Securing Temporary Overseas Workers Quickly
Compared to sponsored visas, such as the 482 Skills in Demand Visa, the 400 Short Stay Specialist Visa provides skilled workers with faster entry into Australia without employer sponsorship requirements.
This flexibility makes it suitable for project-based assignments, technical installations, or short-term consultancy roles where niche expertise is required and local talent is unavailable.
Subclass 400 Visa Features
Typically up to 3 months; up to 6 months in limited cases with strong business justification.
Health, character, and genuine temporary stay requirements apply.
Intended for roles requiring skills, knowledge or experience not readily available in Australia.
Generally work or activity completed within 6 months.
Employer sponsorship is not required.
Designed for urgent, short-term business needs.
Typically multiple – can be single depending on the case.
Possible to include in the application under certain conditions.
- Streamlined Process: Quicker access to overseas talent for urgent work or project needs.
- No Skills Occupation List: The applicant’s occupation does not have to be listed, but they must have highly specialised skills and experience.
- Cost-effective: Lower compliance and sponsorship obligations reduce migration costs.
The Subclass 400 Visa ‘Highly Specialised’ Work Requirement
The Subclass 400 Visa is restricted to short-term assignments involving ‘highly specialised work’—tasks requiring unique expertise, skills, or experience not readily available in Australia.
Employers must show that the work cannot be effectively performed by local workers and that the applicant’s involvement is essential – whether to ensure the successful delivery of a project, maintain business continuity, or mitigate safety risks.
Practical examples include:
Technical installations
Equipment servicing
Expert consultancy
The Subclass 400 Visa ‘Non-Ongoing’ Work Requirement
The Subclass 400 Visa is intended for temporary roles that are not expected to lead to ongoing or permanent employment.
To meet the ‘non-ongoing work’ requirement, employers must demonstrate that the role is genuinely temporary and not part of a continuing position within the organisation.
Managing Urgent or Project Needs: Subclass 400 Work Visa
Employers commonly use the 400 Temporary Work Short Stay Specialist Visa program to engage talent for urgent tasks that, if delayed, would lead to a work stoppage – such as those involving health and safety risks.
Migration policy currently prioritises Subclass 400 Visa applications for certain types of urgent work such as:
- Specialist technicians required to repair a major equipment breakdown on an oil rig
- Medical crew providing services on medivac flights
Talk to us to explore a migration strategy to support project needs.
Minimising Delays with a 400 Visa Strategy
Employers with urgent, high-impact work requirements or tight project deadlines can benefit from a Subclass 400 Work Visa strategy that minimises delays.
Interstaff supports you and your employees with a dedicated 400 Visa project team specialising in urgent turnarounds.
STEP 1
Assess and Strategise:
400 Visa Strategy
We advise employers of a 400 Visa strategy that identifies areas of risk and focuses on efficient onboarding.
We support you by:
- Assessing eligibility to use the program based on the urgency, duration of work and specialist expertise required.
- Advising on visa strategies that align with business timelines, including coordinated start dates and migration planning for multiple visa holders.
- Providing realistic timelines to bring employees onshore, by assessing factors that affect potential for delay, such as the applicant’s country of application, countries of travel, and biometrics requirements.
STEP 2
Apply and Comply:
Visa Application and Management
With a 400 Visa strategy in place and a dedicated project team to manage your applications, Interstaff secures global talent without unnecessary delays.
Our support includes:
- Early advice on key application requirements to support swift processing, including direct feedback on processing timeframes and how they are impacted by the circumstances of the applicant.
- Developing strong and robust evidence to demonstrate the specialist nature of the work and the impact on business operations or project delivery if the visa is not granted.
- Allocating a 400 Visa project team for priority visa management and lodgement.
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- Business case requirements for visa requests longer than three months.
- Managing all aspects of the Temporary Work Visa Subclass 400 process, including health, character and biometrics assessments.
- Clear reporting for oversight of multiple visa holders and requirements.
- Keeping you and your employees informed at every stage of the process.
STEP 3
Retain and Grow:
Mobilising Future Workforce Needs
We help businesses leverage the Subclass 400 Visa as a tool in their broader workforce strategy to meet urgent, high-impact project needs and maintain operational agility.
We support you with:
- Rapid eligibility assessments for short-term specialist roles.
- Risk management strategies for short-duration assignments.
- Ongoing training on short-stay visa obligations and best practices.
Talk to us to explore a migration strategy to support project needs.
Experience and Insights
Temporary Work Visa Subclass 400
Explore more about how we work, our industry experience and insights.
