Staff Exchange Arrangements stream

• take part in a reciprocal staff exchange with an Australian organisation
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid
• include members of the family unit in your application

The exchange must benefit both you and the Australian citizen or permanent resident you exchange jobs with.

This is a temporary visa. We grant the length of stay based on the activity we approve you to do on the visa.

The maximum stay for this visa stream is 2 years.

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, the visa stay period starts on the day that you enter Australia. If you are in Australia, the visa starts on the day that it is granted.

Your visa grant letter will tell you how long you can stay.

If the staff exchange agreement is extended or will run longer than originally planned, you can apply for a further subclass 408 Exchange Arrangements visa.

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options.

You can include members of the family unit in your application when you apply, if:

• allowed under the exchange agreement, and
• specified in the letter of support from your sponsor.

Family members who apply for the visa with you must also meet our health and character requirements.

The visa costs AUD535.00 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

Cost for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste visa applicants

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

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we decide 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.

Your application might take longer to process if:

• you don't fill it in correctly
• you don't include all the documents we need, or we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information

We can't process your application if you don't pay the correct visa application charge. We will let you know if this is the case.

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

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Your activities must not harm the work, training or job conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

If your sponsor or supporter stops your activity or employment, you must do one of the following:

• if eligible, apply for a new visa; or
• leave Australia within 28 days of stopping work for your sponsor/supporter, or earlier if your visa is expiring

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 access your digital visa record.

You need a supporter

You don't need a sponsor to apply for this visa if you:

• apply outside Australia, and
• intend to stay in Australia for less than 3 months

However, you must have a supporter who passes the support test to apply for this visa.

You need a sponsor

You need a sponsor who is a temporary activities sponsor to apply for this visa if you:

• apply in Australia, or
• apply outside Australia and intend to stay for more than 3 months in Australia

You must intend to work in a skilled position as part of a reciprocal staff exchange arrangement with an eligible organisation in Australia.

There must be a written agreement between your organisation and the organisation in Australia that sets out:

• the staff in Australia and overseas who will take part in the exchange
• the skilled positions to be filled by the participants
• how long the exchange will last

You must have the necessary skills or experience to perform the skilled position set out in the exchange agreement.

The exchange arrangement must benefit both you and the Australian citizen or permanent resident taking part.

You must have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Australia and any dependent family members who travel to Australia with you.

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.

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.

You can't use our temporary visa program to maintain ongoing residency in Australia.

The genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement helps us to make sure that you use temporary visas correctly.

We generally do not let temporary residents extend their stay in Australia beyond 4 years by applying for this visa.

We must be satisfied that you have a genuine intention to stay here temporarily.

When assessing your application, we will consider:

• your situation
• your immigration history
• compliance with visa conditions
• if you are under 18 years old, the intention of your parent, legal guardian or partner
• any other relevant matter

If you are in Australia, you can only apply for this visa if:

• you currently hold a substantive visa, or
• your last substantive visa ceased within the last 28 days.

We will only grant this visa to a child younger than 18 years if everyone who has parental responsibility for them has consented to us granting it.

We might not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

If you owe the Australian Government money, you must have paid it back or have a formal arrangement to pay it back.

When you apply for the visa, you must declare if you have ever engaged in conduct that could constitute a breach of the prohibition on paying for visa sponsorship.

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

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 need help with immigration, see Who can help with your visa application.

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must acknowledge the Australian Values Statement. This confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you apply for the visa. Learn more about Australian Values.

Before you travel

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 in Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card. You will be given this card onboard.

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 SmartGate.

What you can do when you have this visa

• take part in a reciprocal staff exchange with an Australian organisation
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid.

To see your specific conditions and work entitlements use VEVO.

What you must do on your visa

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

See your conditions in VEVO.

Learn more about visa conditions and how they work.

If your sponsor, supporting organisation or individual stops your activity or employment, you must do one of the following:

• if eligible, apply for a new visa; or
• leave Australia within 28 days of stopping work for your sponsor/supporter, or earlier if your visa is expiring.

If your visa ends before 28 days have passed, you must leave Australia before your visa ends.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to let us know about include:

• changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
• changes to your relationship status
• the birth of a child

See how to tell us if there is a change in your situation.

See how long you can stay

The visa stay period starts on the date you enter Australia.

You can check your visa stay period in your visa grant letter or use VEVO.

To see when you must leave, use VEVO.

Staying longer

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You must apply for a new visa if you want to stay longer.

See your options.

