Australia Work visa
The 430 AUD fee shown here aligns with subclass 400 — the Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa — designed for short-term, highly specialised, non-ongoing engagements with an Australian host. Decisions on routine cases usually arrive in 2–7 days through ImmiAccount, although biometrics, medicals, and police clearances can pause the clock. Subclass 400 is capped at six months and does not lead automatically into a longer skilled stream; longer engagements normally require subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) or sponsorship under the 186 or 494 streams, with substantially higher fees and timelines. The application centres on a clear engagement description, the applicant's specialist credentials, and a host willing to confirm the role's specifics. Working before the grant — including remote work for an Australian client — breaches conditions and risks cancellation, so the visa should be in hand before any paid activity begins.
| Visa required | Varies — verify on the official source |
|---|---|
| e-Visa available | No |
| Processing time | 90–180 days (source) |
| Visa fee | 3,210 AUD (source) |
Official resources
Requirements
Subclass 400 eligibility
- Hold a clear, time-limited engagement from an Australian host — short-term, highly specialised, and non-ongoing in nature.
- Demonstrate that the engagement could not readily be filled by an Australian worker, with evidence of the applicant's specialist credentials.
- Hold qualifications, certifications, or professional memberships that match the role being taken up.
- Hold a passport with sufficient validity beyond the planned engagement period.
- Meet character requirements; declare prior refusals, overstays, criminal history, and provide police certificates from countries of long residence.
- Meet health requirements through Bupa Medical Visa Services or panel physicians where triggered.
- Provide biometrics at a Visa Application Centre where required.
- Comply with the engagement-specific conditions on the grant; the 400 caps stay at six months and is not designed for ongoing employment.
Documents checklist
The 400 stream relies on a clear, time-limited engagement, so documents fall into two camps: the role itself and the applicant's specialist credentials.
- Passport bio page with sufficient validity beyond the planned engagement.
- Letter from the Australian host setting out role, duration, and project context.
- Detailed CV linking the applicant's experience to the project's specialist needs.
- Evidence of qualifications (degrees, certifications, professional memberships) — apostilled where the source country requires it.
- Itinerary showing arrival, project location, and departure dates.
- Evidence of accommodation in Australia for the engagement period.
- Police clearance certificates from each country lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years.
- Health examinations through panel physicians or Bupa Medical Visa Services where required.
- Bank statements demonstrating ability to support the stay if the host is not paying directly.
- Travel insurance covering medical and repatriation costs.
- Tax-residency or contract documentation, depending on whether the applicant is paid in Australia.
Application steps
- Secure a clear, time-limited engagement from an Australian host, with project scope, duration, and host details documented in writing — subclass 400 is intended for short-term, highly specialised, non-ongoing work.
- Open or sign in to ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs portal.
- Start a new subclass 400 application and complete the form, providing role description, project context, and qualifications.
- Pay the 430 AUD application fee through ImmiAccount; card, BPay, UnionPay, and PayPal are accepted.
- Upload supporting documents: passport bio page, host letter, CV, qualification evidence, accommodation arrangements, and itinerary. Add police clearances and health-examination evidence where requested.
- Attend a Visa Application Centre for biometric collection (fingerprints and photo) where required, which pauses the 2–7 day clock.
- Complete a health examination through Bupa Medical Visa Services or panel physicians if the engagement length or country of residence triggers it.
- Wait for the grant notice in the ImmiAccount inbox — typically inside 2–7 days for routine cases — and confirm the conditions, including the six-month maximum stay.
- Travel to Australia using the passport linked to the digital grant, ensuring all paid activity stays within the engagement described in the application.
Processing time
90–180 days (source) (typical). Processing times may vary.
Visa cost
Fee (from our data): 3,210 AUD (source) . Fees are subject to change; check the official source before applying.
The 430 AUD figure shown here aligns with short-stay work streams such as subclass 400; it pays for the Department of Home Affairs assessment of the engagement, the applicant's expertise, and the supporting employer or host documentation.
Biometrics at a VAC, medicals, police certificates, courier handling, and any priority service are extra and are charged by the provider performing the work. ImmiAccount accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, BPay, UnionPay, and PayPal, and refunds are not standard once the file is in queue.
Australian visa fees are revised periodically, so the current 430 AUD amount should be verified on the Home Affairs schedule before submitting.
Common mistakes to avoid
The 2–7 day window and 430 AUD fee referenced here apply to short-stay specialist work streams such as subclass 400 — they do not apply to longer skilled streams like the 482 or 186, which take months and cost several times more.
