© 2026 Zoe. All rights reserved.
Zoe is a legal information platform. Always consult the Federal Register of Legislation for authoritative text.
Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
This instrument defines what counts as a superyacht for Australian immigration law.
For migration purposes, a superyacht is a high-value luxury vessel (sail or motor) that must satisfy all three of these conditions:
This definition determines which vessels qualify for specific visa arrangements (like the Superyacht Crew visa stream). If a boat doesn't meet all three criteria, it isn't legally a "superyacht" under migration rules, even if it's expensive and luxurious.
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Migration Regulations 1994 - Specification under regulations 1.03 and 1.15G - Definition of "Superyacht" - October 2008.
DEFINITION OF “SUPERYACHT”
(REGULATIONS 1.03 AND 1.15G)
I, CHRIS EVANS, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, acting under regulations 1.03 and 1.15G of the Migration Regulations 1994 (‘the Regulations’):
SPECIFY any high value luxury sailing ship or motor vessel which is:
(a) 24 metres or longer in load line length; AND
(b) not carrying cargo; AND
(c) used for sport or pleasure; AND
to be a superyacht for the purposes of regulation 1.15G of the Regulations.
This Instrument (IMMI 08/090) takes effect on 27 October 2008.
Dated 15 October 2008
CHRIS EVANS
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
[NOTE 1: Regulation 1.03, definition of “superyacht” provides that superyacht means a sailing ship or motor vessel of a kind that is specified by the Minister under regulation 1.15G to be a superyacht.
NOTE 2: Regulation 1.15G provides that the Minister may, by instrument in writing, specify that (a) a sailing ship of a particular kind is a superyacht for the purposes of these Regulations; or (b) a motor vessel of a particular kind is a superyacht for the purposes of these Regulations.]
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
DEFINITION OF “SUPERYACHT”
(REGULATIONS 1.03 AND 1.15G)
I, CHRIS EVANS, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, acting under regulations 1.03 and 1.15G of the Migration Regulations 1994 (‘the Regulations’):
SPECIFY any high value luxury sailing ship or motor vessel which is:
(a) 24 metres or longer in load line length; AND
(b) not carrying cargo; AND
(c) used for sport or pleasure; AND
to be a superyacht for the purposes of regulation 1.15G of the Regulations.
This Instrument (IMMI 08/090) takes effect on 27 October 2008.
Dated 15 October 2008
CHRIS EVANS
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
[NOTE 1: Regulation 1.03, definition of “superyacht” provides that superyacht means a sailing ship or motor vessel of a kind that is specified by the Minister under regulation 1.15G to be a superyacht.
NOTE 2: Regulation 1.15G provides that the Minister may, by instrument in writing, specify that (a) a sailing ship of a particular kind is a superyacht for the purposes of these Regulations; or (b) a motor vessel of a particular kind is a superyacht for the purposes of these Regulations.]