Labour agreement stream

• work in Australia for up to 4 years for your sponsor or up to 5 years if you are a Hong Kong passport holder.
• study (no government assistance).
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

Current temporary skilled visa holders from Hong Kong are eligible for an extension of 5 years in addition to the time they’ve already been in Australia.

Current and future temporary skilled visa holders from Hong Kong may also have a pathway to permanent residency after 5 years.

This is a temporary visa. You can stay in Australia for the period of time your employer nominates you for. This will be up to a maximum of 4 years, depending on the:

• terms in the labour agreement
• validity period of your visa.

Hong Kong passport holders may stay up to 5 years.

For more information on recent changes about Hong Kong or British National Offshore (BNO) passport holders read Visa options for Hong Kong - update.

If your visa is expiring and you want to stay in Australia to work for your existing employer:

• your employer must submit a new nomination
• you must apply for a new visa.

Your employer could also sponsor you for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).

You might be eligible for other skilled work visas. Use our visa finder to find out options for work.

Temporary skilled visa holders from Hong Kong are eligible for an extension of 5 years in addition to the time they’ve already been in Australia.

You can include other family members (called 'secondary applicants') in your visa application. The family members you can add will depend on whether you hold a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa.

You have not held a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa

If you have not held a subclass 457 or 482 visa, the secondary applicants you can include in your visa application are those who are members of the family unit.

You hold a subclass 457 or 482 visa

If you hold a subclass 457 or 482 visa and you are applying for a subsequent subclass 482 visa, the secondary applicants you can include in your application are:

• one of the members of the family unit, or
• a person who holds a subclass 457 or 482 visa that we granted on the basis that they were a member of the family unit at the time, and is one of the following:
  • your spouse or de facto partner
  • your or your spouse's or de facto partner's child or step-child who is not engaged, married or in a de facto relationship, and is:
    • younger than 23
    • aged 23 or older and fully or mostly reliant on you or your partner because they cannot work, due to a partial or total physical or mental disability
    • a dependent child of your or your spouse or de facto partner's child or step-child.

For us to grant the visa, the:

• main applicant's nomination must include the secondary applicants, or
• secondary applicant must provide written evidence that the main applicant’s sponsor agrees that the secondary applicant can be a secondary sponsored person.

Secondary applicants who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements.

You can’t add family members to your visa application after you have submitted it.

If the department is processing your application, family members that you did not include can lodge a subsequent entrant application.

Alternatively, if we have granted you a visa, family members may apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant.

The visa costs

• AUD4,015.00 for the main applicant and each dependant 18 years and over.
• AUD1,005.00 for each dependant under 18 years old.

Concessions apply in limited circumstances.

You will have to pay other costs for:

• English language tests
• health checks
• police certificates
• Biometrics.

To see what your visa will cost use the Visa pricing estimator. The estimator does not consider the other costs.

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application.

We will charge eligible applicants the lower visa application cost during the application process in ImmiAccount. We will recognise eligible applicants by the valid passport from the specified countries used in the application when they apply.

Family members are also eligible for the lower visa cost. We base this on the passport of the primary applicant (or visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria).

The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of the following countries:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu.

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for this visa, but not in immigration clearance.

If you are applying in Australia, you must hold a:

• substantive visa or
• Bridging visa A, Bridging visa B or Bridging visa C.

You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your application.

For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.

We assess applications on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

• whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
• how quickly you respond to any requests for additional information
• how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
• how long it takes to receive additional information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character, and national security requirements

We might ask for more information. We are not obligated to request further information or documents and can make a decision on the information provided.

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

You must begin your employment within 90 days of:

• entry to Australia if you are outside Australia when we grant the visa
• the visa grant date if you are in Australia when we grant the visa

See which visa conditions might be attached to this visa.

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

If we grant you a visa, we will send you a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. You can use this number to check your visa details and conditions through VEVO.

