What is Visa 408 Australia?

The subclass 408 visa is a short-term visa intended for eligible applicants to come to Australia to do certain types of activities and work for a minimum period of three (3) months up to four (4) years depending on the stream.

With a visa subclass 408, you can:

  • Stay, live, and work in Australia indefinitely
  • Travel to and from Australia while your visa is valid
  • Bring eligible family members to Australia

Streams Under Temporary Activity Visa 408

There are 10 different activities or streams that you can lodge a 408 visa application, namely:

  • Australian Government-Endorsed Events
  • Sports Activities
  • Special Program
  • Entertainment Industry
  • Religious Work
  • Superyacht Crew
  • Research Activities
  • Exchange Arrangement
  • Invited Participant for Cultural or Social Events
  • Domestic Work for Executives

AU Government-Endorsed Events

If you’re invited to partake in a Government-sponsored event in Australia, you can apply for a visa 408. If you’re a participant in the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit event, it’s free of charge.

  • Have a letter of endorsement from a Government agency
  • Stay in Australia up to 4 years

Special Programs

Youth exchange, cultural enrichment, community programs, and school language volunteering are some of the approved activities that you can participate in with a visa 408.

There are three streams under 186 visa that our immigration law experts can help you process without delay or hassle, which are as follows:

  • Have a letter of invitation to participate
  • Have a sponsor if applying onshore
  • Have a sponsor if applying offshore and intends to stay for more than 3 months

Religious Work

You are allowed to enter the country to serve a religious institution in Australia. Full-time ministry as part of community service is accepted. You can work and stay up to 2 years in the country with your family.

  • Secure an agreement to do full-time religious work
  • Have a sponsor
  • Have a sponsor if applying offshore and plans to stay for more than 3 months

Research Activities

Tertiary education often conducts research activities and invites qualified participants from around the world. The 408 visa is your key to observe or be a direct participant of a research project in Australia.

  • Receive invitation from an Australian tertiary institution
  • You must be an outstanding academic researcher, student, or recent graduate
  • Stay and live in Australia for up to two (2) years

Invited Participant for Cultural or Social Events

Obtain a 408 temporary activity visa if you’re invited to a social or cultural community-based event, including a sports event.

  • Receive invitation to participate in the community-based event
  • Stay and live in Australia for three (3) months with eligible family members

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Sporting Activities

You can get a 408 visa in Australia if you are a professional sports player, coach, or instructor for an Australian team. You can also participate in structured training programs locally and internationally with this visa.

  • You must be an outstanding coach, player, or a sports adjudicator
  • Receive endorsement from or secure a formal agreement with an Australian sporting organisation
  • Stay and live in Australia with eligible family members for up to 2 years

Entertainment Industry

You can come to Australia and stay here temporarily if you work as a professional in the entertainment industry, be it in film, television, or live productions. You must either be a performer or a production staff member.

  • Present a contract or evidence of your temporary activity in Australia
  • You must work in an eligible entertainment sector, government-subsidised or not
  • Stay and live in Australia for up to two (2) years with qualified family members

Superyacht Crew

Secure your Australian 408 visa and experience working as a superyacht crew member and stay here indefinitely with travel and work privileges.

  • Have a contract agreement to work as a superyacht crew member or
  • Have a letter of employment confirming you are a superyacht crew member in Australia
  • Stay and live in Australia with your family members for up to 12 months

Exchange Arrangements

Another stream under subclass visa 408 is a work arrangement where you can partake in a ‘reciprocal staff exchange’ with an approved Australian organisation.

  • You must be skilled and experienced in the position you’re applying or sponsored for
  • Have a written agreement from both organisations stating the purpose, length, and benefit of the exchange arrangement
  • Stay and live in Australia with your family for up to two (2) years

Domestic Work for Executives

Are you skilled and experienced in domestic work? You can apply for a visa 408 and become a domestic worker for senior foreign executives in Australia.

  • You must receive work invitation from a senior foreign executive
  • You must have an employment contract with specified employment conditions
  • Stay and reside in Australia with qualified family members for up to 2 years

Need Visa Assistance?

Talk to one of our Visa Experts Now.

Australian 408 Visa Processing Time and Costs

While processing times and costs constantly update, the Department of Home Affairs has data that can serve as a general guide. For the most current information, check the Department’s official website or call our office for expert immigration and visa advice.

Temporary Activity Visa
408 Stream
75% of successful
applications
90% of successful
applications
Visa 408 Cost
Australian Government
Endorsed Events
4 months6 monthsA$405
Domestic Work for
Executives
No dataNo dataA$405
Entertainment Activities53 days24 monthsA$405
Exchange ArrangementsNo dataNo dataA$405
Invited for Other Social
and Cultural Activity
8 days19 daysA$405
Religious Work8 months14 monthsA$405
Research Activities3 months12 monthsA$405
Special Programmes11 months14 monthsA$405
Sporting Activities32 days3 monthsA$405
Superyacht Crew6 months8 monthsA$405

Need the Help of Migration Experts for Your Visa 408 Processing?

It can be stressful and a pain in the neck just singlehandedly doing your visa requirements. That’s where we at Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers come in to serve as your dedicated legal partner.

