Australian Subclass 400, 408 & 482 Work Visas
You are a New Zealand employer needing to send your worker to Australia, but you’re unsure which visa is the best option.
Here’s some tips and information to help you and your employee decide which visa to apply for.
Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (subclass 400)
This visa is for people who need to travel to Australia to do short-term, highly specialised & non-ongoing work OR participate in an activity/work relating to Australia’s interests.
The employee will need to be invited or supported by the company they will be working for while in Australia. Basically, this means that you need to provide confirmation that you will continue to employ and pay your employee while they are in Australia.
Also, your employee needs to show they have the rights skills, knowledge and experience needed to do the work in Australia.
The length of time spent in Australia is up to 3 months but in some cases, they will grant up to 6 months for exceptional circumstances.
Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408)
This visa is for people who need to travel to Australia on a temporary basis to undertake any of the following activities: Australian research project, entertainment industry, on invitation by an Australian organisation, staff exchange arrangement, high-level sports competition or training, youth exchange, cultural enrichment, full time religious work, superyacht crew member, some domestic work, government endorsed event.
The applicant will need to have the right skills to undertake the activity in Australia and they will also need to be supported or sponsored.
In some cases there are additional requirements that need to be met, depending on what stream the applicant applies for.
The length of time allowed also depends on which stream is applied for.
There is more information available on the Department of Home Affairs website on the 408 visa.
Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482), referred to as the TSS visa
This visa enables Australian employers to hire genuinely skilled workers that they can’t source in Australia. It means that overseas workers can work in Australia for a nominated employer providing they hold the relevant skills and work experience to do the work.
The TSS visa is an employer nominated visa which means the employer will need to be an approved sponsor and have the sponsorship nomination approved before the visa application can be lodged. I know this sounds like a really long process but not necessarily, if the employer is already an approved sponsor the whole process could be completed within a short time frame.
The length of time allowed also depends on which stream is applied for.
More information available on the Department of Home Affairs website on the 482 visa.
Find out the requirements for YOUR application, everyone’s application is different.
I have extensive experience in Australian visas so please get in contact with me so that I can assess your options before you lodge an application.
Sue Ellis
0064 9 281 3372
Please note that although we strive to provide accurate information at all times, immigration policy and regulations change. Therefore, this information should not be used to confirm your eligibility for any specific visa. Please speak with us prior to considering lodging a visa application so we can assess your unique circumstances and visa options.
Click HERE if you are just starting out and seeking helpful information to get started!
