The engineer, the installer,the expert nobody inAustralia has: here forweeks, not years.
The subclass 400 brings a specialist to Australia for short, highly specialised, non-ongoing work. No sponsorship, no nomination, no levy: a letter from the Australian business and a charge of $535. Stay is normally up to three months, six only with a strong business case. Use it for installations, commissioning, audits and repairs, never to fill a job.
Government charges, subclass 400
- Visa application charge, main applicantboth streams$535
- Each adult dependantcannot work in Australia$535
- Each child under 18$135
- Sponsorship, nomination and SAF levythe 400 has no sponsorNot required
As at 1 July 2026. The applicant must be outside Australia when the visa is lodged and when it is granted. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted in writing.
A short-stay visa for highly specialised, non-ongoing work.
The subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa lets a person do highly specialised, non-ongoing work in Australia for up to three months, or six months in limited cases. The main applicant charge is $535, no sponsorship is needed, and the applicant must be outside Australia when the visa is lodged and when it is granted.
Verified as at 1 July 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs subclass 400 page and Schedule 2 of the Migration Regulations 1994.
Do I qualify? A 30-second check
Answer the questions to see where you stand.
A guide only, not legal advice. The consultation is where the real answer comes from.
Five things every 400 application has to show.
The 400 is decided on paper. The business letter and the evidence of specialisation do almost all of the work, and a thin file is the usual reason for refusal.
Employer sponsorship and short-term options
- 01
Highly specialised skills
Skills, knowledge or experience the Australian business cannot reasonably find in Australia. Product-specific training, manufacturer certification, rare technical experience. A CV alone rarely proves it.
- 02
Non-ongoing work
A task with an end: install, commission, repair under warranty, audit, train local staff on new equipment. If the work is a vacancy with a start date and no end, it is not a 400.
- 03
A stay of three months
Three months is the normal maximum. Six months is granted only where the business case is strong, such as complex commissioning that cannot be split. The visa cannot be extended in Australia.
- 04
The business letter
The Australian business explains the work, why no one local can do it, the dates and who pays. The applicant usually stays employed and paid by the overseas employer.
- 05
Genuine temporary entrant
Funds to support the stay, a reason to leave when the work ends, health and character. Health insurance is strongly recommended because Medicare does not cover most 400 holders.
- 06
Family
A partner and children can be included at $535 and $135 each. They cannot work in Australia.
Scope the work, write the letter, lodge offshore, travel.
There is no sponsorship stage, so the timeline is shorter than the 482 or 408. The trap is booking the specialist's flights before the grant.
Scope the work
Define the task, the dates and the deliverable. If it reads like a job description, stop and consider the 482. If it is a defined event or activity with an Australian host, consider the 408.
The business letter
The Australian business sets out the work, the specialised skills required, why the local market cannot supply them, the dates and who pays. We draft this with the business so it answers the criteria directly.
Evidence of specialisation
CV, qualifications, manufacturer or vendor certifications, a letter from the overseas employer, the contract between the two businesses. This is where most applications are won or lost.
Lodge offshore and wait
The applicant must be outside Australia at lodgement and at grant. Processing times vary and are published monthly. A decision-ready file moves faster. Do not book non-refundable travel before the grant.
After grant
Enter within the window on the grant letter. Work only for the business and the activity described in the application. When the work ends, leave. A further 400 means applying again from outside Australia.
Where the 400 stops and other visas start.
Short-term specialist work sits on the border of five visas. This is how we choose.
| Situation | Usual visa | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Installing or commissioning equipment for six weeks | 400 | Highly specialised, non-ongoing, $535 charge, no sponsor |
| Meetings, negotiations or a site inspection with no hands-on work | 600 Business Visitor, ETA or eVisitor | Business visitor activities only; $250, or free for ETA and eVisitor passports |
| A tour, production, research project or event with an Australian host | 408 | Defined activity up to two years, $535 charge, sponsor or invitation |
| A role that will continue after three months | 482 | Sponsored employment, $4,015 charge plus a $330 nomination and the SAF levy |
| Training an overseas employee in an Australian workplace | 407 | Structured training up to two years, $535 charge, sponsor required |
Charges as at 1 July 2026. The right visa depends on whether the work ends, who pays and whether a sponsor exists.
What a 400 costs.
Government charges only. Health insurance, police clearances where requested and our fixed professional fee are additional.
As at 1 July 2026. No sponsorship, nomination or Skilling Australians Fund levy applies to the 400. Three specialists on the same job are three main applicant charges.
What the host business signs, and what it does not.
The business is not a sponsor, but its letter is the centre of the application and its accuracy matters.
Sponsoring workers in Melbourne- 01
No sponsorship obligations
No standard business sponsorship, no nomination, no SAF levy, no sponsor monitoring. You write the letter and provide the contract or purchase order that explains why the specialist is coming.
- 02
Workplace law still applies
Fair Work and work health and safety obligations apply to anyone working on your site, whoever pays their wages. Rates and conditions for any Australian-paid work must meet Australian standards.
- 03
Repeat use is watched
The 400 is not a rolling arrangement. A specialist returning every quarter for the same business starts to look like a job, and the Department will refuse on that basis.
- 04
When to move to sponsorship
If the need is ongoing, become a standard business sponsor for $420 and use the 482. The 482 leads to permanent residence through the 186 after 2 years.
Subclass 400, answered plainly.
How long can I stay on a 400 visa?
Usually up to three months. Six months is possible only where the business case is strong and the work cannot be shortened. The visa cannot be extended from inside Australia, so plan the work to fit the stay.
Do I need a sponsor for a 400 visa?
No. The Australian business provides a letter and supporting documents, but it does not become a sponsor and pays no nomination charge or SAF levy. The visa application charge is $535.
Can I apply for a 400 visa while I am in Australia?
No. You must be outside Australia when you lodge and when the visa is granted. If you are already here on another visa, the options are a 408 with a sponsor or invitation, or a 482 if the role is ongoing.
Can my family come with me on a 400?
Yes. A partner and children can be included at $535 per adult and $135 per child. They cannot work in Australia. For a stay of three months many families choose visitor visas instead.
What counts as highly specialised work?
Work that needs skills, knowledge or experience not reasonably available in Australia. Typical examples are installing or commissioning proprietary equipment, warranty repairs by the manufacturer, specialist audits and training local staff on a new system. General trade, IT or management work does not qualify.
Can I use a 400 to trial an employee before sponsoring them on a 482?
No. The 400 is for non-ongoing work and a trial for a permanent role is ongoing by nature. Lodge the 482 nomination and visa instead; a decision-ready 482 is the faster route to having the person at work.
What if the 400 is refused?
Because the applicant is outside Australia and there is no sponsor, most 400 refusals cannot be reviewed at the Administrative Review Tribunal. The usual path is to fix the evidence, usually the business letter and proof of specialisation, and lodge again.
Where this visa connects.
- 408Open
Temporary Activity visa
Defined activities with an Australian sponsor or invitation, up to two years.
- 482Open
Skills in Demand visa
Sponsored employment for ongoing roles, with a path to the 186.
- 600Open
Visitor visa
Business visitor activities without work, for meetings and inspections.
- EmployersOpen
Sponsoring workers
Sponsorship, nominations and short-term options for Melbourne businesses.
Need a specialist on site next month?
One consultation confirms the 400 is the right visa, produces the business letter and gives you a fixed fee for the application.