Professional Lawyers

Our entire Parish Patience consultants Lawyers are trained, experienced, and licensed professionals who will make it their personal mission to obtain your visa on your behalf.

Committed Immigration Team

From initial consultation and meeting to application and waiting time, our commitment is to your satisfaction and happiness through the success of your visa application.

Top Quality Service

Whether it’s a temporary visa, permanent visa, or Australian citizenship, we are confident that our services are tailored to your unique needs and meant to realise your dream of living in Australia for work, study, business, or permanent residence.

Table of Contents
  • Overview of 186 Visa Australia
  • Why Choose Parish Patience for the Processing of your 186 Visa Requirements
  • How Can A Parish Patience Lawyer Help You With Your 186 Visa?

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Our process was a little complicated. But we got the right advice from Shan through the 2 years the process was on before we successfully completed it recently.
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I received my PR after 2 years and a few months, and I am very thankful to the whole team. The process required a lot of patience, but they supported me throughout every step. Shan Sir is an excellent lawyer, and Usman helped me a lot during my case. They always provided professional service, answered my questions, and guided me whenever I needed help. Thank you to everyone at Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers for your hard work and support. I truly appreciate everything you have done for me and would highly recommend your services.
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I trusted Parish Patience with my migration and skills assessment process and unfortunately had a very disappointing experience. Initially, I was advised by Mr Golam and Upasana to proceed with my Subclass 485 pathway. Based on their advice, I paid for skills assessment and also completed a PTE exam. However, I later found out that an important requirement for my VETASSESS application — having at least one year of relevant post-qualification work experience — had not been clearly explained to me before lodging the application. My application was submitted using work experience from before my studies and the outcome was negative. After that, I was advised that applying through Engineers Australia using the CDR pathway would be easier and would give me a better chance of receiving a positive skills assessment outcome. I followed their advice again, paid additional fees, but unfortunately received another negative outcome. During this process, two separate Subclass 485 visa applications were lodged and later withdrawn. I experienced significant financial loss through application fees, assessments, and English testing costs. I was fortunate that I still held a valid student visa, which made it possible to withdraw the applications without further complications. From my personal experience, I felt the communication, assessment of eligibility, and overall service quality were poor. I also did not receive any compensation or satisfactory resolution for the losses I experienced. I hope future clients receive clearer advice about eligibility requirements and possible risks before committing financially.
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Yes, if Gabriel Mackenzie, Diana Tong, and Connie Lai all worked on your case, it’s a nice touch to mention them by name: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would like to sincerely thank Gabriel Mackenzie, Diana Tong, Connie Lai, and the entire team at Parish Patience Legal & Migration Services for their outstanding support throughout my visa journey. Their professionalism, knowledge, and dedication were exceptional from start to finish. They kept me informed throughout the process, answered my questions promptly, and provided clear guidance every step of the way. Thanks to their hard work and expertise, I successfully obtained my Subclass Permanent Residency visa. The team genuinely cared about achieving the best outcome for my case and made what could have been a stressful process much easier to manage. I highly recommend Parish Patience Legal & Migration Services to anyone seeking trustworthy and professional migration assistance. Thank you again for helping me achieve such an important milestone in my life.
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Parish patience immigration Lawyer service and everything just excellent . Before i had another lawyer exprience too. so i could compared . Moreover ,Honerable Mr. shan is great lawyer i had ever seen . Thanks a lot whole team.
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I cannot thank Shan and his entire team Devika Veluchamy, usman ali,enough for the incredible work they did on my protection visa case. After a long and stressful journey, my protection visa has finally been approved, and I truly believe this would not have been possible without their hard work, professionalism, dedication, and support throughout the entire process. Shan handled my case with great care, honesty, and deep knowledge of immigration law. He was always professional, patient, and genuinely supportive during one of the most difficult times of my life. His assistants and the whole team were also extremely kind, responsive, and helpful whenever I had questions or needed assistance. I highly recommend Shan and his entire team to anyone dealing with immigration or protection visa matters. Thank you again for everything you have done for me and my future. I will always be grateful. — Abbas Khan
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I had a very positive experience with Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers. Their team was professional, knowledgeable, and supportive throughout the entire immigration process. They explained every step clearly, answered my questions patiently, and always kept me updated on my case progress. Specially Shaan he is the best !!!! Very professional and always willing to listen and guide us through What stood out the most was their attention to detail and genuine care for their clients. Immigration matters can be stressful, but they made the process much smoother and gave me confidence from start to finish. I truly appreciate their hard work, honesty, and dedication. I would highly recommend Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers to anyone looking for reliable and experienced immigration assistance.
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SC191 Experience with Parish Patience: I recent processed my sc191 application through parish patience and the experience was great. My lawer, Usman Ali, assisted me in each step of the application and kept me informed throughout the process and always responded promtly to my enquires. I would highly recommend Parish Patience to those, who are seeking a reliable agency for their visa or PR application. SC491 Experience with Parish Patience: Parish Patience has been tremendous help for me and my partner's visa application. The lawer and the agent that I have worked with are extremely profession and provides genuine advice. They understand client's inquiry and response promptly. They provide clear step by step instruction, and maintain transparent communication throughout the process.