Status · E-3
E-3 Australian specialty professionals & ownership
Navigating entrepreneur equity, specialty occupation requirements, and LCA rules for Australian citizens.
published 4 August 2026 · verified 18 August 2026
The gap, named · our reading of the rule
Australian entrepreneurs often conflate the E-3 specialty visa with the E-2 investor route. E-3 status requires a specialty occupation, a certified LCA, and an employer-employee oversight structure.
The Regulatory Framework
Under 8 CFR § 214.2(e)(3), E-3 applicants must demonstrate specialty duties and satisfy Department of Labor LCA wage rules through an independent board oversight structure.
How entrepreneurs prepare for this conversation
- Step 1: Set Up Board Supervision: Establish independent board oversight to satisfy control requirements.
- Step 2: File Department of Labor LCA: Ensure company compensation meets prevailing wage standards.
Attorney Interrogation Sheet (What to Ask)
- Does our corporate setup support a valid LCA filing?
- Can my proposed wage meet Department of Labor prevailing wage standards?
What this is not This piece quotes the published rule and says plainly where we are reading it rather than quoting it. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice, it creates no attorney–client relationship, and neither you nor we can apply it to your facts. Rules also move — check the date above, then take the questions in this piece to your own licensed attorney and CPA, who are the only people who can advise you.
Sources · primary law first, our own notes labelled as such
8 CFR 214.2(e)(3) — E-3 specialty occupation regulations
20 CFR 655 Subpart H — Labor Condition Application requirements
Ownership and work authorisation are treated differently in the rules, and that difference is what this library is about. Everything here is written for people keeping the job that holds their status.
Put a number on it. Build Check
Then choose your route. The Immigrant Entrepreneur Cohort is four weeks, while employed, and it starts with exactly this question. See the next run →