Travelling on your visa

You must make your first entry to Australia by the date specified in the visa grant letter. This is the Must not arrive after date.

Once you make your first entry to Australia your Visa stay period starts. Your Visa stay period is the length of time you can stay in Australia.

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want during your Visa stay period while the visa is valid.

Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa. The visa stay period does not start again each time you enter Australia. Any time you spend outside of Australia counts as part of the stay period.

See your conditions in VEVO.

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

To see your conditions for work, use VEVO.

If you have permission to work, you are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

Bring family

Your family members who did not apply for the visa with you might be eligible to apply for a subsequent entrant visa.

Apply for a subsequent entrant visa using the Temporary Work and ActivityVisa (Subsequent Entrant) (403,407,408) form in ImmiAccount.

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.

See what to do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.

At the border

Departures SmartGate
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 SmartGate.

After you leave

Getting your superannuation

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

• aged 18 years 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 international movement records.

You can support or sponsor an applicant and any family members who apply for the visa with them to travel to Australia to take part in a staff exchange with an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Applicants who need a supporter

Applicants for this visa don't need a sponsor if they:

• apply outside Australia, and
• intend to stay in Australia for less than 3 months

These applicants need a supporter.

Applicants who need a sponsor

Applicants for this visa need a sponsor if they:

• apply in Australia, or
• apply outside Australia and intend to stay in Australia for more than 3 months

It costs AUD420.00 to apply to become an approved temporary activities sponsor.

There is no cost to sponsor someone for the visa after you are approved.

Your sponsorship normally last for 5 years.

You must meet your obligations as a temporary activities sponsor.

Your sponsorship obligations may last for a different period as specified by legislation. Learn more about your sponsorship obligations.

You are responsible for meeting these obligations even if you appoint someone, such as a migration agent, to act for you.

Applicants who need a supporter

Applicants for this visa don't need a sponsor if they:

• apply outside Australia, and
• intend to stay in Australia for less than 3 months

These applicants need a supporter. See more about supporter eligibility below.

Applicants who need a sponsor

Applicants for this visa need a sponsor if they:

• apply in Australia, or
• apply outside Australia and intend to stay in Australia for more than 3 months

See more about sponsor eligibility below.

Approval as a temporary activities sponsor

Your approval as a temporary activities sponsor last for 5 years from the date we grant it.

You can apply to extend your sponsorship in ImmiAccount before it expires.

Sponsorship expiry reminders

From 1 July 2026, Temporary Activities Sponsors will receive an automated email reminder 90 days before their sponsorship expires. This will help avoid delays for sponsored visa applicants.

Ensure your sponsor contact details are up to date so you can receive these reminders.

Temporary activity sponsor obligations

You must meet your obligations as a temporary activities sponsor. See more about temporary activities sponsor obligations.

You are responsible for meeting these obligations even if you appoint someone, such as a migration agent, to act for you.

Obligations as sponsor of a visa holder

You must also meet your obligations to the visa applicant you sponsor. These are to:

• absorb the cost of sponsorship and not attempt to recover them from the visa holder
• ensure the visa holder only does what you sponsor them for
• ensure the visa holder obeys licensing, registration and membership laws so they can continue to work in Australia

You might have to pay costs to find and remove the person you sponsor if they become unlawful.

You can't withdraw your sponsorship or support of a visa holder after we grant the visa.

You must email or post a letter to us using the contact details below if any of the following happens:

• your address or contact details change
• the person you sponsored does not start in the position, program or activity we granted the visa for
• the person you sponsored unexpectedly ends their position, program or activity we granted the visa for
• there are changes to the formal arrangement or agreement with the person you sponsor
• you change the date of when the person you sponsored will end their position, program or activity
• you have paid the return travel cost of the person you sponsored to meet other migration regulations
• your legal entity ceases to exist

Email

sponsor.notifications@abf.gov.au

Post

Write to your nearest office.

Sponsor Monitoring
GPO Box 717
Canberra ACT 2601

Sponsor Monitoring
GPO Box 9984
Sydney NSW 2001

Sponsor Monitoring
GPO Box 9984
Brisbane QLD 4001

Sponsor Monitoring
GPO Box 864
Darwin NT 0801

Sponsor Monitoring
GPO Box 2399
Adelaide SA 5001

Sponsor Monitoring
GPO Box 794
Hobart TAS 7001

Sponsor Monitoring
GPO Box 241
Melbourne VIC 3001

Sponsor Monitoring
Locked Bag 7
Northbridge WA 6865