Bringing back ‘golden ticket’ visas ‘a big mistake’, Magnitsky sanctions architect warns Dutton

Bill Browder, the head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, says it would be an error to bring back the significant investor scheme which gives foreign nationals who invest $5m in Australia access to a four-year visa. Photograph: Vickie Flores/EPA

The architect of global Magnitsky sanctions – which punish human rights abusers and corrupt officials – has warned Peter Dutton’s desire to bring back a controversial “golden ticket” visa scheme would be “a big mistake”.

The significant investor scheme allowed foreign nationals who invested $5m in Australia access to a four-year visa that could be converted to permanent residency. While it was open to all nationalities, it targeted Chinese nationals who represented more than 80% of visas granted over more than a decade.