Conditions attached to this visa include that you work in Australia only in the occupation you were nominated for, and only for the nominator who has a labour agreement with the Commonwealth.

See which visa conditions might be attached to this visa.

The nominated occupation must be the subject of a labour agreement between the Commonwealth and the nominator. See the labour agreement under which you will be working.

Unless otherwise specified in the Labour Agreement, you have gained at least 12 months relevant full-time work experience, or equivalent, within the last 5 years. Work carried out on a part-time or casual basis must be equivalent to at least 12 months full-time work.

You must be nominated.

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement.

You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement.

Have the level of English language suitable for the nominated occupation. English language requirements equivalent to the subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) visa will generally apply unless the labour agreement provides an English language concession.

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you agree to or sign an Australian Values Statement.

You are personally liable for all your healthcare costs while you are in Australia. Medical insurance helps limit your financial liability.

You must have adequate health cover for the whole of your stay to be granted this visa. Your cover should cover you for medically necessary treatment, including transport.

See what we consider adequate health insurance.

See more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

Reciprocal healthcare agreements

Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreements.

If you or any family members (including those who don't apply for the visa with you) owe the Australian government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.

We will consider your immigration history when we make a decision on your application, which means you might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused.

In some circumstances you may still apply for a permanent visa if you have had a visa cancelled or an application refused see Limitations on applications in Australia.

If applying for a visa from outside Australia see Can I go to Australia.

If you want immigration assistance, see Who can help with your visa application.

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have:

• a valid visa to enter Australia
• a valid passport or other travel document.

At the border

Completing an Incoming Passenger Card

All people arriving Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card. You will get a card on your flight.

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use a SmartGate.

What you can do when you have this visa

• Work in Australia for up to 4 years for your sponsor
• Study (no government assistance)
• Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid

See your conditions, work and study entitlements in your grant letter or use VEVO.

What you must do on this visa

You and your family members must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws. Check your conditions in your visa grant letter or VEVO.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to let us know about after you have applied include:

• changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
• change employer
• stop working for the employer that nominated you
• the birth of a child
• you want to withdraw your application.

See how to tell us if your situation changes

See how long you can stay

This is a temporary visa. You can stay in Australia for the length of your visa.

See when you must leave in your grant letter or use VEVO.

Stay longer

If your visa is expiring and you want to stay in Australia to work for your existing employer:

• your employer will need to submit a new nomination
• you must apply for a new visa.

Your employer could also sponsor you for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).

You might be eligible for other skilled work visas. Use our visa finder to find out options for work.

Travelling on your visa

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO

Request your international movement records to get proof of your travel in and out of Australia.

Working

You must only work for the business that sponsored or nominated you.

To see your conditions for work, use VEVO.

You are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

Options if you have lost your job

If you have been laid off and are currently unemployed, you have up to 180 days to find a new employer or make arrangements to leave Australia.

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

Ensure your visa is still valid

Check your conditions and the expiry of your current visa in VEVO

See what you can and must do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.

At the border

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use a SmartGate.

After you leave

Get your superannuation (if you are leaving Australia and do not intend to return).

You are likely to have some money in a superannuation fund if you worked in Australia and you are:

• 18 years old or older
• paid AUD450 or more before tax in a month.

See how to access your super.

Proving you have been to Australia

To get proof of your travel in and out of Australia, request your travel records.

It costs AUD330.00

You must have a labour agreement.

You must provide evidence of labour market testing.

A nomination lasts 12 months from date of approval.

You can be inside or outside Australia when you nominate.

For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.

You remain liable for the visa holder and their dependents until they have a new approved nomination from another approved business sponsor.

You must have a labour agreement.

12 months from the date of approval.

You remain liable for the visa holder and their dependents until they have a new approved nomination from another approved business sponsor.

Things you need to let us know about might include:

• if you terminate the visa holder's employment or they cease working for you
• if you change the visa holder's hours, duties or pay
• if the visa holder's visa is expiring

See what else you must let us know and what you can do if there is a change in situation.