The Department held an information session on the Sc 858 National Innovation visa (NIV).
The session highlighted that the NIV is a small invitation only program that is intended for high-calibre applicants, assessed on indicators of exceptional and outstanding achievements as well as the program’s priorities in line with Ministerial Direction 112 (MD 112). The priority sectors and indicators of exceptional and outstanding achievements can be found within MD 112 and the Department’s website.
The Department shared the following invitation and visa application priority processing matrix:
Since the program commenced, more than 9000 Expressions of Interest (EOI) have been submitted, with 304 invitations issued and approximately 85 visas granted.
Priority 1 and 2 candidates are invited as soon as they are identified, while Priority 3 and 4 candidates are invited monthly. Information on the number of invitations that have been issued is available on the Department’s website and will be updated on a quarterly basis.
It was also noted that once an EOI has been submitted, it cannot be edited or withdrawn. If an applicant’s circumstances change in a way that strengthens their case, a new EOI must be lodged with the additional information.
