The Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (subclass 400)

400 Visa Streams | Requirements | Processing Times | Obligations | Restrictions | FAQ

The Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (subclass 400) is a temporary visa for people who want to travel to Australia to undertake short-term, non-ongoing highly specialised work, or to conduct an activity as an invited participant.

400 Visa Streams:

• Highly Specialised Work stream:

  for someone who will undertake work that is highly specialised and not in an ongoing position. The applicant will not be performing as an entertainer in Australia.

• Australia’s Interest stream: 

  for someone who is required to travel to Australia because of compelling circumstances that affect Australia’s interests. and require the applicant’s entry to and stay in Australia. The applicant will participate in an event or engage in an activity or work, that relates directly to those circumstances.

400 Visa Requirements

• Have specialist skills and knowledge that are not accessible in Australia
• Your work will be required for a short period to undertake a task or series of tasks on a non-ongoing basis
• be invited, or supported, by the organisation you will be working for
• you must be able to support yourself and your family members who come with you to Australia
• You must have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government before this visa can be granted
• meet certain health requirements. The health examinations you need will depend on your personal circumstances, including your period of stay, country of citizenship, time spent in another country during the last five years and your intended activities in Australia
• meet certain character requirements

Additional criteria

Depending on the stream in which you apply for a 400 visa, you will need to show that you satisfy additional criteria:

Highly Specialised Work stream

• your skills are highly specialised and cannot reasonably be found in the Australian labour market
• you meet, or will be eligible to meet, any registration or licensing requirements to work in your nominated position
• your work is short-term and will not have adverse consequences for the employment or training of Australians

Australia’s Interest stream

• you need to show the compelling circumstances affecting Australia’s interests.

Processing Times for subclass 400

Processing times fluctuate in accordance with the departmental workload and are updated monthly. You can check the current processing time on https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times

Obligations of 400 Visa Subclass Holders

• You and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws
• You must do only the work or activities for which your visa was granted
• You will need to lodge a new application for this visa if you want to:
  • participate in a different activity or activities that you listed in your application
  • work for an organisation that is not one of the organisations you identified in your application
  • You are responsible for all your health costs in Australia

Restrictions on this visa

• Limitations on your work or activity
• Course of study
• Workplace-based training
• Working in the entertainment industry
• No further stay

FAQ

What can you and your family can do whilst on a 400 Visa?

• stay in Australia while your visa is valid (generally up to three months, but up to six months may be allowed in limited circumstances)
• in limited circumstances, participate in an activity or work relating to Australia’s interests
• bring members of your family with you to Australia, if they meet the requirements for including family members in your application. Your family members will not be allowed to work in Australia.