FEATURES OF TEMPORARY ACTIVITY VISA (SUBCLASS 408)
This visa allows you to come to Australia to do specific types of work on a short-term, temporary basis for any of the following reasons:
- work in the entertainment industry
- participate in activities at the invitation of an Australian organisation
- participate or observe in an Australian research project
- work in a skilled position under a staff exchange arrangement
- participate in high-level sports competitions or sports training programs
- participate in a special programme approved by the department that provides opportunities for youth exchange, cultural enrichment or community benefits
- do full-time religious work
- be employed as a superyacht crew member
- do full-time domestic work in the household of certain senior foreign executives
- participate in a government endorsed event. COVID-19 Pandemic event visa
This is a temporary visa. You can be in or outside Australian when you apply for this visa and when the visa is granted.
BASIC ELIGIBILITY
You must:
- have the skills to undertake the activity to be carried out in Australia
- be supported or sponsored
- meet additional requirements of the relevant stream
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
While you are in Australia, you must be able to support yourself and any eligible dependant family members who come with you. You might be asked to provide evidence of funds, such as an employment contract, bank statements or a letter from your financial institution stating your financial position. Allowances, accommodation and other assistance from your employer can also be considered when looking at your ability to support yourself.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
Visa applicants for special program should have functional English language (IELTS 4.5 or equivalent). This is to ensure that participants fully experience the cultural and social benefits of the special programme and to ensure occupational health and safety standards are met.
SPONSORSHIP REQUIREMENT
If you apply in Australia or you apply outside Australia and you intend to stay for more than 3 months you must provide the following from your sponsor:
- Sponsors Transaction Reference Number or Sponsorship Application ID
- Sponsor approval letter or receipt for lodgement of the sponsorship application.
- A written statement from the sponsor that they will meet the sponsorship obligations for you and all dependent family members included in your application.
APPLYING IN AUSTRALIA
If you apply in Australia you must be sponsored by an approved temporary activities sponsor or sponsor who passes the sponsorship test.
APPLYING OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA
If you apply from outside Australia and you intend to stay in Australia for three months or less, the organisation or individual in Australia who has responsibility for the events/activities you will be involved in must pass the support test.
If you apply from outside Australia and you intend to stay in Australia for more than three months you must be sponsored by an approved temporary activities sponsor or sponsor who passes the sponsorship test.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
This visa allows you to:
- stay in Australia for the period that aligns with the activities that you have been approved to undertake on this visa. The maximum stay periods allowed are:
- Invited participant activity type – up to three months
- Australian Government endorsed event activity type – up to four years
- Any other activity type – up to two years
- do work or activity specified in your application
- bring eligible family members with you to Australia
- enter and leave Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid.
| TYPE | DESCRIPTION | STAY | COST |
Australian Government Endorsed Events
| This temporary visa lets you come to Australia to participate in events which are endorsed by the Australian Government.
| For the duration of the event or up to 4 years
| From AUD310 Free for COVID-19 Pandemic event
|
Special Program
| This visa lets you stay in Australia to take part in an approved special program. Special programs can include youth exchange, cultural enrichment or community programs, school language assistants or “gap year school volunteering “.
| Up to 12 months
| From AUD310
|
Religious Work
| This visa lets you do full-time religious work for a religious institution in Australia. You and your family who apply for the visa with you can stay here for up to 2 years.
| Up to 2 years
| From AUD310
|
Research activities
| This visa lets you observe or take part in a research project at a research or tertiary institution in Australia. You and your family who apply for the visa with you can stay here for up to 2 years.
| Up to 2 years
| From AUD310
|
Invited for other social and cultural activity (Invited Participant)
| This visa lets you come to Australia if you are invited to participate in a community-based event, including sporting events. You and your family who travel on the visa with you can stay here for up to 3 months.
| Up to 3 months
| From AUD310
|
Sporting Activities
| This visa allows you to play, coach, instruct or adjudicate for an Australian team, or do high level sports training with a sporting organisation. You and your family can stay in Australia for up to 2 years.
| Up to 2 years
| From AUD310
|
Entertainment Activities
| This temporary visa lets you come to Australia to work in the entertainment industry on film, television or live productions as a performer, production or support staff. You can include family members in your visa application.
| Up to 2 years
| From AUD310
|
Superyacht Crew
| This visa lets you work in Australia as a crew member of a superyacht. You can stay here for up to 12 months.
| Up to 12 months
| From AUD310
|
Exchange Arrangements
| This visa lets you come to Australia as part of a staff exchange with an Australian organisation. You and your family members who travel here on the visa with you can stay for up to 2 years.
| Up to 2 years
| From AUD310
|
Domestic work for executives
| This visa lets you come to Australia to do full-time domestic work in the household of certain senior foreign executives. You and members of your family unit can stay here for up to 2 years.
| Up to 2 years
| From AUD310
|
WHO CAN GET THIS VISA
- intend to stay in Australia for three months or less and apply from outside Australia, and you have the support of an organisation or individual in Australia who has responsibility for the events or activities being undertaken who passes the support test
- intend to stay in Australia for more than three months and you are sponsored by an approved sponsor for this visa who passes thesponsorship test
- meet the requirements of the activity type in which you are applying for this visa
- have adequate financial support for you and your family while you are in Australia
- have adequate arrangements for health insurance while you are in Australia
- meet health and character requirements
- genuinely intend to remain temporarily in Australia to do the work or activity specified in your application.
GENUINE TEMPORARY ENTRANT
The genuine temporary entrant requirement (GTE) is an integrity measure to ensure that the temporary visa programme is used as intended and not as a way to maintain ongoing residency in Australia. Temporary residents are generally not able to extend their stay in Australia beyond four years by applying for this visa.
The GTE requirement applies to all temporary activity visa applicants. The officer assessing the visa will consider whether the individual circumstances of the visa applicant indicates that their intention is for a temporary stay in Australia.
You must satisfy us that you have a genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily.
When assessing the GTE requirement, we will consider:
- your circumstances
- your immigration history
- compliance with visa conditions
- if you are under 18 years old, the intention of your parent, legal guardian or partner
- any other relevant matter.
