Employer-sponsored
Subclass 400 — Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa
Important notice: General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice. For advice about your circumstances, book a verified practitioner.
Compiled from official Department of Home Affairs sources — practitioner verification pending.
For short-term, highly specialised work that an Australian worker cannot reasonably do — installations, commissioning, specialist repairs and similar. Not for ongoing roles.
Government charge
$535.00
This is the government Visa Application Charge (VAC), payable directly to the Department of Home Affairs when you lodge. It is not a fee charged by this platform, and it is separate from any platform or practitioner fee. Always check the official source for the current amount.
Estimate for a family application
Total government fee (Visa Application Charge): $535.00
Worked out from the government's published fee list — an estimate only, not platform fees and not advice. Always check the official estimator ↗
Eligibility snapshot
The subclass 400 — Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa is, in general terms, a temporary visa for people coming to Australia to do highly specialised, non-ongoing work for a short period, or in limited cases to take part in an activity or event of benefit to Australia. Typically it suits work that draws on skills, knowledge or experience not readily available in the Australian labour market and that is not intended to be ongoing employment. Broadly, applicants are generally expected to have a genuine reason to be in Australia for short-term specialised work, to show they hold the relevant skills or expertise the work calls for, and to satisfy standard health and character requirements. The stay granted is usually short — commonly up to a few months — and the visa is normally meant for one-off or limited engagements rather than recurring or long-term work. This is a general overview only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice. Eligibility rules, work limits, and the maximum stay period change from time to time, so always confirm the current criteria on the official Home Affairs page for the subclass 400 visa. Because whether a particular role or situation fits this visa depends heavily on individual circumstances, a registered migration practitioner can advise on your specific case.
Common questions
Q: How long can I usually stay on a subclass 400 visa? A: In general terms this is a short-stay visa, with the period granted typically measured in months rather than years. The exact length granted depends on the nature of the work and the decision-maker's assessment. Check the official page for the current maximum stay, and a registered practitioner can advise on what may apply to your circumstances. Q: Can I apply for this visa from inside Australia? A: Typically this visa is designed to be applied for from outside Australia, though arrangements can vary. Because onshore versus offshore lodgement rules can affect eligibility and what happens to any existing visa, confirm the current position on the official Home Affairs page and seek advice from a registered practitioner before assuming either path. Q: Does this visa let me do any kind of work? A: No. In general it is limited to the specific highly specialised, non-ongoing work or activity it was granted for, and it is not intended for ongoing employment. Work conditions and limits change, so review the current conditions on the official page. A registered practitioner can advise on whether a particular role fits. Q: Can my family come with me? A: In general terms, eligible family members may be able to be included or apply separately, and additional charges typically apply for each person. The rules around who can be included and on what basis vary, so check the official page and consider advice from a registered practitioner for your situation.
Health and character requirements
Applicants for this visa, together with any family members included in the application, are generally asked to meet Australia's standard health and character requirements. Family members can be asked to meet these requirements even where they are not themselves coming to work. Most visa applicants must meet a health requirement, and some are asked to undergo health examinations that are assessed by a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth. In general terms the requirement focuses on whether a condition would be a significant cost to Australian health and community services, or would limit other people's access to services that are in short supply. The character requirement is set out in the Migration Act 1958. Applicants are generally asked to declare any criminal charges or convictions in any country and to answer all questions truthfully. After an application is lodged, the department may ask a person to provide a police certificate or to complete character-related forms such as Form 80. Exactly who must meet these requirements, and what documents are requested, can vary from case to case and change over time, so the current position should be confirmed on the official Home Affairs pages, and a registered practitioner can advise on individual circumstances. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Health cover while in Australia
As a general rule, this visa does not impose a specific type of health insurance as a visa condition. This differs from some other working visas, such as subclasses 482 and 485, where applicants are required to hold Overseas Visitors Health Cover that meets set requirements. The department generally recommends taking out health insurance to cover any unforeseen medical treatment during a stay in Australia, and notes that visa holders are personally responsible for their own healthcare costs while here. Insurance can help limit that financial exposure. Some countries have reciprocal health care agreements with Australia that may cover certain medically necessary treatment in the public system. Where an agreement does not apply, Overseas Visitors Health Cover from an Australian or international insurer is a commonly available option, and cover levels vary between policies. Whether any cover is needed, and what would be suitable, depends on individual circumstances; the official sources should be checked and a registered practitioner can advise. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Costs
