How did a subclass 188 holder move on to permanent residence?

The subclass 188 was designed as the first step in a two-stage process. After holding the provisional 188 and meeting the requirements of the corresponding stream (for example, maintaining the required business or investment activity for the necessary period), you could apply for the permanent subclass 888 visa.

Where a holder needed more time to meet those requirements, certain streams offered an extension so they could remain in Australia and continue building toward the 888. The exact conditions depended on the specific stream held.