988 Maritime Crew Visa Overview
The Maritime Crew Visa allows crew members to legally work on vessels in Australian waters. It offers temporary work rights tailored to the duration of maritime assignments, providing flexibility for seasonal or project-based needs.
988 Visa Features
Must Only Enter by Sea:
Allows foreign crew to enter and depart Australia by sea as many times as required while signed onto an eligible ship.
Temporary Stay:
Provides a three-year visa validity, allowing crew to stay in Australia for as long as they remain signed on to the vessel.
Flexible Sign-Off:
Crew members can sign off one ship to join another eligible vessel.
Authorised Work:
Crew can only perform standard duties related to their role on the vessel while in Australia.
Family Inclusion:
Partners and dependent children may also be eligible if they are traveling on the same ship.
Cost-effective:
There is no visa application fee for the Maritime Crew Visa.
Staying Compliant: Subclass 988 Visa
Employers navigating Maritime Crew Visas often face complexities such as determining vessel eligibility, ensuring visa compliance for crew members, managing sign-offs and transfers between ships, and adhering to both immigration and employment laws.
These challenges can be compounded when coordinating short-term projects or including crew family members.
With decades of expertise in skilled migration for maritime sectors such as Oil and Gas, Interstaff helps employers navigate the complexities of immigration compliance in a highly regulated environment.
STEP 1
Assess and Strategise:
Subclass 988 Visa Requirements
Determining whether a vessel qualifies as an ‘MCV-eligible ship’ under Australian migration law can be nuanced and requires careful assessment.
We support businesses by:
- Advising whether the vessel and crew meet eligibility requirements for Maritime Crew Visas
- Advising a Maritime Crew Visa strategy that aligns with your requirements, such as crew rotations
- Providing guidance on immigration compliance matters
STEP 2
Apply and Comply:
MCV Visa Applications
We support businesses by:
- Advising on key MCV visa application requirements
- Managing all aspects of the Maritime Crew Visa process
- Advising on complex cases that may arise, such as health and character matters
- Providing clear reporting that allows oversight of multiple Subclass 988 Visa holders and requirements
- Keeping you and your employees informed at every stage of the process
STEP 3
Maintain and Grow:
Ongoing Support
Managing crew sign-offs and transfers between vessels while maintaining legal status can be logistically and legally complex.
We support businesses by:
- Providing advice on MCV Visa renewals and transitions for crew rotations
- Advising on complexities such as visa refusals, compliance breaches, or changes in crew status
- Providing training to help employers ensure crew members comply with Maritime Crew Visa conditions, such as remaining signed on to an eligible ship, avoiding unauthorised work, and departing Australia appropriately
Experience and Insights
Maritime Crew Visas
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