Subclass 400 vs 482 Visa
Before an employer even gets to comparing the Subclass 400 and 482 visas properly, most face a more basic question they never realise they are actually asking. Is this genuinely a task, or is it genuinely a job. Get that one distinction right and the rest of the decision, cost, timing, paperwork, mostly answers itself. Get it wrong, and even a technically well prepared application can create problems that outlast the visa decision itself.
The One Question That Decides Everything
Every other factor in this comparison, cost, paperwork, processing speed, flows from a single underlying test. Is the work non ongoing, meaning it has a genuine, finite endpoint tied to a specific task, or is it ongoing, meaning the business genuinely needs someone in that role indefinitely.
A machinery commissioning job that wraps up once the equipment is running belongs to the first category. A software developer filling a permanent seat on an engineering team belongs to the second, no matter how technically specialised their skills happen to be. The Subclass 400 exists exclusively for the first category. The Subclass 482 exists for the second. Confusing the two, in either direction, is where most avoidable problems in this entire comparison actually originate.
Where the Business Visitor Visa Fits Into This Comparison
There is a third option worth ruling out before comparing the 400 and 482 visas properly, since it catches out businesses more often than either of the two work visas themselves. The Business Visitor visa, Subclass 600, and its related ETA and eVisitor categories, permit business activities such as attending meetings, negotiating contracts, or attending conferences, but they do not permit any work at all, paid or unpaid, for an Australian organisation.
If your overseas visitor is genuinely just attending meetings or exploring a potential partnership, the Business Visitor visa is the correct, and considerably simpler, option. If they are going to actually perform work, commission equipment, deliver training, or contribute technical output, even briefly, neither the Business Visitor visa nor its exemptions apply, and you are firmly back to choosing between the Subclass 400 and 482 visas instead.
Side by Side Comparison
| Feature | Subclass 400 | Subclass 482 |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Genuinely short term, non ongoing, specialised work | Ongoing skilled employment |
| Sponsorship | Invitation letter, no formal sponsorship | Standard Business Sponsorship required |
| Occupation list | Not applicable | Core Skills Occupation List, or none for Specialist Skills stream |
| Base visa cost | 310 dollars | Several thousand dollars, including the Skilling Australians Fund levy |
| Typical duration | Up to 3 months, exceptionally up to 6 | Up to 4 years |
| Onshore application | Not permitted | Permitted in many cases |
| Extension | Not extendable | Renewable |
| Processing | Often within 20 days | Varies by stream, sometimes several months |
| PR pathway | None | Yes, via Subclass 186 |
| Family work rights | Not permitted | Generally permitted |
Eligibility Requirements Compared
The 482 visa asks whether your occupation sits on the correct list, whether your salary clears the relevant threshold, and whether the sponsoring business holds Standard Business Sponsorship approval. Full detail on these requirements sits on our Subclass 482 Visa page.
The 400 visa asks a completely different question. It does not care about occupation lists or salary thresholds at all. It cares whether the applicant’s specific skills, knowledge or experience are genuinely scarce in the Australian labour market, and whether the work is genuinely finite. Full eligibility detail sits on our Subclass 400 Visa page and our broader Subclass 400 guide.
Cost Compared
The gap here is considerable, and it reflects how differently the two visas are structured rather than one being simply cheaper than the other for the same service.
The 400 visa’s base charge of 310 dollars reflects the absence of any sponsorship or nomination stage. The 482 visa’s total cost, once Standard Business Sponsorship, nomination charges and the Skilling Australians Fund levy are added to the visa application charge itself, typically runs into several thousand dollars for even a modest nomination period. This is not a flaw in the 482 visa. It reflects the genuine additional infrastructure, ongoing compliance obligations, and pathway to permanent residency that a temporary, single point visa like the 400 simply does not carry.
Processing Time Compared
This is one of the starkest differences between the two visas, and it often drives employers toward the 400 visa purely for speed, sometimes incorrectly.
