188-E Entrepreneur Stream

The 188-E Entrepreneur Stream visa is ideal for entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and financial backing from a third-party investor. To apply for the applicant must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency, and to be nominated, the applicant has to submit the EOI (expression of interest) visa SkillSelect system.

The 188-E entrepreneur stream visa will be valid for up to four years and three months. However, the visa has a pathway of permanent residency. The applicant can apply for permanent residence after spending at least two years in Australia and must be sponsored by the state or territory of Australia to qualify for Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent residency) subclass 888 visa.

The applicant can apply for the 188-E visa from either outside Australia or in Australia. However, if applying in Australia, the applicant must have to hold a substantive visa or bridging visa A, B, or C.

The entrepreneur visa has its own benefits in applying. if you are planning to migrate to Australia on an entrepreneur stream visa, you must want to know the benefits of migrating to Australia on this visa: you can:

• carry out the entrepreneurial activity in Australia
• stay in Australia for four years and three months
• Engage in Entrepreneur activities in Australia
• bring eligible members of your family with you
• apply for a permanent residency if eligible.

To be applicable for the entrepreneur stream, you first have to meet the basic 188 visa requirements, and if you are eligible for a 188-E visa, you must meet the criteria below to lodge your application for the entrepreneur visa.

• Applicant must be nominated by the state or territory government agency of Australia.
• Applicant must have received the invitation by state or territory government agency to apply.
• Score a minimum of 65 points on the point test.
• Applicant must be under 55 years of age.
• Competent English Langauge proficiency requirement.
• You must propose to undertake a complying entrepreneur activity in Australia
• The applicant must show one or more legally enforceable agreements to acquire the funding with a total a minimum of $200,000 AUD
• Applicants must not have a history of involvement in an unacceptable activity.
• An applicant has to meet the Health requirement.
• The applicant has to meet the Character requirement.
• Applicants should sign the Australian values statement.
• Must not have any previous debt to the Australian Government.
• The application should not have been rejected or refused by DHA on a prior visa application.

Invitation To Apply:

The applicant must submit an EOI ( expression of interest); you will be nominated if the state or territory government agency invites you to apply for the visa.

Nomination Requirement:

Applicants must be nominated by Austrade before getting an invitation to lodge their visa application. The Austrade must not withdraw their nomination of the applicant after they apply, else the applicant will be unable to get a visa.

Every state or territory has its requirement below are the states providing 188-E visas for the entrepreneur stream, you can follow the link below to test the requirements according to the state.

• Victoria
• South Australia
• Queensland
• Tasmania
• Northern Territory
• New South Wales
• ACT Australian Capital Territory
• Western Australia.

You will be unable to get the 188-E visa if the state or territory government agency that has nominated you withdraws the nomination application.

Age Requirement:

Applicants above 55 years of age will not receive the visa. However, if your business will have an exceptional economic benefits plan, the state or territory might send you the invitation to apply for the visa.

Complying Entrepreneur Activity

The applicant must be undertaking, or proposing to undertake, a complying entrepreneur project in Australia. The applicant must have a genuine intention to stay in Australia on the entrepreneur stream.

A complying entrepreneur activity must associate to an innovative idea that will lead to:

• help in the commercialization of a product or service in Australia, or
• helps in the growth of an enterprise or business in Australia

This activity must not relate to any of the following categories:

• residential real estate
• labour-hire
• buying of an existing business or a franchise in Australia

Receive Funding

The applicant must have one or more authorized agreements to receiving funds with a total of at least AUD200,000. The funds must be from one of the following entities:

• Commonwealth Government agency
• State or Territory government agency
• Publicly funded research or innovation organization
• Higher education provider specified as a Table A or Table B provider under Part 2-1 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003
• Investor registered as an Australian Venture Capital Limited Partnership or Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership

The agreement must be made of a minimum of 10 % of the amount from the funding must be payable to the entrepreneurial entity under the 12 months of entrepreneur activity started in Australia.

The entity conducting the entrepreneurial activity must be either a company, a partnership, or an individual (Applicant).

The agreement must showcase that the applicant must have a 30% interest in that entrepreneurial activity.

The applicant must have designed the business plan for that entrepreneurial entity. This business plan should note how your innovative idea will lead to:

• the commercialisation of a product or service in Australia, or
• the development of an enterprise or business in Australia

The funding provided to the entrepreneurial entity, or to be provided must be under the agreement, and the agreement must be unburdened and lawfully acquired.

English Language Requirement.

The applicant must have at least a Competent English language, or you might be asked to pay the second instalment of the visa application. However, you can check the English language Requirement according to your visa.

Health Requirement:

The applicant and their partner applying for the Australian visa must meet the health requirement, and your family member might also have to prove evidence of health requirement if The Department of Home Affairs requires it.

Character Requirement:

The applicant and their partner, and the family members above 16 years of age applying for the Entrepreneur stream have to provide evidence of character requirement. Family members who are not applying might also require to prove the character evidence.

Australian Values Statement:

The applicant and family members who applied for the Entrepreneur stream are 18 years of age or older at the time of lodging the application, and the applicants must have read or had explained to you the Life in Australia book. And sign the Australian values Statement to confirm you will obey the Australian laws and respect the Australian way of life.

Have No Debt to the Australian Government.

Suppose the applicant or family member of the applicant owes the Australian Government. In that case, the debt must be paid or have an agreement before lodging your application, or else the application will get rejected.

Cancelled or Rejected Visa:

The applicant might not be eligible if they have previously got rejected or refused the visa by the Department of Home Affairs.

The time it takes to process your application may vary case-by-case; there is not any standard processing time available for the Entrepreneur stream. But it is observed that processing time for an Entrepreneur visa is quite fast in comparison to other visas. However, your application may get delayed if:

• If the applicant does not complete the form correctly.
• If the applicant did not include all the required documents.
• If the department of home affairs requires more information from you.
• If it takes a longer time for DHA to verify your information.