188 Visa - Entrepreneur Stream | Business Innovation and Investment |

What is the Entrepreneur Stream of the 188 Visa?

The Entrepreneur Stream of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Visa, is a temporary visa which allows you to conduct entrepreneur activity in Australia. Once granted the visa, you can live and conduct business activities in Australia for up to 4 years and 3 months. You can be in or outside Australia when applying and when the decision is made. If eligible, you can apply for the Entrepreneur Stream of the Business Innovation & Investment (Permanent) Subclass 888 Visa.

Am I eligible to apply for the Business Innovation Visa?

You may be eligible if you:

are nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency prior to your application
are undertaking a complying entrepreneur activity that will lead to commercialisation of a product or development of an enterprise or business in Australia
receive at least AUD $200,000 of funding from an approved entity
hold at least 30% of the entrepreneurial venture
are under 55 years of age
do not have any previous visa cancellations and have complied with conditions of your previous visa
meet health and character requirements
meet Competent English language requirements. See below tab for more information on this requirement

project paper

Competent English Evidence Requirements

You can demonstrate that you have competent English language if you meet one of the following requirements:

hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland.
in the 3 years before you apply for the visa, you scored one of the following:
IELTS: At least 6 for each of the 4 components
TOEFL iBT: At least 12 for listening, 13 for reading, 21 for writing and 18 for speaking
PTE Academic: At least 50 for each of the 4 components
Occupational English Test (OET): At least B for each of the 4 components
Cambridge C1 Advanced test: At least 169 in each of the 4 components

What are the benefits of the 188 Visa?

With the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 188) you can:

stay and operate a new or existing business in Australia for up to 4 years and 3 months
travel to and from Australia as many times as you want until the validity of your visa expires
bring your dependent family with you
apply for the Entrepreneur Stream of the Business Innovation & Investment (Permanent) Subclass 888 Visa for the permanent residency

What are the costs of the 188 Visa?

The Department of Home Affairs visa cost for the main applicant of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Visa is AUD $4,045

The cost for an additional applicant over 18 years old of the Business Innovation Visa is AUD $2,2025

The cost for an additional applicant under 18 years old of the Business Innovation Visa is AUD $1,010

How long does it take to get the 188 Visa?

The Department of Home Affairs assesses applications on a case-by-case basis and processing time is not available for the Entrepreneur Stream of the 188 Visa due to low volume of applications. Completing application with necessary documents, responding to any requests quickly and providing required information can help expedite the process.

Frequently Asked Questions for Entrepreneur Stream

Can I extend the Entrepreneur Stream of the 188 Visa?

You cannot extent the Entrepreneur Stream of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Visa. You can apply for the 888 Visa for the permanent residency.

Can I include my family members to Australia on the 188 Visa?

Yes, you can include your family members when you apply or any time before a decision is made.

Why choose us for the Business Innovation Visa?

At Best Immigration Lawyers we have made visa application process easier and faster for many clients. Our firm specialises in Business and Investor Visas and has experienced legal professionals and resources required to provide you with the guidance and representation that is needed to ensure you reach your immigration goals. Please book a meeting online or call us on 0292830888 for professional assistance.