Australian wealth managers are scrambling to take advantage of new visa rules that would compel wealthy would-be migrants, mostly Chinese, to invest in capital-hungry small companies to qualify for residence, while continuing to bar them from direct property investment.
While some migration experts are sceptical about the continuing appeal of the two-year-old Significant Investor Visa (SIV) under such strict new investment requirements, many believe the tightening will not deter wealthy applicants from seeking Australian residence.
More than 90 percent of applicants for Significant Investor Visas are Chinese who wish to move to Australia for a better lifestyle, although some may also be seeking to avoid a sweeping corruption crackdown in China that is prompting many wealthy Chinese to move their money.