408 Visa Australia 2026: Who Qualifies, Fee & Processing Time

Overview

The Subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa covers specialised short-term activities in Australia — entertainers and crew, professional sportspeople and coaches, religious workers, researchers, staff exchanges, domestic workers for executives, superyacht crew, special programs and Australian Government endorsed events. Most streams need an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor and allow stays of up to 2 years; Australian Government endorsed events allow up to 4 years and special programs up to 12 months. The former COVID-19 Pandemic Event stream closed to new applications on 1 February 2024.

The 408 is the umbrella visa for specialised, time-limited activities in Australia. Choosing the correct stream is the first decision: an entertainer’s tour, a sports contract, a religious-worker placement and a research fellowship each have different sponsorship and evidence requirements, and the maximum stay is 2 years for most streams, 4 years for Australian Government endorsed events and 12 months for special programs.

Which 408 stream applies to you?

The table above lists the streams. Entertainment covers performers and production crew (with union consultation for some productions); Sport covers professional players, coaches and officials (usually with a national sporting body letter); Religious Worker covers ministers and religious workers for a religious institution; Research covers participation in an Australian research project; Exchange and Invited Participant cover staff exchanges and cultural or social events; Special Program covers approved youth exchange, community and volunteering programs; and the Australian Government Endorsed Event stream covers people working at events the Government has formally endorsed.

Who sponsors a 408?

Most streams need an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor — the Australian host, promoter, club, institution or research body — and many also need a nomination of the specific activity. For some streams, a stay of up to 3 months can be supported by an Australian organisation rather than formally sponsored. The sponsor takes on obligations about the activity, record-keeping and the visa holder’s departure.

How long can you stay, and what can you do?

Grant periods are matched to the contract or activity, up to 2 years (4 for endorsed events, 12 months for special programs). You may work only in the nominated activity for the sponsor, and family members can be included. The 408 is not a route to ongoing employment — that is the 482 Skills in Demand visa — and the former COVID-19 Pandemic Event stream closed on 1 February 2024. For one-off specialised technical work of up to 3 months without a sponsor, compare the 400 Short Stay Specialist visa.

Fees and processing times shown above are sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and displayed with the date verified.

Who is eligible for the Subclass 408 visa?

Be invited or engaged in an eligible activity under one of the 408 streams
Be sponsored by an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor, or supported by an Australian organisation for stays of up to 3 months in some streams
Demonstrate that you genuinely intend to do the nominated activity and leave at the end of it
Have adequate funds and health insurance, and meet health and character requirements

How much does the Subclass 408 visa cost?

The base application charge is A$535. An additional A$535 applies per applicant aged 18 or over. Same base charge across the Temporary Activity streams; a A$700 subsequent temporary application charge can apply when applying in Australia. Checked against the official Home Affairs pricing table on 29 October 2026. See every Subclass 408 stream's charge and processing time, or compare every visa on our Australian visa fees table. Fees are indexed each year — see the official Visa Pricing Estimator for the current figure.

How long does the Subclass 408 visa take to process?

Stream	75% finalised within	90% finalised within
Entertainment Activities	36 days	47 days
Research Activities	17 months	17 months
Religious Work	4 months	5 months
Special Programs	34 days	56 days
Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity	11 days	22 days
Exchange Arrangements	41 days	52 days
Superyacht Crew	9 days	35 days
Sporting Activities	32 days	4 months

Official figures as at 29 September 2026. Source: Department of Home Affairs — Global visa processing times. Compare all visas on our processing times tracker. Times are a guide only — complete, decision-ready applications are generally faster.

How do you apply for the Subclass 408 visa?

Identify the right stream. Entertainment, Sport, Religious Worker, Research, Invited Participant, Exchange, Domestic Worker (Executive), Superyacht Crew, Special Program or Australian Government Endorsed Event.
Sponsorship and (if needed) nomination. Most streams require an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor; several also require a nomination of the activity. For some streams a stay of up to 3 months can be supported by an Australian organisation without formal sponsorship.
Visa application. You lodge with evidence of the activity, your role, the timeline, contracts and any required endorsements (for example union consultation for entertainment or a national sporting body letter for sport).

How it compares

Stream	Who	Maximum stay
Entertainment	Performers, production and support crew for film, TV and live performance	Up to 2 years
Sport	Professional players, coaches, instructors and adjudicators	Up to 2 years
Religious Worker	Ministers of religion and religious workers for a religious institution	Up to 2 years
Research	Observing or participating in an Australian research project	Up to 2 years
Exchange / Invited Participant	Staff exchanges; participants in cultural or social events	Up to 2 years
Special Program	Youth exchange, community and volunteering programs approved by Home Affairs	Up to 12 months
Australian Government Endorsed Event	Participants and workers at an event formally endorsed by the Australian Government	Up to 4 years, tied to the event
Domestic Worker (Executive) / Superyacht Crew	Full-time domestic staff of senior executives; crew of visiting superyachts	Up to 2 years

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of work fit the 408?

The 408 covers performers and their crew, professional athletes and coaches, religious workers, researchers and academics, exchange staff, invited participants in cultural or social events, domestic workers for senior executives, superyacht crew, participants in Home Affairs-approved special programs, and participants in Australian Government endorsed events.

Do I always need a sponsor?

Usually. Most streams require an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor, and several also need a nomination of the activity. For some streams a stay of up to 3 months can be supported by an Australian organisation rather than formally sponsored. The Australian host or organising body typically takes on this role.

How long can I stay?

Up to 2 years for most streams, matched to the contract or activity. The Australian Government Endorsed Event stream allows up to 4 years tied to the event, and the Special Program stream up to 12 months. The 408 cannot be used for ongoing employment — that is what the 482 is for.

Can I work for someone else while on a 408?

No — your work must align with the nominated activity and sponsor. Working outside the activity breaches the visa condition and can lead to cancellation.

Is the COVID-19 'pandemic event' 408 still available?

No. The Australian Government Endorsed Event (COVID-19 Pandemic Event) stream closed to new applications and extensions on 1 February 2024. Former holders need another visa that fits their circumstances.

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Temporary Activity visa (Subclass 408)