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Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa - Entrepreneur stream (Subclass 888)

AustraliaStarting a business

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Is this for a founder, startup entrepreneur, self-employed person, freelancer, company owner or another business profile?

This is the permanent-residency endpoint for holders of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Entrepreneur stream: it is for an entrepreneur who has held that provisional visa and built a successful track record of entrepreneurial activity in Australia, and now wants to continue that activity as a permanent resident.

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What must actually exist or be demonstrated: business plan, company, innovation, clients, contracts, economic activity, job creation or other substance?

The applicant must show an overall successful record of entrepreneurial activity built under the provisional visa: either 2 key success factors, or 1 key success factor plus 3 supporting success factors (key factors include employing 2+ eligible people, AUD300,000+ annual turnover, a filed or acquired patent, ongoing funding/investment, a university partnership, or selling the venture for AUD2 million). The entrepreneurial activity cannot be residential real estate, labour hire, or buying an existing enterprise or franchise.

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What investment, capital, income, revenue, funding or viability evidence is central to this pathway?

Viability is proven through the entrepreneurial success factors rather than a stated minimum capital figure, though two of the key success factors reference money: AUD300,000+ annual turnover, or selling the venture for AUD2 million. The visa costs from AUD4,375.00 for the main applicant, plus a charge per family member and a second instalment charge of AUD4,890 for anyone 18+ without functional English who has not already paid it on a prior 188 application.

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What business/self-employed activity may the holder conduct? Are there important restrictions? What is the family position where clearly stated?

The holder can stay in Australia permanently, continue their entrepreneurial activities, work and study, attend free AMEP English classes if eligible, enrol in Medicare, sponsor relatives, travel to and from Australia for 5 years from grant, and, if eligible, become an Australian citizen. Family unit members can be included at application or added any time before a decision, subject to health and character requirements.

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  • About this visa tab — With this visa, you can
    stay in Australia permanently work and study in Australia attend free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible enrol in Australia's public health care scheme, Medicare sponsor your relatives to come to Australia travel to and from Australia for 5 years if eligible, become an Australian citizen.
  • Overview tab — With this visa, you can
    continue your entrepreneurial activities started under your Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa in the Entrepreneur stream

What approval/application sequence applies, how long is the status granted, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction is officially stated?

This visa is the permanent-residence outcome of the Entrepreneur pathway: it is permanent from grant, with no further renewal needed. Reaching it requires having continuously held the subclass 188 Entrepreneur-stream provisional visa for at least 3 years (if invited on or after 1 July 2021) or 4 years (if invited before that date), plus at least 2 years of physical residence in Australia while holding it. The travel facility runs for 5 years from grant, after which a Resident Return visa or Australian citizenship is the stated next step.

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These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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