Who this may suit
Australian businesses, overseas employers and specialists planning a short assignment in Australia. This page focuses on the Highly Specialised Work stream.
Key considerations
- The work must be highly specialised and non-ongoing. A short contract alone does not establish eligibility.
- Apply from outside Australia and be outside Australia when the visa is granted.
- Home Affairs can grant up to six months, depending on the circumstances. A stay beyond three months generally needs a strong business case; six months is not a standard entitlement.
- Although grouped here with employer-related visas, subclass 400 does not use the formal sponsorship and nomination process required for subclass 482. The business still has an important evidence role.
Who this pathway is for
The central question is whether this person is needed for this particular specialist assignment. Home Affairs expects expertise that can assist an Australian business and cannot reasonably be sourced in the Australian labour market.
Under the Regulations, non-ongoing means the work is likely to finish within a continuous period of six months or less, without an expectation or arrangement to remain for work-related purposes after that period. The applicant must also demonstrate a need to be in Australia and a genuine intention to stay temporarily.
- Describe the deliverable precisely. A named machine, system, technical problem or commissioning milestone is more informative than a broad job title.
- Connect the person's experience to the proposed tasks. Explain the relevant product, process or project knowledge rather than simply calling the person an expert.
- Show the endpoint. Identify completion, testing, handover and departure arrangements, and explain any contingency time.
When to consider another visa
A general staffing gap, an open-ended appointment or a plan to keep working after a short initial assignment needs a different assessment. Dividing a continuing role into short visits does not, by itself, make the underlying work non-ongoing.
For the Highly Specialised Work stream, the Regulations also restrict formal study and specified entertainment work. The separate Australia's Interest stream concerns compelling circumstances affecting Australia's interests; it is not a general alternative for a project that does not meet the specialist-work criteria.
- Business visitor activity: the subclass 600 Business Visitor stream permits activities such as contract negotiations and eligible conference participation. It does not permit working for, or supplying services to, an Australian business or organisation. Assess the actual itinerary, not just whether the trip is short or the salary is paid overseas.
- Skills in Demand visa, subclass 482: consider this employer-sponsored pathway for a nominated skilled position where its requirements fit. Sponsorship, nomination and stream-specific criteria apply. It is not an automatic next step after subclass 400.
- Training visa, subclass 407: intended for eligible occupational training or professional development, rather than filling workforce shortages. An approved sponsor and, generally, an approved nomination are required before the visa application. An Australian Commonwealth Government agency is exempt from the nomination requirement.
- Temporary Activity visa, subclass 408: has activity-specific streams. Performing in Australia, supporting performers, or working on productions to be shown, broadcast or performed here may require the Entertainment stream. Other activities need assessment against the relevant stream.
Employer and host-business checklist
Prepare a coherent evidence pack rather than a generic invitation. Home Affairs asks for work documents covering duties, duration, the reason for working in Australia, support for the application, wages and conditions, and applicable workplace standards or award.
The checklist below is a preparation aid. The appropriate evidence depends on the engagement; it is not a promise that a particular document set will satisfy the decision-maker.
- Identify the Australian host, overseas employer if relevant, worksite and responsible project contact. Make the commercial relationships easy to follow.
- Use a project schedule that matches the invitation, contract and proposed travel dates. Explain dependencies, installation or testing windows, and the point at which the specialist's work ends.
- Explain why this individual's knowledge is needed. Gather concrete records of relevant product training, previous involvement or specialist experience.
- Document the impact on local employment and training opportunities. Be ready to explain available local capability and any efforts to source it; absence of formal sponsorship does not remove this issue.
- Check applicable pay, working hours and conditions. Australian workplace rights apply to migrant employees, and employers must comply with both workplace and immigration law.
Applicant preparation checklist
Build an accurate account of your experience and proposed visit. Flag gaps or inconsistencies early, including different job titles, uncertain dates, previous Australian stays or changes to the project.
- Identity: current passport details and relevant name-change records.
- Expertise: a current CV, relevant qualifications or licences, and employer confirmation of duties and specialist knowledge.
- Assignment: invitation or contract, work scope, dates and location, with supporting project information.
- Support and travel: how the stay will be funded, where you will stay, and the intended arrangements after the assignment.
- Personal requirements: review health, character and immigration history, plus documents for any accompanying family. Respond to additional requests as instructed.
- Document quality: check that records agree with one another, remain legible, and have appropriate English translations where needed.
