Brisbane 2032.Six years of building,seventeen days of Games,and a visa for each.
The Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games run from 23 July to 8 August 2032, with the Paralympic Games following. The Games themselves are a 408 and visitor visa exercise for athletes, officials, crews and fans. The six years before them are a workforce exercise: venues, transport, accommodation and hospitality across South East Queensland, staffed through the 482, 494 and DAMA pathways, with the permanent 858 for elite coaching and sports science talent.
Government charges, Brisbane 2032
- Days to the opening ceremony23 July to 8 August 20322,145 days
- 408 Temporary Activity, each athlete, official or crew memberSporting or endorsed events stream, stays to four years$535
- 482 Skills in Demand, each sponsored workerbuild-up workforce, Core Skills threshold $79,423$4,015
- 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional, each workerregional Queensland outside Brisbane$6,140
- 858 National Innovation visa, main applicantelite coaching and sports science talent, permanent$6,235
- 600 Visitor, business visitor streamcommittees, sponsors, guests$250
- ETA 601 or eVisitor 651fans with eligible passports$0
As at 1 July 2026. Employer sponsorship, nomination and Skilling Australians Fund charges apply on the 482 and 494. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted in writing.
Athletes on the 408 in 2032. Workers on the 482 and 494 from now.
Athletes, team officials, technical officials and crews at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games use the subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa at $535 each, with stays to four years under the Australian Government Endorsed Events stream where the Department confirms it. The construction, infrastructure and hospitality workforce needed from 2026 to 2032 is sponsored on the subclass 482 at $4,015, the regional 494 at $6,140 outside Brisbane, and DAMA labour agreements in the Queensland regions that hold one, while coaches and sports scientists of international standing can apply for the permanent 858 at $6,235.
Verified as at 1 July 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs pages for subclasses 408, 482, 494, 858, 600, 601 and 651, the published Games dates and the current Queensland DAMA list.
Which visa do I need? 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.
The Games start in 2032. The hiring starts now.
Venues, transport, athlete accommodation and hospitality capacity across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and regional Queensland all need people before the first athlete lands. Australian employers who cannot fill roles locally have four sponsored routes.
How employer sponsorship works
- 01
482 Skills in Demand: the core route
Site managers, engineers, electricians, plumbers, chefs and hospitality managers on the Core Skills Occupation List, paid at least $79,423, sponsored by an approved Australian employer for up to four years. $4,015 per worker, with a pathway to permanent residence through the 186 after 2 years. Specialist roles paid $146,576 or more use the Specialist Skills stream. Subclass 482.
- 02
494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional: outside Brisbane
The Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Cairns and Townsville are designated regional areas. Brisbane itself is not. Employers there can use the 494 at $6,140, a five-year visa with a permanent pathway through the 191 after three years of regional work. Subclass 494.
- 03
DAMA: regional concessions by agreement
Designated Area Migration Agreements let employers in a covered region sponsor under concessions on occupation, salary, English and age. Queensland's agreements cover Far North Queensland and Townsville at the time of writing; Brisbane and the Gold Coast do not have one. Check the current list before planning around it. Employers apply through the regional body, then nominate under the 482 or 494 labour agreement stream.
- 04
Working holiday makers: the hospitality bench
Bars, hotels, restaurants and event operations across Queensland already rely on 417 and 462 holders. They cannot be sponsored on that visa, but a working holiday maker who proves themselves can be moved to a 482 or 494 by the same employer. Working holiday visas.
- 05
858 National Innovation visa: the elite tier
High performance directors, coaches, sports scientists and sports medicine specialists with an internationally recognised record can apply for the permanent 858 at $6,235, nominated by an Australian organisation or an individual of national reputation. It replaced the Global Talent visa in December 2024. Subclass 858.
- 06
Employer obligations do not pause for the Games
Every 482 and 494 nomination carries the $420 sponsorship, the nomination charge, the Skilling Australians Fund levy and ongoing sponsor obligations. Labour market testing of 28 days applies unless an exemption or agreement covers the role. Plan the compliance calendar with the hiring calendar.
Who needs which visa when the Games arrive.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games bring the largest delegation Australia will host in this period, and most of it fits the same four visas as any world cup.
The subclass 408 in detail- 01
Athletes, team officials and technical officials: 408
National teams, coaches, medical staff, chefs de mission, judges, referees and classifiers use the 408. If the Department confirms the Games as an Australian Government Endorsed Event, that stream allows stays to four years on the organising committee's support. Otherwise the Sporting Activities stream with a sponsor applies. $535 each.
- 02
Ceremony performers and production crews: 408 Entertainment
Performers, choreographers, directors and technical crews for the ceremonies use the 408 Entertainment Activities stream sponsored by the Australian producer, or the endorsed events stream where it applies.
- 03
Broadcast and technical specialists: 400
Crews employed by rights-holding broadcasters and overseas suppliers on assignments of under three months use the 400 at $535. Longer Games-time contracts with an Australian employer need the 482. Subclass 400.
- 04
Committees, federations, sponsors and guests: 600 business visitor
Attending, hosting, negotiating and attending sessions of international bodies are business visitor activities. The 600 business visitor stream is $250; eligible passports use a free ETA or eVisitor. No paid work. Subclass 600.
- 05
Spectators: ETA, eVisitor or 600 tourist
Fans from eligible countries apply online for a free ETA 601 or eVisitor 651. Everyone else applies for the 600 tourist stream at $250. Apply before paying for flights, tickets and accommodation. ETA and eVisitor.
Counting back from 23 July 2032, and forward from today.
