The Subclass 400 visa lets a genuine specialist come to Australia for short, non ongoing work, generally up to three months, occasionally six, when the specific skills involved simply aren’t available locally.
subclass visa 400 Australia: What It Actually Covers
It is built for one narrow situation. A business has a defined, finite task, commissioning imported machinery, a technical fix, a short consulting engagement, and needs a specific overseas individual, not just anyone with similar qualifications, to do it. There’s no Standard Business Sponsorship, no nomination stage, and no occupation list. Instead, the Australian organisation writes an invitation letter explaining the work and why this particular person is needed rather than a locally available alternative.
This distinction matters more than it might seem. Every other employer visa in Australia builds its case through formal sponsorship and nomination evidence. This one rests almost entirely on that single invitation letter, which is exactly why a vague, generic version of it is one of the most common reasons applications run into trouble.
Who Is Eligible
You generally need skills, knowledge or experience that are genuinely scarce in the Australian labour market, work that is non ongoing and realistically finishable within six months, and a formal invitation letter from the Australian business. You also need to apply from outside Australia, since this visa is generally not available to onshore applicants, and enough financial capacity to support yourself and any accompanying family, since they cannot work in Australia while you complete the assignment.
Cost and Processing Time
The base charge currently sits at 310 Australian dollars, considerably less than employer sponsored options, since there’s no sponsorship overhead attached. Processing is fast by Australian standards too. Around 90 percent of applications are decided within 20 days, provided the application is genuinely complete when lodged. Incomplete applications, or ones missing clear evidence of the specialist threshold, take considerably longer and are the single biggest self inflicted delay applicants create.
Duration: Three Months or Six
Three months is the default assumption, and most straightforward, well scoped engagements fit comfortably within it. Six months is available, but only with a genuine business case explaining why three isn’t enough, generally tied to project scale, defined milestones, or broader significance to the business or local community. It cannot be extended once granted, and total time across one or more Subclass 400 visas is capped within any twelve month period, so it isn’t a way to cover an ongoing role through repeated short stays.
What It Isn’t For
If the role is genuinely ongoing, even for a highly specialised position, this is the wrong visa. Using it to quietly cover a permanent staffing gap through repeated applications invites scrutiny and can complicate future applications. That situation belongs under the Subclass 482 Visa instead. And if your visitor won’t actually be performing any work at all, just attending meetings, negotiating a deal, or exploring a partnership, the Business Visitor visa is the simpler, correct option, since it doesn’t permit work but also doesn’t require any of the specialist evidence this visa does.
Quick Answer
What is the Subclass 400 visa. A temporary visa for genuinely short term, highly specialised, non ongoing work in Australia, generally three months, occasionally six.
Who needs it. Overseas specialists brought in for a defined task an Australian business genuinely cannot source locally.
How much does it cost. 310 dollars as the base government charge, with no sponsorship or levy costs attached.
How fast is it processed. About 90 percent of applications are decided within 20 days when the application is complete.
Can it be extended. No. It’s a single point visa, so a fresh application is needed if the work runs long.
How Migration Republic Can Help
We are MARA registered migration agents who assess honestly whether the Subclass 400 genuinely fits your situation, and prepare the invitation letter and evidence that actually carries the case. Full eligibility detail sits on our Subclass 400 Visa page, and the official Department of Home Affairs page sets out the current legislative position.
Book a Consultation with Migration Republic today, or Contact Us with any questions.