Around 90 percent of Subclass 400 applications are processed within 20 days. Subclass 482 processing varies considerably by stream, with Specialist Skills stream cases sometimes moving quickly, while Core Skills stream cases can take considerably longer, occasionally stretching toward several months. Speed alone, however, is never a good enough reason to choose the 400 visa for what is actually an ongoing role. A fast visa granted for the wrong purpose creates a bigger problem than a slower visa granted for the right one.
Work Restrictions and Conditions Compared
The two visas restrict what the worker can actually do in quite different ways.
A 400 visa holder is tied strictly to the specific activity described in their invitation letter, cannot change their designation during their stay, and generally cannot have accompanying family members work in Australia at all. A 482 visa holder is tied to their nominated occupation and sponsoring employer, but has a genuine pathway to change employers through a fresh nomination if their circumstances change, and their family members generally can work and study in Australia during the visa period. The 482 visa’s conditions reflect an ongoing, settled arrangement. The 400 visa’s conditions reflect a deliberately temporary, tightly scoped one.
Real Scenarios and Which Visa Actually Fits
A European equipment manufacturer sending a technician to commission newly installed machinery, wrapping up in six weeks, fits the 400 visa cleanly.
A technology company needing a permanent software engineer to fill an ongoing vacancy, even where that engineer holds genuinely rare technical skills, fits the 482 visa, not the 400, since the role itself is ongoing regardless of how scarce the skill set is.
A construction firm bringing in an overseas engineer for a defined project phase, expected to run four months with a clear handover point at the end, sits closer to the 400 visa, provided the work is genuinely finite and not simply the first phase of what will become an ongoing role.
A business wanting the same type of specialist support repeatedly, quarter after quarter, technically satisfies the letter of the 400 visa each time but should seriously consider whether the underlying need is actually ongoing and better served by 482 sponsorship instead.
What Happens If You Choose the Wrong One
Choosing the 400 visa for what is genuinely an ongoing role invites close scrutiny, particularly if the same individual or role reappears across repeated applications, and can complicate future applications for the business. Choosing the 482 visa for what is genuinely a short, one off task means absorbing Standard Business Sponsorship and nomination overhead, plus a considerably higher cost and longer timeline, for an engagement that never needed that level of infrastructure in the first place.
Neither mistake is catastrophic on its own, but both cost real time and money that a five minute honest assessment at the outset would have avoided entirely.
A Combined Strategy Some Businesses Use
For businesses genuinely uncertain whether a need is temporary or about to become ongoing, a combined approach sometimes makes more sense than committing fully to either pathway upfront.
Bringing a specialist in under the Subclass 400 visa to complete an initial, genuinely finite phase of work, while separately assessing whether the broader role justifies full Subclass 482 sponsorship, lets a business test the actual scope of the need before committing to the considerably larger investment a 482 sponsorship represents. This only works cleanly where the initial 400 engagement is itself genuinely finite and properly scoped, rather than being used as an informal trial period for what everyone already suspects will become an ongoing role, since that framing undermines the non ongoing work test the 400 visa depends on.
How the Genuine Position Test Applies Differently to Each Visa
Both visas ultimately ask the Department to believe the stated purpose of the engagement is genuine, but they test this in quite different ways.
Under the 482 visa, the genuine position test looks at whether the nominated role reflects a real, ongoing operational need within the business, generally supported by evidence of the company’s structure, trading history and staffing pattern. Under the 400 visa, the equivalent scrutiny falls on the invitation letter and the specific task described within it, testing whether the work is genuinely time limited and whether the individual applicant, specifically, is required rather than merely someone with similar general qualifications. Employers moving between the two visa types for different situations should understand that preparing a strong case for one does not automatically prepare them for the other, since the underlying test each visa applies is genuinely different in character, not just in scale.
Common Mistakes We See
- Choosing the 400 visa purely for speed, without honestly assessing whether the underlying role is actually ongoing.
- Assuming a Business Visitor visa covers genuine work activity, when it does not permit any work at all.