From project assessment to travel
Use the project deadline to plan preparation, not to assume a decision date. The official processing-time guide reflects recently decided applications and does not predict the outcome or timing of an individual case.
- 1. Assess the activity. Separate business meetings, productive work, training and any entertainment duties in the itinerary.
- 2. Build the evidence. Reconcile the business explanation, specialist background, project schedule and personal circumstances.
- 3. Prepare and lodge through ImmiAccount. Check the current charge, attach the relevant evidence, and keep the application reference and submitted copy.
- 4. Track correspondence. Respond to requests and report relevant changes. Keep the business informed if project dates or duties need to move.
- 5. Check the written grant before deployment. Confirm entry arrangements, stay period and conditions, then make a clear plan for compliance and departure.
Stay, travel and work limits
The granted stay starts at first entry. Leaving and returning does not restart it. A grant may allow one entry or multiple entries, and the first-entry deadline may be shorter than six months after grant. Read the actual grant rather than assuming the maximum period applies.
This visa cannot be extended. The primary holder's work is restricted to the approved work or activities. A No Further Stay condition may also be imposed. If the assignment changes, seek advice before undertaking different duties or relying on another application.
VEVO shows the current visa's expiry, entry deadline, stay period and conditions. Keep the grant and a current check available to the person coordinating the assignment.
Illustrative scenarios
These hypothetical examples explain assessment questions. They are not client cases, eligibility decisions or predictions of approval.
- Equipment commissioning: an overseas manufacturer proposes sending an engineer who helped develop a specialist production unit. A four-week commissioning and handover plan would need evidence of that expertise, the on-site need and the project's endpoint.
- Urgent technical fault: a business wants a specialist to diagnose a proprietary control-system failure. Urgency does not replace evidence. Explain the particular technical knowledge required and the repair scope, and keep the timetable realistic.
- A recurring vacancy: a company proposes three-month visits by the same person to run its normal operations throughout the year. The recurring work raises a substantive non-ongoing-work question; consider an appropriate employment pathway before using short contracts.
- Meetings followed by installation: negotiations may be business visitor activities, while installing the customer's equipment involves a different assessment. Describe both parts of the trip so the visa can be assessed against the complete itinerary.
Budgeting and timing
Check the Home Affairs pricing estimator close to lodgement, using the intended application date and the correct applicant details. Government charges, any applicable concessions and additional applicant charges can change. Allow separately for costs relevant to the case, such as document preparation and professional assistance.
No processing period or visa outcome is guaranteed. If the business has a fixed shutdown, installation or launch date, discuss a fallback plan before making commitments that depend on the visa being granted.
How we can help
Discuss the assignment with Ausdirect before choosing a visa. An assessment can examine the proposed duties, project timetable, specialist background, employer evidence and any issues that call for a different pathway.
Questions to consider
Does the Australian business have to become an approved sponsor?
Subclass 400 does not have the formal employer sponsorship and nomination stages used for subclass 482. The employer or host must still provide a credible explanation and evidence of the assignment. Support for the application is different from an approved sponsorship.
Is a six-month stay available for every project?
No. It depends on the circumstances and the period granted. Requests beyond three months generally need a strong business case. Explain the schedule and why the requested time is necessary; do not treat the maximum as the default.
Can my family accompany me?
Eligible family members can be included when applying and must meet the relevant requirements. Accompanying family members cannot work. Home Affairs also restricts their study, with an exception for a language training program. Check the proposed family arrangements before applying.
Can I use a business visitor visa because I am paid overseas?
Where payment comes from is not a substitute for assessing the activity. Business visitor permission does not cover working for or providing services to an Australian organisation. Give a complete description of what you will actually do while in Australia.
What if the project runs late or the work changes?
Get advice before the approved arrangements or visa limits are exceeded. Check the grant conditions, the revised duties and the reasons for delay. A new contract or an application for another visa does not itself authorise additional work or extra time in Australia.
Does this visa provide a route to permanent residence?
Subclass 400 is a temporary assignment visa. Any later skilled or employer-sponsored pathway needs its own eligibility assessment. Do not build an application around an undisclosed plan to continue the same work beyond the non-ongoing assignment.
Are the examples on this page enough to establish eligibility?
No. They are illustrations, not a complete statement of the law. The actual work, applicant history and supporting evidence must be assessed together. This page is general information and does not replace advice on a particular application.
Your next step
Prepare a short project brief with the work location, proposed dates, specialist's CV and the business's reason for needing them in Australia. Ask Ausdirect to assess the appropriate pathway before committing to deployment.