Planning guidance from sponsorship work we have run, not Department processing times. Processing times vary and are published monthly. Decision-ready applications move faster.
| Group | Visa | Start planning |
|---|---|---|
| Construction and infrastructure employers | 482 at $4,015, 494 at $6,140, DAMA where covered | Now: sponsorship approval two to four months, nominations one to two, visas one to three, so six to nine months per hire |
| Hospitality and accommodation employers | 482, 494, working holiday makers moving to sponsorship | Twelve months before each opening or expansion |
| Elite coaching and sports science talent | 858 at $6,235 | Twelve months or more before the intended start; nominator first |
| Organising committee and federations | Temporary activities sponsorship, $420, or endorsed events confirmation | 2030 to 2031, allow two to four months |
| National teams, officials and classifiers | 408, $535 each | Nominations from early 2032, visas by April 2032; earlier for training camps |
| Ceremony and production crews | 408 Entertainment | Visas by March 2032 |
| Broadcast and technical crews | 400, $535 each | Two to three months before travel |
| Committees, sponsors and guests | 600 business visitor, $250 | Two to three months before travel |
| Spectators | ETA, eVisitor or 600 tourist | Two to three months before travel, before non-refundable bookings |
Sponsorship approval, nominations and visa applications each take their own time. Health examinations and character checks add to it for some nationalities. Games-time visa arrangements will be announced closer to 2032 and may change the picture for accredited participants.
What a team and a build-up crew cost in government charges.
Model a national team on the 408 and a sponsored construction or hospitality crew on the 482. Government charges only. The Skilling Australians Fund levy shown is the per-year rate for a business with turnover under ten million dollars. Health insurance, police clearances and our fixed professional fee are additional.
As at 1 July 2026. Each field caps at twenty. The levy is $1,200 per year for smaller businesses and $1,800 per year for turnover of ten million dollars or more, multiplied by the years nominated.
Sponsor once, nominate each role, keep the file clean to 2032.
Employers who start now carry their sponsorship through the whole build-up. Employers who start in 2031 compete for the same processing queue as everyone else.
Standard business sponsorship
The employer applies once to be a standard business sponsor, $420, valid five years. Lawful operation, a genuine business and a record of training and paying Australians properly. A sponsor approved in 2026 renews once before the Games.
Nomination for each role
Each position is nominated with the occupation, the salary at or above $79,423, labour market testing of 28 days within the last 4 months unless exempt, and the levy. Regional employers use the 494 nomination instead. DAMA employers nominate under the labour agreement stream with the agreed concessions.
Visa application
The worker applies with skills, English, health and character evidence. $4,015 on the 482, $6,140 on the 494, with family members at $4,015 per adult and $1,005 per child on the 482.
Retention through the Games
A 482 holder becomes eligible for the permanent 186 after 2 years with the sponsor, under age 45 unless exempt. A 494 holder reaches the 191 after three years in the region. Employers who plan the permanent pathway keep the crew to 2032 and beyond.
Games-time top-up
In 2032 the same sponsor adds short-term specialists on the 400 and Games participants on the 408 without starting from scratch, because the sponsorship and the compliance record are already in place.
Brisbane 2032 visas, answered plainly.
What visa do Olympic and Paralympic athletes need for Brisbane 2032?
The subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa, $535 per person. If the Department confirms the Games as an Australian Government Endorsed Event, that stream applies with stays to four years on the organising committee's support. Otherwise the Sporting Activities stream with an Australian sponsor applies. Specific Games-time arrangements for accredited participants will be announced closer to 2032.
How do construction companies bring in workers for Brisbane 2032 venues?
By becoming a standard business sponsor and nominating each role on the subclass 482 at $4,015 per worker, with the salary at or above $79,423 and the Skilling Australians Fund levy. Employers on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and in regional Queensland can use the 494 at $6,140. Allow six to nine months from sponsorship to arrival as planning guidance.
Is there a DAMA for Brisbane?
Not at the time of writing. Queensland's Designated Area Migration Agreements cover Far North Queensland and Townsville. Brisbane and the Gold Coast rely on the standard 482 and, outside Brisbane, the 494. Check the Department's current DAMA list before planning around concessions, because agreements are added and renewed.
Can hospitality businesses sponsor working holiday makers before the Games?
Not on the working holiday visa itself, but a 417 or 462 holder who has proven themselves can be nominated by the same employer on the 482 or 494 in a skilled occupation such as chef, cook or hotel manager. That is the most common way Queensland hospitality employers convert a good temporary worker into a long-term one.
What is the 858 and who in sport qualifies?
The subclass 858 National Innovation visa is a permanent visa for people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement, nominated by an Australian organisation or an individual of national reputation. In sport that means high performance directors, elite coaches, sports scientists and sports medicine specialists. $6,235 for the main applicant. It replaced the Global Talent visa in December 2024.
When should an employer start hiring for the Games?
Now, if the roles are needed before 2032. Sponsorship approval takes two to four months, nominations one to two and visas one to three, as planning guidance rather than processing times. A 482 worker hired in 2026 reaches the permanent 186 pathway after 2 years, well before the opening ceremony.
Can fans get a free visa for Brisbane 2032?
Fans with an eligible passport apply online for a free ETA 601 or eVisitor 651, allowing visits of up to three months. Other passports apply for the subclass 600 tourist stream at $250. Apply before booking non-refundable travel because grant is not automatic and demand will be high.
Where this visa connects.
- 482Open
Skills in Demand visa
The core sponsored route for the Games build-up workforce.
- 494Open
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
Sponsored workers on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and in regional Queensland.
- 858Open
National Innovation visa
Permanent residence for elite coaches and sports scientists of international standing.
- 408Open
Temporary Activity visa
The visa athletes, officials and crews will hold in 2032.
Building a workforce or a team for Brisbane 2032?
One consultation maps every role to the right visa, sets the sponsorship calendar from now to the opening ceremony and gives you a fixed fee for the whole plan.