Subclass 408 — Temporary Activity visa

Eligibility snapshot

General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice. The subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa is a sponsorship- or invitation-based temporary visa that covers a defined set of specific activities organised through a number of separate streams. In broad terms, the streams group activities such as entertainment work, participation in sport, religious work, academic or scientific research, certain superyacht crew activities, invited activities supported by an Australian organisation, and other government-endorsed or special-program activities. Because each stream sits behind its own conditions, the requirements that must be met depend heavily on which stream applies to the proposed activity. Across the streams, a few common threads typically apply. An applicant is generally connected to a specific, time-limited activity rather than to open-ended work, and most pathways require some form of backing from an Australian party — for example a temporary activities sponsor, an inviting or endorsing organisation, or a relevant government body — depending on the stream. Applicants are usually expected to meet standard health and character requirements, to genuinely intend a temporary stay, and to hold or have access to adequate support for the period in Australia. The length of stay granted varies by stream and circumstances and is set on a case-by-case basis. The authoritative criteria, the current list of streams, and the precise conditions for each are maintained on the official Home Affairs page for the subclass 408 visa, and the detail changes from time to time. Always check the official page for current requirements. Because eligibility turns on which stream fits a particular activity and on individual facts, a registered migration practitioner can advise on which stream and conditions apply to your circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

Health and character requirements

As part of applying for the Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408), applicants are generally asked to consider Australia's health and character requirements, which they may need to meet before a visa can be granted. Whether health examinations are required depends on the applicant's circumstances - including the visa, the length and purpose of stay, and the country applied from - and the Department may request them during processing. Where health examinations are needed, they are generally arranged through the Department's approved providers - Bupa Medical Visa Services within Australia, or an approved panel physician or clinic when outside Australia. Additional examinations can apply to people coming from countries where there are particular public health concerns. Examination results are generally treated as valid for a limited period (commonly the previous 12 months), so timing can matter if there is a delay in processing. The character requirement is set out in the Migration Act 1958. Applicants may be asked to provide a police or penal clearance certificate for countries where they have lived for extended periods, and an Australian Federal Police check where they have spent significant time in Australia. Whether a criminal history affects an application is assessed on a case-by-case basis rather than resulting in automatic refusal. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.

Health insurance and Medicare

Applicants for the subclass 408 visa are generally expected to have adequate health cover for the whole of their intended stay in Australia, and holders may be subject to condition 8501, which requires them to maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while they are in Australia. Cover is generally expected to include medically necessary treatment, including transport. Most temporary visa holders are responsible for their own health costs and do not generally have access to Medicare. People from a country that has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia may be eligible for some medically necessary care under Medicare while they are here; those without such cover may have to pay the full cost of treatment. A product commonly used for private cover is Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC). Prospective visitors are generally encouraged to compare policies, because not all products offer the same level of cover. The Australian Government's Private Health website publishes information about health insurance for overseas visitors and a list of private health insurers operating in Australia to help with choosing a policy. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.

Costs and charges

Applying for the subclass 408 visa generally involves a Visa Application Charge set by the Department of Home Affairs. This charge is separate from, and should not be confused with, any service or platform fee. The visa application charge is payable in instalments; the first instalment typically has a base amount for the main applicant, with additional applicant amounts for family members who apply at the same time (charged at different rates for those aged 18 and over and those under 18). A further 'subsequent temporary application charge' can apply to some applicants who apply for the visa while they are in Australia and who hold, or last held, certain temporary visas that were themselves applied for in Australia. Because the exact amounts are updated by the Department from time to time, current figures are best confirmed using the Department's official Visa Pricing Estimator rather than relying on any fixed quoted amount. The Visa Application Charge is separate from other costs that can arise during an application, such as health examinations and police certificates, which are paid to the relevant providers. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.

Visa validity and timing

How long the subclass 408 visa is usually granted for depends on the stream. The Research Activities and Entertainment Activities streams generally allow a stay of up to two years; the Special Program stream generally allows up to 12 months; and the Other Social and Cultural Activity (Invited Participant) stream generally allows up to three months. Processing times are published by the Department through its visa processing time guide and vary by stream, by individual circumstances, and by how complete the application is. Applicants are generally encouraged to apply ahead of the activity and to include the supporting documents relevant to their stream, such as evidence of the invitation or of sponsorship or support. Some supporting documents also have limited currency that can affect timing. Health examination results are generally treated as current for around 12 months, and police certificates are generally accepted as valid for about 12 months from their issue date. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.