The government Visa Application Charge for this visa generally starts from AUD 535 for the main applicant. This is a departmental charge and is separate from any fee that a service, agent or practitioner might charge to help with an application. An additional charge generally applies for each family member who is included in the application. The department publishes a Visa Pricing Estimator that can be used to work out the application charge. Applicants may also need to pay other costs that are not part of the base charge, such as health examinations, police certificates and biometrics. A charge exemption applies in limited situations, for example where a person is coming to Australia as a representative of a foreign government listed in a legislative instrument. The department has also indicated that, from 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application. Fees change from time to time, so the current amounts should be confirmed on the official Home Affairs page. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Stay period and timing
This visa is usually granted for a stay of up to 6 months, depending on the circumstances. In general, a stay longer than 3 months calls for a strong business case to be provided with the application. Visa holders generally need to first enter Australia within 6 months of the date the visa is granted, or a shorter period if one is specified. The period of stay starts on the first date of arrival and does not restart each time the person travels in and out of Australia. This visa generally cannot be applied for from within Australia, and it cannot be extended to allow a longer stay. The department does not publish a fixed processing time for this visa; instead it points applicants to its visa processing time guide tool, which shows indicative times based on recently decided applications and is a guide only. Timing and stay rules can change, so the official page should be checked and a registered practitioner can advise on a particular situation. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Visa conditions that generally attach
When this visa is granted, the specific conditions that apply are printed in the visa grant letter and can also be checked online through Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO). According to the Department of Home Affairs, the conditions that may be attached to a Subclass 400 visa are condition 8107 (work limitation), condition 8101 (no work), condition 8303 (not to become involved in activities disruptive to, or that involve violence threatening harm to, the Australian community or a group within it), and condition 8503 (no further stay). The work limitation generally restricts the holder to the specific work or activity for which the visa was granted. Where condition 8503 applies, the holder generally cannot apply for most further visas while they remain in Australia. Family members included in the application are generally not permitted to work or study in Australia, other than to undertake a language training program. This subclass is not on the list of visas that must carry condition 8501 (maintain adequate health insurance); the department instead recommends that holders take out health insurance rather than imposing it as a mandatory condition. Holders and their family must comply with all conditions imposed on the visa and with Australian law, and should tell the department about changes such as their address, passport, or the birth of a child. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Eligibility in detail
The Subclass 400 is a temporary visa for short-term, highly specialised, non-ongoing work in Australia. According to the Department of Home Affairs, it is intended for people who have specialised skills, knowledge or experience that can assist Australian business and that cannot reasonably be found in the Australian labour market. Applicants must be outside Australia both when they apply and when a decision is made. The published criteria do not include a sponsorship or nomination stage, a points test, a skills assessment against an occupation list, an English-language test, or an age requirement. 'Non-ongoing' work is described as work that is likely to be completed within six months or less, where the applicant does not expect or arrange to stay in Australia afterwards for reasons related to that work. Evidence the department indicates may be requested includes a resume, any licences or qualifications, and a letter from the overseas employer describing the applicant's position and duties. The Australian business or overseas employer may need to show it has tried to find Australian workers first, because the visa cannot be granted if it would affect employment or training opportunities for Australian citizens or permanent residents. The department states that this visa does not allow a person to perform as an entertainer in Australia, or to direct, produce or take part in a production that will be shown, broadcast or performed in Australia; it points people who want to do those activities to the Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa. Applicants must also meet common criteria: adequate means to support themselves and any dependants; the health requirement; the character requirement (for applicants aged 16 and over); and the genuine-temporary-entrant requirement, under which the department considers the applicant's situation, immigration history and previous compliance with visa conditions. Any debts to the Australian Government must be repaid or covered by a formal repayment arrangement, and immigration history, including any previous visa refusal or cancellation, is taken into account. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Family members and what the visa allows after grant