- Confusing subclass 400 with the longer skilled programs. The 400 covers short-term, highly specialised, non-ongoing work; misclassifying ongoing employment under the 400 is a common cause of refusal and re-lodgement.
- Lodging without a clear, time-limited Australian engagement. Officers expect a specific project, fixed dates, and a host organisation. Vague consulting descriptions invite refusal.
- Underestimating the highly specialised threshold. Generic skill claims fail; supply qualifications, prior project work, or evidence that the skill is not readily available locally.
- Letting the 2–7 day estimate dictate travel bookings. The window assumes a complete file with sponsor letter, project scope, and CV — anything missing pushes the case to manual review and adds weeks.
- Forgetting the 6-month maximum on subclass 400. If the engagement extends, you cannot simply stay on — plan an exit or transition to a longer stream before the visa expires.
- Working before the grant. Entering on a tourist or visitor stream and starting paid work while the 400 is pending breaches conditions and risks cancellation.
- Ignoring tax and superannuation obligations. Even short-stay paid work in Australia may trigger PAYG tax and super contributions; line that up with your employer before arrival.
Country context & recent trends
The 2–7 day window quoted here applies to the short-stay 400 stream — long-form work visas (482, 186, 494) follow separate timelines, sponsorship and labour-market checks, and far higher charges. The 430 AUD fee on the 400 stream covers the assessment but excludes biometrics, medicals, and translation.
Recent rule changes
Australia revised the salary threshold (TSMIT) in mid-2023 and again in 2024, and the planned conversion of subclass 482 into the Skills in Demand visa shifts how non-400 streams are assessed. For the 400 stream specifically, the highly specialised standard has been applied more strictly since 2023.
Peak periods
Quarterly project surges and end-of-financial-year audits push subclass 400 lodgement spikes in May–June and November–December. VAC slots for biometrics tighten in those months in major regional centres; book early to keep the 2–7 day window realistic.
How it compares to nearby destinations
For short-stay specialist work engagements in Asia-Pacific, applicants often compare subclass 400 with similar short-stay work products in nearby economies.
| Destination | Visa required | Typical processing | Indicative fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (subclass 400) | Yes | 2–7 days | 430 AUD |
| New Zealand (Specific Purpose Work Visa) | Yes | ~ 4 weeks | ~ 850 NZD |
| Singapore (Employment Pass) | Yes | ~ 3–8 weeks | ~ 105 SGD + ~ 225 SGD on issuance |
| Japan (Designated Activities Visa) | Yes | ~ 4–6 weeks | ~ 6,000 JPY (revenue stamp) |
Australia's subclass 400 is among the fastest in the region for genuinely short-term specialist work, although the six-month maximum and the highly specialised standard limit its use.
Frequently asked questions
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Which Australian work visa does the 430 AUD fee correspond to?
The 430 AUD figure aligns with the short-stay subclass 400 stream — Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist). Longer skilled streams such as the 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage / Skills in Demand), 186 (ENS), and 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) follow separate fee schedules at substantially higher amounts.
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How long does a subclass 400 application typically take?
Routine subclass 400 cases decide within 2–7 days, assuming the host letter, CV, and supporting evidence are complete at lodgement. Files missing biometrics, medicals, or police certificates extend by weeks, and complex engagements can be referred for officer review.
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Can I bring my family with me on a 400 visa?
Family members can be included on the same application as secondary applicants, with their own per-person fee and identity evidence. Their grant period mirrors the primary holder's, and work or study rights for dependants on subclass 400 are limited compared with longer skilled streams.
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What if my 400 application is refused?
Subclass 400 refusals offshore typically have no AAT merits review, so re-lodgement after addressing the specific concerns is the practical path. Common refusal reasons are weak evidence of specialist expertise or an engagement that looks ongoing rather than time-limited; both should be cleared before re-applying.
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Can I work for any employer once I arrive?
The subclass 400 grant is normally tied to the engagement described in the application, so paid work outside that engagement breaches the visa conditions. A change of host, role, or assignment scope generally requires a new application rather than a variation of the existing visa.
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Are biometrics or medicals required?
Biometric collection at a VAC is required for many nationalities, and Bupa Medical Visa Services examinations are triggered where the engagement length, country of residence, or work nature applies. Both pause the 2–7 day assessment clock until results are received, so schedule them as soon as the application is lodged.
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Can I extend my stay on a 400 visa?
The subclass 400 has a six-month maximum stay and is not designed for extension; longer engagements require a transition to a different visa, typically subclass 482 or its successor. Plan the transition before the 400 expires, because overstaying breaches conditions and complicates future Australian applications.