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Which countries do Business Migrants come from?

Update (October 2026)

The figures in this post are for 2018-19 and are historical. The 188 and 132 business visas closed to new applications on 31 July 2024, so new business migrants now look at the National Innovation visa (subclass 858) or other pathways. Existing 188 holders can still apply for the 888 permanent visa.

In the period of 2018-19, over 14,000 applicants lodged Australian business visas. Among them include 3,187 Subclass 132 Business Talent applicants and 11,010 Subclass 188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) applicants. So where do all business migrants to Australia come from?

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Visa Grants (132 visa)

The Department of Home Affairs in 2020 released details about the top source countries for business visa. Among them include China, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Africa, Singapore, and Hong Kong for SC 132 Visa.

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Visa Grants (188 visa)

For SC 188 Visa, the top countries include China, Iran, Vietnam, India, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

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Visa Refusals

Data also revealed the number of business visa applications that were refused in the 2018-19 period, per source country. China had the most refusals for both SC 132 and SC 188 Visa, with over 50 and 89, respectively. Following China, other countries with high refusals include South Africa, Vietnam, and Singapore for SC 132 Visa. For SC 188 Visa, Iran had 35, Bangladesh 16, India 12, and Pakistan 10 refusals.

Visa Withdraws and Cancellations

In addition, the Department of Home Affairs has also revealed that China has the most business visa withdrawals while other countries such as Vietnam, India and South Africa had less than 5 SC 132 Visa withdrawals in the 2018-19 period.  For SC 188 Visa withdrawals, China is first on the list followed by Vietnam, Iran, Bangladesh, and Malaysia.  China is also the only country with business visa cancellations during this period.

What this means in 2026

The country data above shows where business migrants came from when the 188 and 132 visas were open. China, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Iran and Hong Kong were all major source countries. That data is now mainly of historical interest, because the program has closed to new applicants. If you are a business owner or investor considering Australia in 2026, the questions are different: which visa is open to you, and do you have the profile it needs?

In 2018-19 more than 14,000 people applied for the 188 and 132 visas. The government later decided the Business Innovation and Investment program was not delivering enough economic benefit and closed it to new applications on 31 July 2024. Business and investor migration is now a small part of the program, handled mainly through the National Innovation visa, which replaced the Global Talent visa in December 2024.

Next steps

  1. Check whether your achievements fit the National Innovation visa before you spend money on an application.
  2. If you hold a 188 visa, review the 888 requirements for your stream and your visa expiry date now.
  3. Book a consultation to compare your Australian and New Zealand options.

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