From January 2022, we have been receivingpermanent residency grant notifications for two offshore applicants, marking the first time in nearly two years since Australia officially announced its border reopening on 15 December last year that we have seengrants being issued in volume topurely offshoreclients for skilled migration visas.
Of course, the only pathway allowing offshore applicantsto proceed unaffected by the pandemic, with this kind of open opportunity to apply for Australian migration and receive permanent residency in one step,is the Northern Territory’s MINT programme, which is currently Australia’s only skilled migration pathway exclusively open to offshore applicants. The one key difference from other state-nominated skilled migration programmes is that the MINT programme requires applicants to make aAUD$515,000investment.
Among the major migration destination countries — the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — another well-known programme with comparable investment requirements isthe US EB-5 investor migration programme. Today we compare EB-5 and MINT — which would you choose?
Programme Overview
EB-5:The US government established a migration visa for overseas investors who invest in the United States, known as EB-5 (employment-based immigration: fifth preference EB-5) — the fifth employment-based migration category.Applicants must invest USD$500,000 in a commercial project in a targeted employment area (high unemployment or rural area), and create 10 full-time jobs,to obtain a conditional migration visa; once the investment requirements are met, this can be converted to a US green card.
MINT:The MINT programme was jointly initiated by the Darwin Innovation Hub and Paspalis Asset Management, with special support from the Northern Territory Government, as a small-scale investment migration programme,and is a branch of the Northern Territory’s state-nominated skilled migration stream. Applicants ultimately obtain their Australian visa through the Subclass 190 or Subclass 491 state nomination process. Each round offers a total of 50 places, and the current open round is MINT Round 3.
Programme Eligibility Comparison
EB5:
– No specific age restriction for investors
– No educational qualifications, English language ability, business experience, or work experience required
– Investors must demonstrate assets of USD$500,000, obtained through legitimate and lawful means (including gifts, inheritance, and similar methods).
– Investment of no less than USD$500,000 in a targeted employment area (high unemployment or rural area).
– Investors must have no serious communicable diseases and no criminal record.
MINT:
– Maximum applicant age: 45 years
– English language requirement:a minimum score of 6 in each of the four IELTS components
– The nominated occupation must appear on the Northern Territory MINT Priority Occupation List, and the applicant must pass the relevantskills assessment.
– An EOI points score of 60 (on your own points, excluding state nomination) qualifies for the direct Subclass 190 permanent residency visa;a points score of 50 qualifies for the Subclass 491 temporary regional visa.
– Investment of AUD$515,000, with corresponding proof of assets and source of funds documentation.
– Must not have held an Australian student visa or work visa in the past five years.
Permanent Residency?
Direct Permanent Residency?
The US EB-5 investor migration programme does not offer direct permanent residency;applicants must later satisfy a series of investment and employment requirements to obtain permanent residency,going through Form I-526 and Form I-829.The MINT programme, by contrast, grants a direct Subclass 190 skilled migration permanent residency visa.
Timeline to Permanent Residency?
For EB-5, the wait time before receiving the conditional I-526 is very lengthy. According to the January 2022 US employment-based migration visa bulletin (Chart B), the EB-5 priority date for applicants born in mainland China is 15 December 2015.
For a comparable investment of USD$500,000,the US EB-5 programmerequires a queue wait of approximately 6–7 years, and the total time to obtain a US green card through EB-5 isaround 10 years,whereasthe Australian MINT programmehas no queue —as little as 12–15 monthsto obtain permanent residency directly.
Is the Investment at Risk?
EB5:First, US immigration regulations require that the EB-5 investmentbe an at-risk investment. Many current EB-5 projects are invested in real estate,and property investments carry inherent risks, including: nationwide or regional economic volatility, policy changes, project profitability, and whether underlying assets provide security for the return of investment funds — any such risks must be borne by the investor.
MINT:Compared with the US EB-5 programme,the Australian MINT programme carries the lowest risk level.The AUD$515,000 investment is structured as follows:AUD$400,000 (80%) is invested in state government bonds — bond investments are conservative with very low risk,with a 5-year term currently providing 1.5% annual bond interest; AUD$100,000 (20%) is placed in a fund investing in emerging start-ups, with a 5–10 year term and a projected annualised return of 15%. The overall structure can be understood as an 80% bonds + 20% equity investment product.
MINT
Commonly eligible occupations include:
Accounting:general accountant and management accountant
Various engineers:including telecommunications engineer, mechanical engineer, electronics engineer, electrical engineer, civil engineer, and 10 other engineering occupations
Various ICT occupations:including ICT project manager, ICT support engineer, software engineer, systems analyst, and 11 other computing occupations
Other white-collar occupations:graphic designer, interior designer, hotel manager, restaurant manager, sales and marketing manager, project administrator, architectural draftsperson, conference organiser, customer service manager, human resources consultant, recruitment consultant, marketing specialist, environmental consultant, and more.
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Selected Newstars MINT Programme Success Stories
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MINT Programme Advantages — Summary:
Q
Wide range of eligible occupations, high stability
A
The Northern Territory’s recognised occupation list includes more than 250 occupations, and unlike the frequently changing lists of other state nomination programmes, the MINT occupation list has remained unchanged for over three years (currently still following the 2019 ‘Northern Territory Priority Occupation List’), offering strong stability.
Q
Short processing timeline
B
From reserving your place to state nomination approval takes 3–6 months in total; the full process to obtaining permanent residency takes 1–1.5 years.
Q
One application, the whole family migrates
C
The MINT programme is a government-supported migration pathway combining skilled migration and investment. With one application, the spouse and children can obtain permanent residency at the same time.
Q
Applications through Officially Designated Panel Agents
D
The MINT programme does not accept direct individual applications; all applications must be lodged by a Northern Territory officially designated Panel Agent.Simon WU (MARN: 1175577), a MARA-registered migration agent at Newstars’ Beijing office, has been a panel agent for the MINT programme since its early days, having helped many applicants obtain Australian permanent residency. He provides professional guidance and services at every stage of the process, minimising risk and supporting clients throughout their migration journey.
A Final Thought, for Your Reference
If you are under 40 years of age, hold a diploma-level qualification, have IELTS scores of 6 in all four components, and have AUD$500,000 in short-term available funds, we recommend you consider the MINT programme.Conservative investment, short timeline, direct permanent residency — scan the QR code below to book a consultation and plan your next steps.
The Northern Territory MINT programme opens 50 places per round, recruiting globally, and places are limited. With offshore skilled migration channels otherwise closed,MINT places are filling quickly. While many state nomination programmes have now reopened to offshore applicants,the only programme that consistently favours and issues invitations to purely offshore applicants remains MINT,so if you are interested, seize this opportunity — act quickly!
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