Subclass 407 Training Visa
The Subclass 407 Training visa is a temporary Australian visa that allows overseas nationals to travel to Australia and participate in structured occupational training activities. Designed to develop and enhance professional skills, the 407 visa is not intended to fill labour shortages, supplement workforce numbers, or replace Australian workers.
How the Subclass 407 Training Visa Works
The 407 Training visa operates across three key stages: sponsorship, nomination, and the visa application. All three stages must be completed and approved by the Department of Home Affairs before the visa can be granted.
Part 1: Becoming a Temporary Activities Sponsor
To sponsor a 407 Training visa, an organisation must first apply to become an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor with the Department of Home Affairs. To qualify, the organisation must be lawfully and actively operating in Australia, compliant with Australian workplace and taxation laws, and free from any adverse information that may affect its suitability as a sponsor.
Sponsor approval is valid for up to five years and is renewable. Approved sponsors must meet ongoing compliance obligations, including ensuring the nominee participates only in the approved training activity, cooperating with departmental audits and inspections, and maintaining accurate records as required by the Department of Home Affairs.
Part 2: 407 Visa Nomination Requirements
Once sponsor approval is granted, the organisation must lodge a nomination identifying the individual and the specific training activity to be undertaken. The nomination must be approved before the associated 407 visa application can be submitted.
Approved training activities under the Subclass 407 visa:
- Occupational training required for registration — for individuals who need workplace-based training to obtain mandatory professional registration, membership, or licensing in an eligible occupation.
- Occupational training to improve skills — for nominees seeking structured training to enhance their skills in an eligible skilled occupation.
- Capacity building for overseas professionals — designed to support overseas students, professionals, or government-backed trainees in gaining practical Australian workplace experience.
407 Visa Training Plan Requirements
Every 407 visa nomination must be supported by a detailed training plan that includes the supervising trainer’s name and qualifications, a structured schedule of activities with measurable milestones and timeframes, and a clear explanation of how the training relates to the nominee’s occupation and career development.
Part 3: Subclass 407 Visa Eligibility Requirements
A 407 visa application can only be lodged once the nomination has been approved. To be eligible for the Subclass 407 Training visa, the applicant must be nominated by an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor for an approved training activity, genuinely intend to participate in the nominated training while in Australia, hold the relevant skills, qualifications, and experience for the training activity, and satisfy Australian health and character requirements.
English Language Requirements
There is no mandatory English language test for the 407 Training visa. However, the applicant must demonstrate sufficient English proficiency to participate meaningfully in the proposed training program.
Visa Duration
The Subclass 407 Training visa can be granted for up to two years, depending on the approved training activity. A further period may be possible subject to a new nomination and application.
Genuine Temporary Entrant Requirement
All Subclass 407 visa applicants must satisfy the genuine temporary entrant requirement, demonstrating that they intend to remain in Australia temporarily for training purposes only and will depart upon visa expiry. The Department of Home Affairs will consider the applicant’s immigration and travel history, ties to their home country including family, employment, and property, and whether the proposed training is consistent with their existing qualifications and career path.
Common Issues and Pitfalls with the 407 Training Visa
Understanding the most common reasons for 407 visa refusal can help applicants and sponsors avoid costly mistakes:
Disguised employment
Using the 407 visa as a substitute for employer-sponsored work is the most frequent cause of refusal and compliance action. Training must be genuinely developmental, and the nominee must not perform the regular duties of an employee.
Inadequate training plans
Vague or poorly structured training plans are a leading cause of nomination refusal. Plans must be specific, detailed, and demonstrate clear and measurable skills development outcomes.
Below market rate remuneration
Where training involves productive work, paying below the market salary rate may result in nomination refusal and sponsorship compliance action.
Genuine temporary entrant concerns
Applicants with limited home country ties, a history of visa breaches, or circumstances suggesting an intention to remain permanently in Australia face heightened scrutiny from the Department.
Who Is the Subclass 407 Training Visa Suitable For?
The 407 Training visa is suitable for overseas-qualified professionals completing supervised training required for Australian professional registration, employees of multinational organisations undertaking structured intra-company skills transfer programs, professionals participating in formal industry or government-endorsed development programs, and graduates completing structured practical training aligned with their field of qualification.
The Subclass 407 Training visa is not suitable for filling a vacant position, supplementing workforce numbers, or providing labour under an alternative visa pathway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 407 visa lead to permanent residency?
The 407 is strictly a temporary visa and does not lead directly to permanent residency. However, some applicants use it to gain structured Australian workplace experience that may later support eligibility for an employer-sponsored or skilled migration visa.
If permanent residency is your ultimate goal, it is worth mapping out the full pathway before applying for a 407 – including whether the training you are seeking to undertake will genuinely support a future permanent visa application, and whether a more direct pathway to permanent residency might already be available to you.
How long can someone stay on a 407 Training visa?
The 407 visa is granted for the period required to complete the approved training program. The length of stay depends on the specific training plan and can be up to two years in some circumstances, though many programs are shorter.
The visa cannot simply be extended – if the training is genuinely ongoing, a new nomination and visa application would need to be lodged. Given the March 2026 sequential lodgement requirements, forward planning for any extension or follow-on visa is more important than it was previously.
Why were the 407 nomination rules changed in 2026?
The March 2026 changes were introduced to address concerns about the 407 visa being used as a de facto long-stay visa rather than a genuine training pathway. The Department of Home Affairs has described the pattern as “permanent temporariness” – where temporary visa holders remain in Australia indefinitely through successive applications without meeting the requirements for permanent residence.
By requiring sequential approval before the visa application can be lodged, the Department has made it significantly harder to use the 407 as a bridging mechanism. Applicants who are primarily seeking to maintain onshore status rather than undertake genuine training will find the new process considerably more difficult to navigate.
