 and six tier 2 sectors, effective from 25 July 2026. |
| “Get a GTI referral and a unique identifier” | The current Regulations require a written Ministerial invitation. An old identifier alone does not satisfy that requirement; no specific Department statement resolving old identifiers was found. |
| “Apply offshore on subclass 124” | The 2020 amendment repealed subclass 124 on 14 November 2020. The 858 is applied for and granted in or outside Australia. |
| “Applications are processed under Direction 112” | Direction 120 revoked Direction 112 and applies from 25 July 2026. |
Follow the dated 858 visa changes guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is visa 858 permanent residency?
Yes. Home Affairs’ National Innovation visa listing says permanent residence starts on grant; Part 858 provides a five-year travel facility.
Who is eligible for the Global Talent visa in Australia?
No one applies under that name now. The National Innovation Visa amendment regulations closed Global Talent to new applications on 6 December 2024, retaining the assessment criteria under the invitation-only National Innovation visa.
How long does it take to process a 858 visa application?
Home Affairs’ processing guide presents two 858 series, but which describes new National Innovation applications is not settled. Figures and that caveat belong on the processing guide listed below, rather than being presented here as a reliable estimate.
Can a nominator be paid to sign Form 1000?
No. Home Affairs’ Form 1000 requires that no fee be paid to the nominator, who declares that no fee has been received.
Can you apply for the 858 from outside Australia?
Yes. Schedule 1 item 1113 permits applications in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance. The offshore subclass 124 was repealed on 14 November 2020.
When does an Australian migration lawyer help with an 858?
An 858 visa lawyer can check the EOI’s evidence and consistency before submission: Home Affairs’ EOI submission page says nothing can be added afterwards, and Part 858 requires the application’s achievements to match the invitation. A lawyer can also check that Form 1000 addresses the same area and evidence, and plan lodgement within Home Affairs’ non-extendable 60-day window. Home Affairs’ “Using a legal practitioner” page makes clear that a lawyer cannot speed processing or guarantee a visa.
858visa.com.au is an information guide, not a law firm; read about 858visa.com.au for its publishing role. The site enquiry form accepts questions addressed to Australian Migration Lawyers. A reference appears only after the email send is accepted and its status recorded.
Before submitting the EOI, ask an Australian migration lawyer to check eligibility, missing evidence and consistency with the intended nomination. That review addresses a concrete risk: the submitted EOI cannot be supplemented, the invitation fixes the achievements to prove, and the application deadline cannot be extended.
858 visa guides by stage
Choose the guide for your next document, decision or stage.
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Form 1000 for the 858 visa | What the applicant and nominator need to prepare and sign. |
| 858 visa fee | Every charge, dated. |
| 858 visa processing time | What Home Affairs publishes, and the caveat. |
| 858 visa documents | Evidence organised around the application criteria. |
| South Australia National Innovation visa | South Australia’s nomination route and supporting evidence. |
| how NSW nominates for the 858 visa | The NSW nomination route and its requirements. |
| GTI visa (Australia) | The former program and how it relates to today’s visa. |
| 858 visa family members | Who belongs in the application and the family documents involved. |
| 858 visa rejection | Refusal reasons and the options to examine afterwards. |
| 858 visa success rate | Published statistics, their definitions and their limits. |
| 858 visa occupation list | Why priority sectors are not an occupation list. |
| ask about your 858 visa | Read what applicants and nominators should prepare; the form accepts questions addressed to Australian Migration Lawyers. |
| Resident Return visa | Returning to Australia after the travel facility expires. |
| visa medical for Australia | Health examinations and the documents involved. |
| Australian citizenship requirements | The separate citizenship requirements after permanent residence. |