Government Agreement stream

• work under the terms and conditions of a bilateral agreement between the Australian Government, or a state or territory government, and a government of another country
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
• apply to bring your immediate family to Australia (if allowed under the agreement, and specified in the letter of support from the Australian signatory).

This is a temporary visa. You can stay for the time we specify in your visa grant notice. This may be up to 4 years unless the Australian signatory has asked for a shorter period.

The visa starts:

• on the day you first enter Australia, if you are outside Australia when we grant the visa or
• on the date we grant the visa, if you are in Australia when we grant the visa.

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You may apply for a further subclass 403 visa under the Government Agreement stream, if you meet the requirements.

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

• allowed under the agreement, and
• specified in the letter of support from the Australian signatory.

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

The visa costs AUD470.00 for the main applicant.

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

You may also have to pay other costs for:

• police certificates
• health checks, and
• biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account any 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 you as eligible if you include your valid passport from one of the specified countries in your application.

Family members are also eligible for the lower visa cost. We base this on the passport of the primary applicant, or primary visa holder.

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 the visa and when we decide on your application.

To find out about 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 can take longer to process if:

• you do not fill it in correctly
• you do not include all the documents we need
• we need more information from you
• it takes us time to verify your information.

We can't process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will tell you if this is the case and invalidate your application.

If we grant you a visa, you and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for 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.

You must:

• meet the terms and conditions of the agreement
• meet any licensing or registration requirements as part of your employment
• demonstrate your employment or activity in Australia is of benefit to Australia.

Your employment or activity in Australia must benefit Australia.

Your stay must have the support of both the Australian signatory and the foreign signatory to the bilateral agreement you intend to work under. You don't need a sponsor.

While you are in Australia, you must have the financial capacity to support yourself and any dependent family members who come with you.

If you are applying in Australia, you must hold, or in the last 28 days have held, a temporary substantive visa.

The temporary substantive visa you hold or held can't have been:

• a Temporary Work (International Relations) (subclass 403) visa in the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream
• a Transit visa (subclass 771), or
• a Special Purpose visa

You and your family members, who apply for this 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 and your accompanying family 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 insurance for the whole of your stay to be granted this visa. Your health insurance should cover you for medically necessary treatment, including transport.

Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

See more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

You must only intend to:

• have a genuine intention to stay temporarily in Australia
• do the work or activity you specified in your visa application

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

• be engaged under the terms and conditions of a bilateral agreement between the Australian Government or an Australian state or territory government and a government of another country
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid
• bring family members with you (if permitted under the agreement and specified in the letter of support from the Australian signatory)

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.

Learn more about visa conditions and how they work.

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

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.

Travelling on your visa

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

Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.

See your conditions in VEVO.

Proving you have a visa

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

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

You can apply for a subsequent entrant visa for your family member.

Your family member might be able to apply for a Temporary Activity, International Relations or Training Visa (Subsequent entrant) (403,407,408) 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.