For applicants and sponsors with genuine training programs, the change primarily affects planning and timing – the process is longer, but the pathway remains available.
What changed about the 407 nomination process in 2026?
From 11 March 2026, the Department of Home Affairs introduced a sequential lodgement requirement for Training visa applications. A Subclass 407 visa application can no longer be validly lodged until both the sponsoring employer’s Temporary Activity Sponsorship and the associated 407 nomination have been fully approved.
Previously, all three applications – the TAS, the nomination, and the visa – could be lodged at the same time. The ability to lodge simultaneously was frequently used by onshore applicants to obtain a Bridging visa while the applications were being processed.
Under the new rules, applicants in Australia must ensure they hold a valid substantive visa while they wait for the sponsorship and nomination approval, because a Bridging visa is only granted once a valid visa application is lodged – and the visa application cannot be lodged until the TAS and nomination are approved. This change has significant practical implications for onshore applicants and their sponsors.
What is a 407 nomination?
A 407 nomination is the formal process by which an approved Temporary Activity Sponsor nominates an overseas individual for a structured workplace-based training program in Australia. The organisation must specify the training program being offered, including the activities involved, the location where training will be carried out, and how the program is tailored to the individual’s skill development needs.
The nomination must demonstrate that the training is genuine – not a substitute for regular employment – and that it will not prejudice training or employment opportunities for Australians.
From March 2026, the 407 nomination must be approved before a valid Training visa application can be lodged. This is a significant change from the previous process, where all three applications could be submitted simultaneously.
For someone who is in Australia, this means an applicant with a short validity left on their current visa cannot lodge a valid 407 visa application to be get a bridging visa until the 407 nomination has been approved.
Is a nomination required for all visas under a TAS?
A nomination is required for the Training visa (Subclass 407), where the organisation must nominate a specific workplace-based training program tailored to the individual. The nomination must detail the training activities, location, and how the program addresses the trainee’s skill development needs.
No nomination is required for the Temporary Activity visa (Subclass 408). For 408 visa applicants, having an approved TAS is sufficient – the visa application can proceed without a separate nomination step.
This distinction matters for planning purposes. For 407 applications, from March 2026, both the TAS and the nomination must be fully approved before the visa application can be validly lodged – adding time to the overall process that sponsors need to account for.
What are a Temporary Activity Sponsor's obligations once approved?
Once approved, a temporary activity sponsor must meet a range of obligations.
They must cooperate with any inspectors appointed under the Migration Act 1958 to investigate compliance with sponsorship obligations. They must also notify the Department of Home Affairs of certain events, such as changes to the sponsored individual’s role or circumstances, as well as maintain records relevant to the sponsorship for the required period.
A critical obligation is that sponsors must not seek to recover sponsorship-related costs from the sponsored individual. It is unlawful for a person to pay an employer – directly or indirectly – to sponsor them for a visa. Breaches of this obligation can result in significant penalties for the sponsoring organisation. The sponsor must not transfer to or recover from anyone costs associated with the nomination and the sponsorship, including professional fees charged by migration practitioners.
Sponsors are also responsible for the cost of locating and removing a sponsored visa holder if they overstay their visa, up to a maximum of AUD $10,000. This obligation applies only to the period between when the person becomes unlawful and when they depart Australia.
What are the eligibility requirements for TAS approval?
To be approved as a Temporary Activity Sponsor, an organisation must be lawfully operating in Australia and demonstrate the capacity to meet its ongoing sponsorship obligations. This includes evidence of financial stability, details of existing employees, and confirmation that the business is genuinely operating.
The Department of Home Affairs will also consider whether there is any adverse information about the organisation, its directors, or associated individuals. This does not automatically prevent approval, but it will be factored into the assessment. Detailed submission should accompany the application for the Department to exercise discretion to disregard the adverse information.
For smaller or newer businesses, providing clear documentation of operations and finances is particularly important. Applications that lack supporting evidence of genuine business activity are more likely to attract requests for further information, which delays the process.
What visas does a Temporary Activity Sponsor cover?
A TAS is required to sponsor overseas nationals for the Training visa (Subclass 407) and certain streams of the Temporary Activity visa (Subclass 408).
It is important to note that a TAS is distinct from Standard Business Sponsorship, which covers work visas like the Subclass 482. If your business already holds Standard Business Sponsorship, you still need a separate TAS approval to sponsor someone for a 407 or 408 visa. For most businesses, the TAS is sought specifically to support a 407 Training visa nomination – whether for a structured training program, skills enhancement, or professional development. The type of visa activity must match the purpose of the sponsorship.
What is a Temporary Activity Sponsorship?
A Temporary Activity Sponsorship (TAS) is a type of sponsor approval required before a business can bring overseas workers to Australia under certain temporary visa categories – most commonly the Training visa (Subclass 407) and the Temporary Activity visa (Subclass 408).
Unlike Standard Business Sponsorship, which is used for employer-sponsored work visas like the 482, a TAS is specifically designed for short-term, non-ongoing arrangements such as structured training programs, intra-corporate staff exchange, or certain government-endorsed activities.
Once approved, a TAS remains valid for five years and allows the sponsoring organisation to nominate multiple individuals during that period, subject to meeting the relevant requirements for each. Approval is not automatic – the Department of Home Affairs assesses whether the organisation is lawfully operating and capable of meeting its ongoing sponsorship obligations.
For businesses that regularly bring overseas trainees or participants to Australia, having an active TAS in place before the need arises is strongly advisable. The application process takes time, and from March 2026, a Training visa application cannot be lodged until both the TAS and the nomination are approved.
Disclaimer!
Content on this page is for informational purposes only and not intended as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. Australian immigration law is complex and its policies and visa eligibility criteria are changing regularly.