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australia temporary work
(short stay specialist) visa

Undertake key assignments via this short term visa route

Australia’s Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist visa (subclass 400) is for individuals with specialised skills, knowledge or experience not generally available in Australia. The Highly Specialised Work stream of this temporary visa lets you do short-term, highly specialised work in Australia.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for an Australian Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa, you must:

  • Have highly specialised skills, knowledge or experience that can help Australian business and can’t reasonably be found in Australia.
  • Provide proof that you have work in Australia, not in the Australian entertainment industry.
  • Your work in Australia must be ‘non-ongoing’. Non-ongoing work means work that is likely to be completed within 6 months or less, and you do not expect or arrange to stay in Australia after this time for any reason related to that work. 
  • Be able to support yourself and any dependants.

How much it costs

The fee to apply for an Australian Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa is AUD 415 (except in limited circumstances). Please note, government fees are subject to change with short notice.

How to apply

You can apply for this visa online in ImmiAccount. You and anyone included in your visa application must be outside Australia when you apply and when your visa application is decided.

As part of your application, you will need to submit documents to prove your identity and show you have your employer’s support, financial support and recommend health insurance.

Processing times

The average processing time for a Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa is approximately 3-4 weeks. Please note, the actual processing time remains at the discretion of local authorities and may vary.

How long you can stay

With an Australian Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa, you can usually stay in Australia for up to 6 months (depending on the circumstances). Generally, for a stay period longer than 3 months, a strong business case must be provided with the application. 

Your stay period in Australia commences once you arrive and does not restart each time you travel. You cannot apply for this visa in Australia or stay longer by extending this visa. 

Permitted activities

A Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa allows you to: 

  • Work in a temporary, short-term, highly specialised job (the work or activity must be ‘non-ongoing’).
  • bring family members who were granted a visa with you, but they are not allowed to work or study in Australia, except to do a language training program.

How we can help

If you are interested in applying for a visa to work temporarily in Australia and you require support with the application process, Smith Stone Walters can help.

Our immigration experts can assess your eligibility and support you throughout the entire process. To find out more about our immigration services, please contact us today.

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