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Subclass 408 Temporary Activity

Australia Temporary Activity Visa Subclass 408 2026 | Streams, Sponsorship & Rules

Comprehensive Statutory Overview

The Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) allows eligible people to come to Australia for specific temporary activities approved under an eligible 408 stream. It is not one single-purpose work visa: the rules differ by activity, including entertainment, religious work, invited community or cultural participation, staff exchange, research and other approved temporary activities. The COVID-19 Pandemic Event stream is a repealed stream and is no longer available to new applicants. Sponsorship or support requirements depend on the particular stream, the applicant's location and intended stay. Some applicants need an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor, while certain short-stay applicants can rely on a supporter instead. The grant period also depends on the approved activity, with current Home Affairs stream pages showing maximum stays ranging from 3 months to 2 years.

Active Streams

Entertainment Activities

Maximum Stay: Up to 2 years

Purpose: Work in film, television or live entertainment productions as a performer, production staff or support staff.

Evidence: Contract or other proof of the entertainment engagement. Some categories also require union consultation and an Arts certificate.

Religious Work

Maximum Stay: Up to 2 years

Purpose: Full-time religious work for a religious institution in Australia.

Evidence: Appropriate experience and qualifications for the religious work, together with the required sponsor/support arrangements.

Other Social and Cultural Activity / Invited Participant

Maximum Stay: Up to 3 months

Purpose: Participation in a community-based event involving cultural, social, sporting, religious, artistic, academic or conference activity.

Application Location: Can be applied for in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance.

Support Rule: For an applicant outside Australia intending to stay less than 3 months, a supporter can be sufficient. An applicant applying in Australia needs a sponsor under the current stream rules.

Staff Exchange Arrangements

Maximum Stay: Up to 2 years

Purpose: Reciprocal staff exchange between the applicant's overseas organisation and an eligible Australian organisation.

Requirement: There must be a written exchange agreement identifying the participating staff, skilled positions and duration of the exchange, and the arrangement must benefit both sides.

Domestic Work for Executives

Maximum Stay: Up to 2 years

Purpose: Full-time domestic work in the household of certain senior foreign executives.

Requirements: Applicant must generally be at least 18, experienced in domestic work and invited to work in the household, with the required sponsor or supporter arrangement.

Other Streams

Description: The subclass 408 framework also includes other activity-specific streams and categories where separate eligibility criteria apply. Applicants should use the current Home Affairs stream page that matches the activity rather than assuming that all 408 applicants meet the same rules.

Examples:

Research-related activities.
Special programs.
Government-endorsed events and other approved temporary activities.
Other activity categories specified under the current 408 legislative framework.

COVID-19 Pandemic Event

Status: Repealed

New Applications: No longer available to new applicants.

Historical Purpose: The stream was introduced during the COVID-19 border restrictions to allow certain temporary visa holders to remain lawfully in Australia and address labour shortages. It was later closed as Australia's border and temporary migration circumstances returned to normal.

Sponsorship And Support

Approved Temporary Activities Sponsor

Definition: An approved Temporary Activities Sponsor is an organisation assessed by the Department as suitable to sponsor applicants for specified Temporary Activity visas, including subclass 408 in applicable cases.

Use: Whether sponsorship is required depends on the stream, applicant location and intended stay.

Supporter

Role: A supporter can be used in certain subclass 408 situations instead of formal sponsorship. The eligibility of a supporter is stream-specific.

Short Stay Example: Current Invited Participant guidance states that an applicant applying from outside Australia and intending to stay for less than 3 months can use a supporter rather than a sponsor.

Sponsorship Not Universal Three Month Rule:The rule should not be simplified to 'sponsorship is required for stays over 3 months.' Some streams have their own sponsor/supporter rules, and applicants in Australia can face different requirements from applicants applying offshore.

Sponsor Obligations:Sponsors can have obligations under Australia's migration sponsorship framework, including ensuring the sponsored activity is genuine, complying with sponsorship laws and notifying the Department of relevant changes.

PRohibited Payment:Applicants and sponsors should not enter arrangements involving unlawful payment for sponsorship.

Requirements

General:

Fit an eligible subclass 408 stream and activity.
Have the required sponsor or supporter where the selected stream requires one.
Demonstrate sufficient funds for the applicant and accompanying family members.
Meet health requirements.
Meet character requirements.
Have adequate health insurance for the period of stay.
Satisfy the genuine-temporary-stay requirement.
Comply with any stream-specific qualifications, contracts, invitations or professional requirements.

Identity:

Valid passport or travel document.
Additional identity documentation where requested by Home Affairs.

Activity Evidence:

Invitation, contract or engagement document where the stream requires one.
Training, professional, religious, research, entertainment or exchange documentation appropriate to the activity.
Evidence of the Australian organisation's role in the proposed activity.

Financial Evidence:Applicants may be asked to provide bank statements, employment or income evidence, accommodation information or other evidence demonstrating that they can support themselves and eligible family members.

Health Insurance:Home Affairs states that applicants in the relevant 408 streams must have adequate health insurance for the whole stay. The applicant remains personally liable for healthcare costs in Australia.

Character:Applicants and, in relevant cases, family members aged 16 or over must satisfy Australia's character requirements. Police certificates or other character information can be requested.

Duration And Work Rules

Duration:There is no single subclass-wide stay period. Home Affairs grants the visa for the length appropriate to the approved activity and the stream, subject to the stream's maximum.

Entertainment:Entertainment Activities can allow up to 2 years.

Religious Work:Religious Work can allow up to 2 years.

