Yesterday (January 23), Australia's 188 visa (business innovation and investment visa) was announced.
Eighty-five per cent of applicants for this type of visa are from China, and the investment required ranges from 600,000 to 5 million Australian dollars, and was once loosely referred to as the "golden visa".
Home Secretary Clare O'Neil announces the cancellation of "golden visas" (Image: News)
Many applicants are anxious about the uncertain future, worried that "money will be wasted and plans will be disrupted", and they even complain that the visa policy "changes when it is said".
They told reporters, "You have to wait 11 years before and after, how many decades is your life?"
*"Not only is the money wasted, but the plan is all messed up"*
Mr. Lin (pseudonym) and his family in Shanghai are 188A visa applicants who received their state sponsorship in April 2021, have completed their medical examinations, and are anxiously awaiting their visas.
"I've been waiting for 34 months, and I've always thought that it would be soon, but who knew that I heard the news that the investment immigration visa was closed. ”
Mr. Lin said, "I panicked all of a sudden, and called the agent as soon as possible." ”
188A visa processing time (Image source: Immigration official website)
He said that nearly 300,000 yuan has been paid for immigration, including intermediary fees, various assessment fees and translation fees, etc., "If it is unfortunately canceled, not only will the money be wasted, but the family's plans will also be completely disrupted." ”
According to the intermediary, he has been guaranteed by the state, so there is no need to worry, just be patient.
"But when the visa will be issued, the agent can't say clearly, because the trial is still suspended. ”
According to him, the child in his family is currently in the 6th grade, and because of the decision to immigrate, many schoolwork has been put down, and only English is added, "but the visa is far away, and I will go to junior high school this year, how to choose this school?" In addition, he originally planned to transfer the domestic business, but for now he can only put it on hold for the time being and continue to wait and see.
"Hey, I can only take one step at a time. Mr. Lin felt helpless.
*"I have to wait 11 years, how many decades is my life?"*
Linda, who runs a restaurant in Melbourne and has been granted a 188A visa for a year, told reporters, "I was first happy to hear that the investment immigration visa was cancelled, and then I was very worried. ”
She said that she was glad that the intermediary informed that those who had already received the quota would not be affected, and she was worried about the unsubmitted application for the 888A visa (permanent residence visa subclass of the business innovation and investment subcategory), "I am afraid that the permanent residence visa will have to wait for many years." ”
888A visa processing time (Image source: Immigration official website)
According to her information, the last batch of applicants for the "predecessor" of the 188A visa, the 163 visa (the first batch of business innovation and investment visas), had an "extremely long time" for permanent residence visa processing, and "as far as I know, the longest wait was 5 years." ”
She calculated with the reporter that the waiting time for the 188 visa is nearly 3 years, it takes 3 years to do business according to the visa requirements, and the 888 visa approval time is 5 years.
"I have to wait 11 years, how many decades is my life?" Looking back at the immigration decision that year, Linda said that she has no regrets.
"Now I think about how to seize this opportunity, but the waiting time is too long, and I am afraid that there will be changes. ”
She sighed: "I think the policy is like playing, and it will change when it is said. ”
*"It's not fair, the government should give an answer as soon as possible"*
Mr. Yang, an investment immigrant, has recently been granted an 888 permanent residence visa.
He told reporters, "I feel lucky to hear this news. Although it took seven years to get permanent residence, "I finally went ashore" and "it was much better than if I was on the way." ”
According to him, the investment immigration policy changes every 10 years.
The 163 era lasted for 10 years, and the 188 era lasted about 11 years, "The follow-up government also said that there would be new visas, but the requirements will definitely increase. ”
Visa description (Image source: Immigration official website)
For the 188 applicants who have already been sponsored by the state, Mr. Yang said many have been waiting for nearly 40 months.
"They have passed the government's review, and they have even completed their medical examinations, and they are waiting for the visa, but now the future is uncertain. ”
He believes that the change in policy should not affect those who have already received state sponsorship, "which is unfair and the government should give an answer as soon as possible." ”
At present, the USCIS has not disclosed any further details.