Members of the family unit can be included in the application when the main applicant applies. Both the main applicant and any family members who apply must meet the health and character requirements, and the applicant must show there are adequate means to support the family while in Australia. After grant, the main holder can do the short-term, highly specialised work for which the visa was granted. According to the Department of Home Affairs, the visa can be granted for up to six months, and a strong business case is generally required for a stay longer than three months. The holder must make their first entry within six months of the grant date (or a lesser period specified). The stay period starts on first entry and does not restart on later entries, and time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa. The visa is granted as either a single-entry or a multiple-entry visa, as shown in the visa grant letter, and is linked digitally to the passport rather than shown as a label. Family members included in the visa can accompany the holder but are generally not permitted to work or study in Australia, other than to undertake a language training program. The department states that holders are personally liable for their healthcare costs in Australia and recommends taking out health insurance. People from countries that have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia may be able to access medically necessary care under arrangements administered by Services Australia. The Subclass 400 cannot be extended and cannot be applied for from within Australia, so a person who wants to stay longer must apply for a different visa. Holders and their family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws and keep their contact and passport details up to date. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Common refusal reasons and review at the ART
An application of this type is refused when one or more of the legal criteria are not met. Reasons can include insufficient evidence that the applicant has the specialised skills, knowledge or experience claimed, or that those skills cannot reasonably be found in Australia; the work not being genuinely non-ongoing; or insufficient evidence that the work exists. Refusals can also occur where the decision-maker is not satisfied the applicant is a genuine temporary entrant, where the health or character requirements are not met, where adequate means of support are not shown, where there are unpaid debts to the Commonwealth, or where false or misleading information or fraudulent documents are involved. Adverse immigration history, including a previous visa refusal or cancellation, can also be relevant. The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) states that it can review some, but not all, decisions about visas. Whether a particular refusal is reviewable, and who is entitled to apply, depends on the Migration Act 1958, and the department's decision letter sets out whether review is available, who may apply, and the time limit that applies. Time limits are strict, so any application for review should be lodged within the period stated in the decision letter. For reviews of migration decisions made under Part 5 of the Migration Act, the ART's application fee is AUD3,727, with a 50% reduction available in cases of financial hardship. The ART may refund 50% of the fee where the decision is set aside or varied, or the matter is remitted to the Department of Home Affairs. This information is factual and is not a prediction about any individual case. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Costs in detail
The government Visa Application Charge (VAC) for this visa is separate from, and additional to, any service or platform fee charged by a third party. According to the Department of Home Affairs, the visa costs AUD535.00 for the main applicant, and there is an additional charge for each family member who applies with the main applicant. The exact amount for family members can be checked using the department's Visa Pricing Estimator, as charges can change. The department states the charge may be nil for a person coming to Australia as a representative of a foreign government, or for a person listed in a legislative instrument. From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible citizens of specified Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste, based on the passport used in the application. The visa application charge is not usually refunded, even if the application is refused or withdrawn. If the charge is paid by credit card or PayPal, a payment surcharge may apply — the department's current published rates include 1.40% for Visa and Mastercard and 1.01% for PayPal. Applicants may also have to pay other costs, such as health examinations, police certificates and biometrics. These are paid separately and are not part of the VAC. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.
Official forms associated with this visa
Departmental forms that commonly come up for subclass 400, linked to the department’s own files. Whether a form applies to you depends on your circumstances — the note beside each is general only.
- 80.PDF — Form 80 - Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment ↗Personal particulars and character — commonly requested by the department.
- 956.PDF — Form 956 - Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person ↗If you appoint a registered migration agent or legal practitioner.
- 1022.PDF — Form 1022 - Notification of changes in circumstances ↗To notify a change in circumstances after lodgement.
- 1023.PDF — Form 1023 - Notification of incorrect answer(s) ↗To correct an incorrect answer after lodgement.
- 1282.PDF — Form 1282 - Australian values statement for temporary visa applicants ↗Australian values statement for temporary visa applicants.
Official information and lodgement
Applications are lodged through your own ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website — never through this platform.
Visit the official Home Affairs page ↗Important notice: General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice. For advice about your circumstances, book a verified practitioner.
Compiled from official Department of Home Affairs sources — practitioner verification pending.