Short Stay Specialist Visa Subclass 400

Allows skilled professionals to undertake short-term, highly specialised work for an Australian business or participate in non-ongoing projects where the work requires highly specialised skills not ordinarily available in Australia

*All Fields marked with asterisk are required

What Does This Visa Let You Do?

With a Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) Visa (Subclass 400), you can:

Work in Australia for a short period (generally up to 3 months, in limited cases up to 6 months) in a highly specialised role.
Provide short-term, non-ongoing, highly skilled services that cannot reasonably be sourced within Australia.
Undertake work or activities that require specialised knowledge, skills, or experience.
Participate in certain non-ongoing projects such as equipment installation, urgent repairs, or specialised training delivery.
Travel in and out of Australia for the duration of your visa.
Include eligible family members in your application so they can accompany you.

Short Stay Specialist Visa – Subclass 400

A visa for people who want to engage in highly specialised, non-ongoing work or participate in an activity or work relating to Australia’s interests. Australian or overseas companies who have a specific contract or project to fulfil in Australia which requires specific employees from overseas with highly specialized skills may consider a short stay specialist 400 visa.

How This Visa Works

The visa application has to be made outside of Australia.

Who Is Eligible For This Visa?

The applicant will need to have specialised skills, knowledge or experience that can assist an Australian business complete a specific project or contract.

General Requirements

Be invited by an Australian company that needs to demonstrate they have a need for specific specialist skills to assist in the fulfilment of a project or contract in Australia.
The visa applicant has to demonstrate that he or she has highly specialized skills, knowledge or experience which cannot reasonably be found in the Australian labour market that can assist the Australian business in fulfilling a project or contract. The work has to be non-ongoing. This means that the work is likely to be completed within a continuous period of six months or less.
There should also be a benefit to Australian employees through the transfer of skills by the overseas employer to Australian employees.

Related Visa Types

Training Visa Subclass 407

Temporary Activity Visa Subclass 408

What type of visa are you looking for?

We are a team of immigration specialists guiding individuals, families and corporates who aspire to migrate to Australia. Our migration consultancy has a successful track record in visa approval, with a fair fee structure.

Employer Sponsored Visa

Australian employers can sponsor skilled workers, whether already in Australia on a visa or applying from overseas, to meet skill shortage positions in their business.

Skilled Worker Visa

Skilled workers with qualifications and experience in demand can apply for visas to live and work in Australia permanently.

Partner Visa

Partner visas allows an Australian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor their spouse, de facto partner or fiancé to be with them in Australia.

Student or Graduate Visa

International students can study in Australia and apply for post-study temporary work visas.

Subclass 186 Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I see my current visa status?

As a visa holder, you can use VEVO to check your current visa details and conditions.

Resident Return Visas – What are my Options?

Living in Australia for at least two years (can be accumulative) in the last 5 years prior to lodging your visa you will automatically be granted a new 5 -year Permanent Residence Visa.

If you have spent less than 2 years in Australia, then you may be eligible for a one-year RRV. You would need to present ties you have to Australia such as employment, investment, family or business ties.

Speak to us how best to present your RRV application and what to do in the lag time between lodgement and assessment.

Latest News

June 10, 2026

Why Small Mistakes in Employer Sponsored Visas Can Become Costly for Australian Businesses

At Australia Migrate, Employer Sponsored Visas, 482 Visa applications and Australian skilled migration pathways remain a major focus of the agency’s work. After more than two decades working in the Australian migration industry, Director …

Continue reading “Why Small Mistakes in Employer Sponsored Visas Can Become Costly for Australian Businesses”

June 9, 2026

How to Choose a Registered Migration Agent in Australia

To choose a registered migration agent in Australia, confirm the person holds a current Migration Agents Registration Number (MARN) on the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) register, …

Continue reading “How to Choose a Registered Migration Agent in Australia”

May 25, 2026

Subclass 820/801 Onshore Partner Visa: Decision-Ready in 2026

The Subclass 820/801 is the onshore Australian partner visa pathway for spouses and de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens. Applicants must be in …

Continue reading “Subclass 820/801 Onshore Partner Visa: Decision-Ready in 2026”

May 22, 2026

Sponsorship Visa Australia: Requirements for the Subclass 482 Visa Explained

The Subclass 482 visa is still the main way Australian employers can sponsor skilled overseas workers — but the rules behind it have changed. Since 7 December 2024, the Subclass …

Continue reading “Sponsorship Visa Australia: Requirements for the Subclass 482 Visa Explained”