- Underestimating how strictly the non ongoing work test is assessed under the 400 visa.
- Building a full 482 sponsorship process around a genuinely one off, short term task that never needed it.
- Using repeated 400 visas to quietly cover what is really a permanent staffing gap.
Expert Tips From Migration Republic
Start with the non ongoing work test honestly, before looking at cost or speed, since this single question determines which visa is even legally available to you.
If your overseas visitor is only attending meetings or exploring a partnership, check the Business Visitor visa first, since it may be the simplest option of all three.
If your need for specialist support is genuinely recurring, treat that as a signal to consider 482 sponsorship, rather than relying on repeated 400 applications.
Get the eligibility question assessed properly before committing to either pathway, since the cost of preparing the wrong application outweighs the cost of a proper initial assessment.
How Migration Republic Can Help
We are MARA registered migration agents who assess honestly which of these pathways genuinely fits your situation, rather than defaulting to whichever visa is fastest or most familiar. We can prepare a strong Subclass 400 case where the work is genuinely short term and specialised, or manage a full Subclass 482 sponsorship where an ongoing role is the better fit.
For deeper detail on either pathway specifically, see our guides to choosing help with a 400 visa and choosing help with a 482 visa.
Key Takeaways
- The core distinction between these two visas is whether the work is genuinely non ongoing or genuinely ongoing, and this determines eligibility before cost or speed even become relevant.
- The Business Visitor visa is a genuine third option when no actual work is involved at all, only meetings or business activities.
- The 400 visa costs 310 dollars and often processes within 20 days, while the 482 visa costs considerably more and involves a longer, more variable timeline.
- Work restrictions differ meaningfully, with the 400 visa tightly scoped to a specific activity and the 482 visa built around a genuine, ongoing employment relationship.
- Choosing the wrong visa for your genuine situation costs real time and money in both directions.
FAQs
Is the Subclass 400 visa cheaper than the Subclass 482 visa? Yes, considerably. The 400 visa’s base charge is 310 dollars, while the 482 visa’s total cost, including sponsorship and levy charges, typically runs into several thousand dollars.
Can I use the Subclass 400 visa for an ongoing role? No. It is specifically designed for genuinely non ongoing, finite work, and using it for an ongoing role can invite scrutiny and complicate future applications.
Which visa processes faster, the 400 or the 482? The Subclass 400 generally processes faster, with around 90 percent of applications finalised within 20 days, while the 482 visa’s timeline varies considerably by stream.
Does the Business Visitor visa allow any work in Australia? No. It permits business activities such as meetings and negotiations, but does not permit any work, paid or unpaid, for an Australian organisation.
Can family members work in Australia on a Subclass 400 visa? No, unlike the Subclass 482 visa, accompanying family members are not permitted to work in Australia under the Subclass 400 visa.
Does the Subclass 400 visa lead to permanent residency? No. Only the Subclass 482 visa offers a pathway toward permanent residency, through the Subclass 186 visa.
How do I know if my situation needs the 400 or the 482 visa? Assess honestly whether the work has a genuine, finite endpoint tied to a specific task, or whether it reflects an ongoing operational need, since this single distinction determines which visa applies.
Can I apply for the Subclass 400 visa from within Australia? Generally no, this visa requires the applicant to be outside Australia at the time of application, unlike the Subclass 482 visa in many circumstances.
Conclusion
The choice between the Subclass 400 and 482 visa rarely comes down to preference. It comes down to an honest answer to one question, whether the work genuinely ends or genuinely continues, with the Business Visitor visa sitting alongside both as the right answer when no actual work is involved at all.
Getting this assessment right from the outset saves considerably more time and cost than either visa’s own paperwork ever will.
If you need help deciding which pathway genuinely fits your situation, our team can help.
We are MARA registered migration agents with a strong focus on employer sponsored and short term specialist visas, including the Subclass 400 Visa and the Subclass 482 Visa.
Book a Consultation with Migration Republic today, or Contact Us with any questions about your specific situation.
