I’m publishing this anonymously to help others navigate NSW’s Innovative Investor pathway with real dates and artefacts, not guesses. I’ve struggled to find clear, lived-experience timelines outside of scattered Reddit and Facebook posts. This blog exists to be useful: real dates, concise checklists and redacted templates, so the next person spends less time guessing.
I'll caveat from the get up: this is not immigration advice. It is not a substitute for it, either.
On 17 August 2025 (London) / 18 August 2025 (NSW) I submitted my Registration of Interest (ROI) for the National Innovation Visa (subclass 858). I’ll log what I filed, when I filed it, and how long each step actually took.
By way of background: in 2024 I started down the Business Innovation and Investment route (Investor stream leading to subclass 888). That programme then closed to new applicants; candidly, I can see why – it didn’t seem to deliver the value Australia wanted. I had already made a handful of Australia-focused investments before the door shut, which only reinforced my interest in a higher-bar, outcomes-driven pathway. The National Innovation Visa was introduced at the end of 2024 to refocus on exceptional talent.
My first order of business was choosing between Innovative Investor and Entrepreneur. I wrestled with it and ultimately landed on Innovative Investor. The way the ROI and public material are framed suggests the pathway is prepared to look at the bigger picture – i.e., evidence across track record, value-add and intended NSW impact, rather than forcing people into narrow labels. This is unlike other schemes out there.
How the NIV “priorities” work
NIV is invitation-only and focuses on exceptionally talented people. Invitations are triaged by priority and sector tier. In order of priority:
Priority 1: elite global award winners (top-of-field).
Priority 2: candidates supported by Australian government agencies.
Priority 3: exceptional candidates in Tier One sectors.
Priority 4: exceptional candidates in Tier Two sectors.
Tier One covers areas such as critical technologies, health industries, and renewables/low-emission technologies. Tier Two includes, for example, agri-food and AgTech, defence and space, education, financial services and FinTech, infrastructure and transport, and resources. These tiers guide focus; they don’t replace the need to show exceptional, evidenced achievement.
This blog starts at the very beginning. There’s no certainty I’ll be invited to apply or succeed; if I don’t, I’ll say so plainly (it may be a short blog). Either way, I’ll record timelines from ROI submission to any reply and share the headings, checklists and redacted templates I actually used (if I can).
I’ll post only when there’s a concrete milestone. It may be an acknowledgement received, request for information, invitation to apply, interview or decision. I’ll attach the headings or redacted templates I used at that step (if I can). Each entry will be date-stamped in both London and NSW time. If guidance changes, I’ll note it and correct earlier posts so this stays accurate and useful.
As for why Australia: I’ve spent time in Sydney, Brisbane, Newcastle and Melbourne. My time in Australia broadened my horizons. Australia feels like a country of promise with liberal values and a strong sense of equality; I can see why many people want to live there. I’m highly mobile – if relocation is an option, I’ll do it. If it is not Sydney, who knows where I will be next.
Practical, not promotional — definitely not immigration advice