The Australian Immigration Department understands that business investors can generate wealth and good fortune for Australia. As a result, they have made available an Entrepreneur visa which is now one of the 5 streams which make up the Business Innovation and Investment Program.

The Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Entrepreneur stream is available for entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and $200,000 in funding from a specified third party who want to develop and commercialise their innovative ideas in Australia.

Applicants must be nominated by a state or territory government and their Expression of Interest (EOI) must be submitted through SkillSelect before being invited to apply for this visa.

You may be able to get an Entrepreneur visas if:

• you are nominated by a state or territory government or Austrade on behalf of the Australian government
• you are invited to apply
• you (and all your family members) meet certain health and character requirements
• you meet the additional requirements for the Entrepreneur stream
• be under 55 years of age, although a state or territory can waive this requirement if your proposed complying entrepreneur activity will be of exceptional economic benefit to the nominating state or territory
• have competent English and be able to provide evidence of this at the time you are invited to apply for the visa
• be undertaking or proposing to undertake a complying entrepreneur activity in Australia and have a genuine intention to continue this activity

This activity must not relate to residential real estate, labour hire or the purchase of an existing enterprise or a franchise in Australia.

An activity is a complying entrepreneur activity if all of the following requirements are met:

• you have one or more legally enforceable agreements to receive funding with a total of at least AUD200 000 from one of the following entities:
  • Commonwealth Government agency
  • State or Territory Government
  • Publicly Funded Research Organisation
  • Investor registered as an Australian Venture Capital Limited Partnership or Early State Venture Capital Limited Partnership
  • Specified Higher Education Provider

• under the agreement at least 10 per cent of the funding must be payable to the entrepreneurial entity within 12 months of the day the activity starts to be undertaken in Australia;
• You held at least 30 per cent interest in your entrepreneurial entity when you entered into the agreement.
• You have a business plan for the entrepreneurial entity noting 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 Entrepreneur visa is one of many types of visas Ready Migration’s registered and expert migration agents can assist you with.

It is vital you receive accurate advice and professional assistance from the sought-after migration agents at Ready Migration, who have access to all the latest legislation and local knowledge to ensure you are applying for the best visa for your individual circumstances.

Our head office is based on the Gold Coast, Australia and we also maintain a network of International Offices in the following countries;

• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• South Africa
• UAE
• Sri Lanka
• Iran
• Bangladesh
• India
• Nepal and
• Indonesia

Call Ready Migration on the Gold Coast today on +61 (0) 421 913 404 to discuss the option of an Entrepreneur visa to immigrate to Australia or take our free online assessment via our website.

We are the Gold Coast’s specialist Immigration Law Practice since 1999.