Eligibility in general terms

The subclass 408 visa is a temporary, activity-based work visa made up of several streams, each with its own additional requirements and maximum stay. The streams include Australian Government Endorsed Events, Special Program, Religious Work, Research Activities, Invited for other social and cultural activity (Invited Participant), Sporting Activities, Entertainment Activities, Superyacht Crew, Exchange Arrangements, and Domestic Work for Executives. The length of stay depends on the stream. Endorsed events can be granted for the duration of the event or up to 4 years; sporting, research, religious work, entertainment, exchange and executive domestic work streams are generally up to 2 years; the special program and superyacht crew streams are generally up to 12 months; and the invited participant stream is generally up to 3 months. Across the streams, decision-makers generally look at whether the applicant has the skills to carry out the activity, is supported or sponsored where the stream requires it (for some streams an approved temporary activities sponsor or supporting organisation is needed), and has a contract or other proof of the engagement. Applicants are generally also asked to show access to enough money to support themselves and any dependants. Applicants are generally expected to meet the health requirement and the character requirement, to hold adequate health insurance, to be a genuine temporary entrant, and to sign the Australian values statement. Having no outstanding debt to the Australian Government and declaring that no payment was made for sponsorship are also typical requirements. Unlike the skilled visa program, this visa does not use a points test, a skilled occupation list, or a general age limit; eligibility turns on the specific activity and the stream chosen. The requirements are framed generally here and are not a personal assessment of any individual's eligibility. 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 generally be included in the application when it is lodged, or added at any time before a decision is made. Family members who apply must also meet the health and character requirements, and where the application is made from outside Australia, some family members who are not travelling may still need to meet health requirements. Family members may in some cases apply to join the holder later as subsequent entrants. After grant, the visa generally allows the holder to carry out the approved activity or work for the period granted, and to remain in Australia with members of the family unit for the length of stay specified in the grant. The visa is generally granted with multiple entry, so the holder can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as they want while it is valid. Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa. There is usually no visa label; the visa is linked digitally to the passport and confirmed in a grant notification letter. This is a temporary visa. It generally cannot be extended, and it does not in itself provide a pathway to permanent residence; the Department directs holders who want to stay longer to explore other visa options. Holders are generally expected to keep meeting all visa conditions and to notify the Department of relevant changes, including changes to the events, times or venues of their engagements, and to leave Australia within 28 days if their sponsored activity or employment ends. Because the visa requires adequate health insurance, holders are generally expected to arrange private cover; enrolment in Medicare is generally not available to temporary visa holders, although people from a country that has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia may be able to access medically necessary care under that arrangement (see Services Australia). This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.

Why applications are refused and review at the Tribunal

Applications of this type are generally refused when a core requirement is not met. Common factual reasons include the absence of required sponsorship or support (or a refusal of the related sponsorship or nomination), insufficient evidence of the contract or engagement, not satisfying the genuine-temporary-entrant expectation, not meeting the health or character requirements, not holding adequate health insurance, or having an unpaid debt to the Australian Government. An application may also not be processed if the correct visa application charge is not paid. If a decision is unfavourable, merits review may be available at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). The Department's decision letter sets out whether review is available, who can apply, and the time limit that applies. Time limits are set by law and are generally short; for many migration decisions they cannot be extended, so the date in the decision letter is important. A fee generally applies to lodge a review. For migration decisions made under Part 5 of the Migration Act 1958, the ART application fee is currently $3,727, with a 50 per cent reduction available where paying the full fee would cause financial hardship, and a lower concessional fee for certain concession-card holders. Character-related visa refusals or cancellations that carry review rights attract the same migration review application fee rather than a separate lower fee, and part of the fee may be refunded where the Tribunal sets aside or remits a decision. Because these amounts are indexed and can change, the current figure should be confirmed on the ART website. The Tribunal conducts a fresh review of the case on its merits and can, depending on the matter, affirm, vary, set aside, or send the decision back to the Department. This information is factual and neutral only. It is not a prediction about any application and not advice about whether to seek review. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.

Costs and the Visa Application Charge

The government Visa Application Charge (VAC) for the subclass 408 visa is set by the Department of Home Affairs and depends on the application. There is a base charge for the main applicant and an additional applicant charge for each family member included, generally at different rates for applicants aged 18 and over and applicants under 18. Because these amounts change (including at the start of each financial year) and depend on the stream and who is included, the Department's Visa Pricing Estimator gives a figure for a specific case; official amounts should be confirmed there rather than assumed. The charge is generally payable in two instalments, though either or both may be nil. The first instalment is payable when the application is made, and any second instalment is payable before the visa is granted, with the Department notifying the applicant if a second instalment is due. The second instalment is not payable if the application is refused or withdrawn before it is paid. A subsequent temporary application charge can apply to certain temporary visa applications made in Australia, based on each person's visa history; it does not apply to applications made from outside Australia or to a person's first substantive temporary application in Australia. A non-internet application charge can also apply where an application is not made online. Visa application charges are generally not 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 published rates are 1.40% for Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB, 1.01% for PayPal, and 1.90% for UnionPay, and the card surcharge also applies to Visa and Mastercard debit cards. Charge concessions or exemptions may apply in limited cases; whether one applies to a particular application should be confirmed with the Department. Separately, applicants may need to pay other costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics, which are not included in the VAC. All of the above are Australian Government charges and third-party costs. They are separate from, and additional to, any service or platform fee that a migration service provider or this website may charge. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.

Visa conditions that generally apply

The conditions attached to a Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa are set under the Migration Regulations and confirmed on the individual grant notification and through VEVO. Which conditions apply can vary by stream (for example the Research, Entertainment, Sporting, Religious Work, Special Program or Australian Government Endorsed Events streams) and by the person's circumstances, so the grant letter and VEVO are the authoritative record. The Department's own visa-conditions tool for this subclass does not publish a fixed list and directs holders to VEVO or their grant letter. For the primary visa holder, two conditions apply by operation of law. A work condition (condition 8107) limits the holder to the work or activity connected with the visa — broadly, the activity for which they were sponsored or invited — rather than open work rights. Condition 8303 requires the holder not to become involved in activities that are disruptive to, or that threaten harm to, the Australian community or a group within it. Family members included in the application are also subject to condition 8303, and a grant in the entertainment stream carries an additional work-related condition (condition 8109). Other conditions may be imposed at the delegate's discretion, depending on the case. These can include condition 8501 (maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while in Australia), condition 8503 — a "no further stay" bar that generally prevents applying onshore for most further substantive visas, apart from limited exceptions such as a protection visa — and condition 8516 (continuing to satisfy the criteria for the grant of the visa). Home Affairs lists the subclass 408 visa among those to which condition 8501 may be applied on a discretionary basis, rather than automatically. Because the exact set differs case by case, holders should read their grant notice and check VEVO for the conditions that actually apply to them. This is general information only and is not immigration assistance or legal advice.