Melbourne’s year has three fixed points. First, the Australian Open fills January. Then the Formula 1 Grand Prix takes over Albert Park in March. Finally, the Melbourne Cup anchors the first Tuesday in November. Each brings overseas players, drivers, performers, crews and corporate guests. Each also has a visa lead time that runs backwards from the first day on site. A promoter who lodges in the month before the event has already lost the argument with the calendar.
Here is a fictional file we see in different forms every year. A Melbourne promoter books an international headline act for a Grand Prix weekend concert in March. The act’s own production crew of eighteen arrives with them. Then, in mid-February, the artist’s management asks which visa the crew needs. By then the answer is expensive whichever way it goes.
Short answer: Performers and full-tour production staff use the subclass 408 entertainment stream at $535 each, plus $535 per accompanying adult and $135 per child. Many productions also require industry consultation before nomination. Short specialist crews use the subclass 400 at $535. Corporate guests use a $250 subclass 600 business visitor visa, or a free ETA or eVisitor. Lead times are counted in months, not weeks.
The annual calendar and its lead times
The Department publishes processing times monthly, and they move with demand. Therefore, the months below are planning lead times rather than promised processing times. They leave room for a sponsorship step, industry consultation and a request for further information.
- August to SeptemberAustralian Open in January: confirm the sponsor, start industry consultation for entertainment nominations, and map players, entourages and broadcast crews to visas.
- October to NovemberAustralian Open lodgements. Grand Prix in March: confirm acts, teams and crews, and lodge the sponsorship if the promoter is not yet approved.
- December to JanuaryGrand Prix lodgements for performers and production staff on the 408. Subclass 400 applications for short specialist crews.
- February to MarchLate Grand Prix additions on the existing sponsorship. Melbourne Cup in November: begin planning international entries, jockeys, strappers and entertainment.
- June to AugustSpring Racing Carnival and Melbourne Cup lodgements for the 408. Corporate visitor pathways for guests.
- September to OctoberLate Cup additions. Australian Open planning for the following January begins again.
The pattern is that each event’s visa work happens during the previous event. As a result, promoters who run all three treat immigration as a rolling calendar rather than three separate emergencies.
Who needs which visa
Musicians, dancers and touring performers fit the entertainment activities stream of the subclass 408. Tennis players, drivers, jockeys and their direct support staff fit the sporting activities stream. Either way, an approved Australian temporary activities sponsor lodges the sponsorship at $420 and nominates the activity. That sponsor is usually the promoter, the tournament or the racing body.
Lighting, sound, stage and camera staff touring with an act belong in the entertainment stream alongside the performers. The nomination then lists every crew member, their role and the dates. Because the crew arrives and leaves with the tour, one nomination covers the group, and each person pays $535.
A specialist engineer commissioning a system, or a broadcast technician on a short assignment, may fit the subclass 400 at $535. It suits highly specialised work for a short period, usually up to three months, without sponsorship. The Australian organisation supplies a letter explaining why the skills are not available locally.
Sponsors, clients and hospitality guests who attend events and meetings use a visitor pathway. In practice, that means a subclass 600 business visitor visa at $250, or a free ETA or eVisitor for eligible passports. See the 600 visitor visa page. None of these permit work, so a guest who also performs or presents for payment needs a work visa.
Industry consultation in the entertainment stream
The entertainment activities stream carries a requirement that surprises first-time promoters. For many productions, the sponsor must consult the relevant Australian industry body or union before the nomination is lodged. The consultation concerns the engagement of overseas performers or crew and its effect on Australian workers. Evidence of it then forms part of the nomination.
The requirement does not apply to every engagement, and the categories are defined by the Department. However, where it does apply, it adds a step with its own lead time. Consultation should therefore begin as soon as the act is confirmed, not once the visa forms are open. A nomination lodged without the required consultation evidence is refused, and the tour date does not move.
The charges in one table
| Item | Who pays | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary activities sponsorship | Promoter or event body, once, five years | $420 |
| Subclass 408, main applicant | Each performer, athlete or crew member | $535 |
| Subclass 408, adult family member | Applicant | $535 |
| Subclass 408, child under 18 | Applicant | $135 |
| Subclass 400, main applicant | Each short specialist | $535 |
| Subclass 600 business visitor | Each corporate guest | $250 |
| ETA or eVisitor | Eligible passports | $0 |
Charges are Department of Home Affairs figures as at 1 July 2026. In addition, applicants already in Australia on a temporary visa pay a $700 subsequent temporary application charge on a 408.
Touring party cost calculator
Promoter’s pre-lodgement checklist
The 2027 Rugby World Cup and Netball World Cup will sit inside this same calendar. Consequently, the lodgement season will be busier than usual. Our major events page lays out the full schedule, and you can contact us for an annual promoter arrangement.
Frequently asked questions
Does a promoter need a new sponsorship for each event?
No. A temporary activities sponsorship lasts five years and covers every nomination during that period. So a promoter running the Australian Open, Grand Prix and Melbourne Cup programs applies once and nominates per event.
What is industry consultation and who does it?
For many entertainment engagements, the sponsor must consult the relevant Australian industry body or union before nominating overseas performers or crew. The sponsor does it, and evidence of the consultation is then lodged with the nomination.
Can a touring crew use the 400 instead of the 408?
Sometimes, for short and highly specialised work without a sponsor. However, a crew that tours with the act for the full engagement is normally placed on the 408 with the performers. The choice depends on employer, duration and skill.
Can corporate guests present a sponsored session on a business visitor visa?
Attending, negotiating and observing are visitor activities. However, paid performance or presentation as part of a commercial engagement is work, and a work visa is required. Take advice on the specific activity before the guest travels.
How far ahead should a Melbourne Cup entry plan its visas?
Planning should begin in autumn, with lodgements over winter. Processing times are published monthly by the Department and vary, so the timeline is built on lead time rather than on a promised date.
Figures verified against Home Affairs visa pricing as at 1 July 2026.
This article is general information about Australian migration law as at 2 September 2026. It is not legal advice. Figures change each July and eligibility turns on your own facts, so obtain advice before acting.