Australia's 2026-27 migration year allocates 3,500 places to the invitation-only National Innovation Visa (subclass 858), down from a combined 5,300 across the two prior years. In the April-June 2026 quarter the Department received 2,166 Expressions of Interest but issued just 248 invitations, heavily skewed to Tier One sectors: 122 to Critical Technologies, 45 to Health Industries and 33 to Renewables and low-emission technologies.
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Australia cuts National Innovation Visa to 3,500 places for 2026-27
Why this matters for founders
The NIV is a fast permanent-residency path but invitation-only and tightening, so founders should submit an EOI framed tightly around a Tier One priority sector (critical tech, health or renewables) where nearly all invitations are landing rather than a general innovation pitch.
Source: Hannan Tew Lawyers
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