Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (subclass 400)
Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (subclass 400)
Visa Cost
AUD 430
2025-26 financial year first-instalment base VAC (primary applicant), from 2025-07-01 (increased about 3%/CPI-indexed from the former AUD 415, rounded to the nearest AUD 5). Accompanying family members aged 18 and over AUD 430 each, under 18 AUD 110 each. The fee may be waived where you come on behalf of a foreign government or in cases specified in particular legislative instruments.
Processing Time
About 2-4 weeks (urgent/short-term specialist work is usually processed faster, but the documents must be complete)
Eligibility
- Invited to Australia for highly specialised, non-ongoing short-term work, where the skills required are generally not available locally in Australia
- The stay is usually no more than 3 months; in individual cases with a sufficient reason it can be up to 6 months (requiring additional justification)
- The work must not be an ordinary position already in the Australian labour market (it must be gap-filling)
- Hold sufficient funds to cover the costs of staying in and leaving Australia
- Meet health and character requirements
- A genuine temporary entry intention, leaving Australia after the work ends
- Usually lodged offshore and granted offshore (onshore in a few cases)
- The visa fee may be waived where it involves representing a foreign government or in certain cases
Key Information
Validity / Stay / Residence
Usually granted for up to 3 months at once, and up to 6 months only in special circumstances with a sufficient business reason; multiple 400s within 12 months generally do not total more than 3 months in Australia (the 2024 policy direction tightened this). The stay is set at grant and cannot be extended later.
Eligible Dependants
Family members can apply together with (and accompany) the primary applicant, but cannot join late separately after the primary applicant; family members must meet health/character requirements and have sufficient living funds.
PR / Permanent Residence Pathway
No PR pathway. 400 is a temporary visa for highly specialised, non-ongoing short-term work; it does not lead to permanent residence and cannot be renewed onshore or transferred to a long-term work visa (you usually have to apply separately offshore).
View provisional-to-permanent transition overview →Common Visa Conditions
Full explanations of condition codes are in the Visa Conditions Lookup
Application Steps
Confirm work meets short-stay specialist criteria
Confirm work meets short-stay specialist criteria
Verify that the work is highly specialised, non-ongoing and generally no longer than 3 months.
- The skills required for the work are hard to source locally in Australia
- Stays over 3 months require a sufficient explanation
Obtain inviting party support letter
Obtain inviting party support letter
A support letter from the inviting Australian organisation, setting out the nature, duration and necessity of the work.
- The support letter should explain why an overseas specialist is needed and why the skill cannot be sourced locally
- Setting out the specific position, start and end dates, and work content
Create ImmiAccount and gather documents
Create ImmiAccount and gather documents
Register an account and prepare your passport, qualification evidence, invitation letter, proof of funds, etc.
- Scan all supporting documents ready for upload
- Truthfully prepare health and character information
Lodge the 400 application online
Lodge the 400 application online
Complete and lodge the application online in ImmiAccount and upload supporting documents.
- Usually lodged offshore
- Select the Highly Specialised Work stream
Pay the visa application charge
Pay the visa application charge
Pay the AUD 430 first-instalment VAC online (except where an exemption applies).
- May be waived in certain cases, such as coming on behalf of a foreign government
- Keep the payment receipt
Complete checks and await decision
Complete checks and await decision
If asked to complete the health examination and police clearance, wait for the case officer's decision before travelling to Australia.
- Usually granted within 2-4 weeks when the documents are complete
- After grant, travel to Australia within the time set in the grant notice and undertake only the approved work
Required Documents
| Document Name | English Name | Required | Description | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | Valid passport | Proof of identity and nationality. | The validity should cover the stay in Australia. | |
| Letter of support from the inviting Australian party | Letter of support from the inviting Australian party | Prove the work is genuine, highly specialised and non-ongoing, and explain why an overseas specialist is needed. | Should set out the position, start and end dates, the work content, and why the skill cannot be sourced locally. | |
| Evidence of specialised skills and qualifications | Evidence of specialised skills and qualifications | Prove the applicant has highly specialised skills, knowledge or experience. | Degree certificate, industry accreditation, past project achievements, and an expert CV. | |
| Details of duration and nature of work | Details of duration and nature of work | Prove the work is short-term and non-ongoing, usually no more than 3 months. | Stays over 3 months require a sufficient reason (such as the special nature of the project) explaining the justification. | |
| Evidence of sufficient funds | Evidence of sufficient funds | Prove you can cover the costs of staying in and leaving Australia. | Bank statements/proof of savings, or a statement that the inviting party bears the costs. | |
| Police clearance certificate(s) | Police clearance certificate(s) | Meet character requirements if the case officer requires. | Countries of cumulative 12-month residence may require it; with a NAATI-certified translation. | |
| Health examination (if requested) | Health examination (if requested) | Meet health requirements if asked. | A short stay usually requires no health examination, but certain industries or coming from a high-TB-incidence area may trigger it. | |
| Recent passport-style photograph | Recent passport-style photograph | For identity verification. | White background, no headwear, taken within the last 6 months. | |
| Travel itinerary / flight details | Travel itinerary / flight details | Corroborate a genuine intention of short-term temporary entry and departure arrangements. | Can be cross-corroborated with the statement of work hours. | |
| Family relationship evidence (if including family) | Family relationship evidence (if including family) | If bringing a spouse/children, prove the relationship is genuine. | Marriage/birth certificate, notarised, authenticated and translated. |
FAQ
Can mainland Chinese passport holders apply for the 400 visa?
What is the maximum stay on the 400 visa?
What is the difference between the 400 and 482 work visas?
Can the 400 visa be renewed or transferred to another visa?
Common Refusal Reasons
- Not being outside Australia at application/grant (400 must be applied for offshore and cannot be renewed onshore)
- The work is not 'highly specialised, non-ongoing' or is a position that local Australian labour can fill
- Having already stayed close to or over 3 months on a 400 within 12 months, with a fresh application subject to strict scrutiny
- Applying for over 3 months without strong evidence of a sufficient business reason (the 2024 policy direction)
- Unable to prove a genuine temporary entry intention, or the work arrangement affects Australians' employment/training opportunities
Can you appeal after a refusal? See the Visa Refusal & Review (ART) Guide.