Staff Exchange:Staff Exchange Arrangements can allow up to 2 years.

Domestic Work:Domestic Work for Executives can allow up to 2 years.

Invited Participant:Invited Participant is capped at 3 months.

Work Scope:Work rights are tied to the approved activity and relevant stream. A subclass 408 holder should not assume the visa gives a general unrestricted employment right unrelated to the approved activity.

Family And TRAvel

Family:Many 408 streams allow members of the family unit to be included in the application, subject to the individual stream rules. Family members must meet the applicable health and character requirements.

Subsequent Entrant:Some stream pages allow eligible family members to apply later as subsequent entrants.

TRAvel:Where the relevant 408 stream is granted with a travel facility, the holder can generally leave and return during the visa validity period. The exact travel rights are shown in the visa grant information.

Insurance:Family members travelling on the visa can also be subject to health-insurance requirements.

Important Rules

Covid Stream:The COVID-19 Pandemic Event stream is repealed and should not be presented as an available 2026 option.

Stream Specific:The subclass number alone does not determine eligibility. The exact activity and stream determine the sponsor, supporter, duration, evidence and work requirements.

Onshore Offshore:Application-location rules differ between streams. Some current 408 streams can be applied for in or outside Australia, while other conditions can differ depending on where the application is made.

Immigration Clearance:Current stream pages generally state that applicants cannot apply in immigration clearance.

Temporary Nature:Home Affairs applies a genuine-temporary-stay test. The visa is intended for temporary activities and cannot be used simply to maintain ongoing residence.

Four Year Guidance:Some 408 stream pages state that temporary residents will generally not be allowed to extend their stay beyond four years by repeatedly using the 408 visa. This is assessed in the context of the applicant's circumstances and immigration history.

Condition8501:Subclass 408 is subject to Australia's health-insurance framework, and Home Affairs lists subclass 408 among visas subject to condition 8501.

Fees And PRocessing

Visa Charge:The subclass 408 visa application charge varies with the applicable current pricing rules and any exemptions or concessions. Use the official Visa Pricing Estimator immediately before applying.

PRocessing:There is no single nationwide processing time for every 408 stream. Home Affairs directs applicants to its processing-time guide, which is indicative and can change according to the stream and case complexity.

Additional Costs:

Health examinations if requested.
Police certificates.
Biometrics where required.
Document translation costs.
Professional or registration costs associated with the approved activity.

Key Eligibility Requirements & Statutory Criteria

Approved Activity

Correct 408 Stream

The applicant must fit the eligibility criteria of a specific subclass 408 stream and genuinely intend to undertake the approved temporary activity.

Sponsor or Supporter

Stream-Specific Sponsorship

Sponsor or supporter requirements vary. An approved Temporary Activities Sponsor is required in specified situations, while some applicants applying from outside Australia for less than 3 months may use an eligible supporter.

Financial Capacity

Ability to Support Yourself

Applicants generally need enough money to support themselves and any family members travelling with them for the period of their stay.

Temporary Stay

Genuine Temporary Activity

The applicant must satisfy the Department that the visa will be used for the approved temporary activity and not as a means of maintaining ongoing residence in Australia.

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Identify the Correct Stream

Match your exact proposed activity to the current subclass 408 stream and read that stream's eligibility requirements.

Arrange Sponsorship or Support

Determine whether the application needs an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor, an eligible supporter or another form of event or organisation endorsement.

Prepare Activity Evidence

Collect the invitation, contract, exchange agreement, religious appointment, production documentation, research evidence or other documents required by the selected stream.

Prepare Personal Evidence

Provide passport, financial evidence, health and character information, insurance evidence and any qualifications or experience required for the activity.

Lodge Online

Submit the subclass 408 application online through the Department of Home Affairs system and pay the applicable visa application charge.

Respond to Requests

Complete any requested health examinations, police certificates, biometrics or further-document requests.

Follow the Approved Activity

After grant, undertake only the activities permitted by the visa and comply with the conditions and approved engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions (Home Affairs FAQs)

No. The COVID-19 Pandemic Event stream has been repealed and is not available to new applicants. Current subclass 408 applications must fit an active Temporary Activity stream.

No. Sponsorship depends on the stream, where you apply and how long you intend to stay. For example, the current Invited Participant stream allows an offshore applicant intending to stay less than 3 months to use a supporter instead of a sponsor, while an applicant applying in Australia needs a sponsor under that stream's rules.

It depends on the stream and approved activity. Current Home Affairs pages show some streams, such as Invited Participant, capped at 3 months, while Entertainment, Religious Work, Staff Exchange and Domestic Work for Executives can allow stays of up to 2 years.

Many 408 streams allow members of the family unit to be included, although the exact rules are stream-specific. Family members must satisfy the relevant health, character and other secondary-visa requirements.

Yes where the applicable 408 visa criteria and condition require it. Home Affairs states that applicants must have adequate health insurance for the whole stay and remain personally liable for healthcare costs in Australia.

Subclass 408 is activity-specific and is not a general employment visa. The holder's work must fit the approved Temporary Activity stream and the activity for which the visa was granted. An ordinary ongoing skilled job may require a different employer-sponsored or skilled visa.

Official Statutory References

Cross-referenced directly with official Australian government sources:

Australian Department of Home Affairs - Temporary Activity visa subclass 408

immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Australian Department of Home Affairs - Bringing someone to participate in temporary activities

immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Australian Department of Home Affairs - Entertainment Activities stream

immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

STATUTORY BENCHMARK METRICS

Visa Subclass

408 - Temporary Activity

Purpose