Short Stay Specialist Visa Subclass 400
The Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (Subclass 400) allows a person with highly specialised skills, knowledge or experience not reasonably available in Australia to complete a short-term, non-ongoing assignment.
Subclass 400 is for a defined specialist assignment, not ongoing employment. The work must generally be completed within six months or less, and the applicant cannot use this visa to maintain ongoing residence or rotate through continuing work in Australia.
What is the Subclass 400 visa?
This visa is designed for time-limited work that requires specialist expertise which cannot reasonably be sourced in the Australian labour market. Common scenarios can include installing or commissioning specialised equipment, urgent technical troubleshooting, transferring proprietary expertise or completing a tightly defined specialist project.
The applicant and included family members must be outside Australia both when applying and when the Department decides the application. This visa cannot be extended from within Australia.
Core Subclass 400 requirements
How long can the specialist stay?
Home Affairs can grant a stay of up to six months depending on the circumstances. A stay of up to three months is more typical; a request exceeding three months should include a strong business case explaining why the additional time is essential.
The approved stay begins on the first arrival in Australia and does not restart after travel. The grant can allow single or multiple entry, but time spent outside Australia does not extend the permitted stay.
What does non-ongoing work mean?
The assignment must be likely to finish within six months or less, with no expectation or arrangement for the applicant to remain in Australia for further work related to it. The Department can examine whether the project has been split into repeated visits or whether the position is actually an ongoing role.
If the business needs a worker for a continuing position, or the project cannot genuinely conclude within the short stay, an employer-sponsored or other temporary work visa should be considered.
How the Subclass 400 process works
Define the specialist assignment
Set out the project, duties, worksite, dates, deliverables and why the role is genuinely non-ongoing.
Establish the skills shortage
Explain why the required expertise is highly specialised and cannot reasonably be sourced in Australia.
Prepare business support evidence
Provide the invitation or contract, employment conditions, workplace standards and a detailed business case.
Document the applicant's expertise
Submit qualifications, licences, CV, overseas employment and evidence of directly relevant project experience.
Apply offshore and check conditions
Lodge outside Australia and, after grant, confirm arrival, stay, entry and authorised-work conditions.
Australian business evidence
The Australian organisation should provide a detailed invitation, letter of offer, contract or project document confirming the position, duties, work location, duration, need for the applicant, wages, employment conditions and applicable Australian workplace standard or award.
Evidence can also explain the commercial impact of delay, specialist technology involved, recruitment or capability checks, Australian staff who will benefit from the assignment and why the requested duration is necessary. Requests exceeding three months require a particularly strong, credible business case.
Applicant skills and temporary intent
The applicant should demonstrate direct expertise through a CV, qualifications, licences, overseas employer letter, project history and technical or professional evidence. The proposed duties must align with that experience.
The applicant must genuinely intend to stay temporarily and undertake only the approved activity. Home Affairs may consider personal circumstances, immigration history, previous visa compliance and any indication that the arrangement is designed to maintain ongoing work or residence.
Important Subclass 400 checks
- Show that the assignment requires highly specialised expertise not reasonably available locally.
- Define finite deliverables and demonstrate that the work is genuinely non-ongoing.
- Provide a strong business case for any requested stay longer than three months.
- Confirm the activity will not disadvantage Australian employment or training opportunities.
- Ensure pay and conditions comply with Australian workplace law.
- Apply and receive the decision while the applicant and included family are outside Australia.
- Use a different visa for ongoing employment, entertainment work or an activity outside this visa's scope.
Activities requiring another visa
Subclass 400 generally does not cover performing as an entertainer or supporting an entertainment production shown, broadcast or performed in Australia. Those activities may require the Temporary Activity visa (Subclass 408).
A Business Visitor visa is more appropriate for meetings, negotiations and conferences where no productive work is performed. Continuing employment may require a Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482) or another suitable pathway.
Family, funds and healthcare
Eligible family members can be included, but they are not permitted to work or study other than participating in an eligible language training program. The family must have adequate means of support and meet applicable health and character requirements.
Visitors are generally responsible for healthcare costs, so adequate health insurance is recommended for the entire stay.
Documents commonly required
Documents can include passports, invitation or offer, contract, project scope, business-case letter, position and wage details, applicable award information, CV, qualifications, licences, overseas employer confirmation, project references, bank statements, health and character documents, relationship evidence and certified English translations.
How Echoes Global Education can assist
Our migration team can assess whether the assignment fits Subclass 400, compare alternative work visas, prepare Australian business and applicant checklists, review the non-ongoing and specialist-skills evidence, and support a complete offshore application.