Religious Work stream

• do full-time religious work for a religious institution in Australia
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid
• include members of the family unit in your visa application

The work you do must directly serve the religious aims of a religious institution in Australia. You can't do secular work, like administration or aged care, for the institution.

Religious work could include:

• providing spiritual leadership
• conducting worship
• teaching or offering guidance on religion
• providing pastoral care
• proselytising
• other high-level specialist work relating to these things

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 overseas 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.

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

As a religious worker, you can apply for a second Temporary Activity visa. But you can't stay in Australia for more than 4 years in total on the first and second visa.

Explore your visa options.

You can include members of the family unit in your application when you apply.

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 fee 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.

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 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.

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 notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.

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 work conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

If you stop working for your sponsoring or supporting organisation, you may no longer be eligible to hold this visa. If this happens you must:

• 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 must have an agreement to work full time as a religious worker with a religious institution.

Your wages and employment conditions must meet the necessary standards under the relevant Australian legislation and awards.

Your sponsor or supporter must be a religious institution under the Migration Regulations.

For us to consider them a religious institution, they must:

• be endorsed to receive income tax exemptions, as a charity, by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
• have activities that reflect that it is a body instituted for the promotion of a religious object
• have beliefs and practices that constitute a religion.

You must submit your visa application and include details of your sponsor or supporter.

Your sponsor or supporter cannot be operating as a Trust. In these cases, the Trustee of the Trust may be eligible to be your sponsor or supporter.

The ATO must endorse your sponsor or supporter to receive income tax exemptions as a charity.

If a Trust has obtained charitable status or income tax exemptions, this does not extend to the Trustee. We cannot accept this.

You must have the appropriate experience and qualifications to do the religious work that is in your agreement.

You must have enough money during your stay in Australia to support yourself 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
• previous compliance with visa conditions
• 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.

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

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.

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 that 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 a SmartGate.

What you can do when you have this visa

• do full-time religious work for a religious institution in Australia
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid.

The work you do must directly serve the religious aims of a religious institution in Australia. You can't do secular work, like administration or aged care, for the institution.

To see your specific conditions and work entitlements use VEVO.

What you must do on this visa

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

See your conditions in VEVO.

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.

If you stop doing the activity for the organisation that you were supported or sponsored by, you may no longer be eligible to hold this visa. If this happens, you can:

• 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

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.

The period of stay in Australia for a religious work on the Temporary Activity visa is limited to a total of 4 years.

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.

Bringing family

Family members you declared on your visa application 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 Activity, International Relations or Training Visa (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 do full-time religious work in Australia.

To sponsor or support an applicant for this visa stream your organisation must be a religious institution under the Migration Regulations. You must give evidence of your charitable status.

For us to consider you a religious institution:

• the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) must endorse your organisation to receive income tax exemptions, as a charity
• your organisation’s activities must reflect that it is a body instituted for the promotion of a religious object
• your organisation's beliefs and practices must constitute a religion.

If your organisation operates under a Trust arrangement, the Trustee of the Trust (as listed on the trust deed) must apply for and be approved as a Temporary Activities Sponsor.

The Trustee must meet all requirements on their own for us to approve them as a sponsor. This includes having ATO endorsement to receive income tax exemptions as a charity. Charity status and income tax exemptions held by the Trust do not extend to the Trustee. We cannot accept these.

If you are sponsoring a Religious Assistant or Minister of Religion, you may be eligible to employ them under the Skills in Demand Visa (subclass 482) Labour Agreement stream. For more information see the Minister of Religion Labour Agreement (MoRLA).

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.

To sponsor an applicant for this visa you must be an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor.

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 as a temporary activities sponsor

There is no cost to support a visa applicant.

Your sponsorship normally lasts 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.

Approval as a temporary activities sponsor

Your approval as a temporary activities sponsor will last for 5 years unless we tell you otherwise.

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:

• pay travel costs for the visa holder (and any family members who come to Australia on the visa with them) to return home, if requested
• absorb the cost of sponsorship, including migration agent costs, and not attempt to recover them from the visa holder
• ensure the visa holder only does the activity in relation to which the visa was granted

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 let us know in writing if:

• your address or contact details change
• the person you sponsored does not start the job, program or activity we granted the visa for
• the person you sponsored unexpectedly leaves the job, program or activity we granted the visa for
• you change your formal arrangement or agreement with the person you sponsor
• you change the end date of the position, program or activity
• you pay the return travel cost of the person you sponsored
• your organisation ceases to exist as a legal entity

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