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Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa - Entrepreneur stream (Subclass 188)

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 stream closed to new applications on 31 July 2024; applications made before that date are still processed. It was for a startup or early-stage entrepreneur endorsed to develop their concepts and nominated by a State or Territory government agency. Applicants first had to submit an Expression of Interest; if a State or Territory government agency accepted it and nominated them, they were invited to apply. No invitation was given to applicants aged 55 or older at the time of the invitation, unless the agency determined the proposed entrepreneur activity would be of exceptional economic benefit, and applicants had to be undertaking or proposing to undertake a complying entrepreneur activity in Australia. Holders can apply for permanent residence through the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) Entrepreneur stream if certain requirements are met.

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Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state the complete answer to this question for this route.

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

The applicant must undertake, or propose to undertake, a complying entrepreneur activity tied to an innovative idea that leads to commercialising a product or service, or developing an enterprise or business, in Australia; it cannot be residential real estate, labour hire, or purchasing an existing enterprise or franchise. If invited on or after 1 July 2021, the applicant must be endorsed by the nominating State/Territory agency; if invited earlier, a legally enforceable funding agreement of at least AUD200,000 from an approved entity was needed, with a business plan supporting the activity.

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

Applicants invited before 1 July 2021 had to show a funding agreement of at least AUD200,000 from an approved entity, with at least 10% payable to the entrepreneurial entity within 12 months of starting the activity. The visa costs from AUD8,455.00 for the primary applicant, plus a charge per family member and a second instalment charge (AUD9,795 primary applicant, AUD4,890 per family member) for anyone 18+ without functional English.

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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 while the visa is valid, undertake the entrepreneurial activity, work and study, attend free AMEP English classes if eligible, travel to and from Australia freely, bring eligible family members, and apply for permanent residency through the subclass 888 Entrepreneur stream if requirements are met. A dependent child can be added any time before a decision; a spouse or de facto partner who did not apply jointly can make a subsequent-entrant application once the main applicant's visa is granted.

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  • About this visa tab — With this visa, you can
    stay in Australia while the visa is valid undertake entrepreneurial activity in Australia work and study in Australia attend free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid bring eligible members of your family with you apply for permanent residency, if eligible, through the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) 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 is a provisional visa valid for up to 5 years from grant; it does not renew itself — a new visa application is needed to stay longer. The stated progression path is the permanent Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 888) Entrepreneur stream, which in turn requires continuously holding this provisional visa for 3-4 years (depending on invitation date) plus at least 2 years of physical residence in Australia while holding it.

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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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