Meetings and delivering a service are different activities
Business visitor activities include general business enquiries, contract negotiations and attending a conference without payment from its organisers. They exclude working for or providing services to an Australian business or organisation, and selling directly to the public.
| Proposed activity | Starting point to check | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Meetings or negotiating a contract | Business Visitor 600, or ETA/eVisitor for an eligible passport. | Does every task fit the permitted visitor activities? |
| A short specialist assignment | Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) 400. | Does the actual project meet its specialist and non-ongoing criteria? |
| An ongoing job, performance or another activity | The official work finder and exact visa page. | Which route permits the complete activity and intended stay? |
This table helps organise questions; it does not select a visa for you. For example, write down both the contract meeting and any later installation, training or delivery tasks. Do not stop the description at the first meeting.
Business visitor activities and evidence → · Official Business Visitor stream · Official work visa finder
Short duration alone does not meet subclass 400 criteria
Subclass 400 requires specialist skills or experience needed by Australian business that cannot reasonably be found locally. The assignment must be non-ongoing: completion within six months, without arrangements or expectations of remaining for related work afterwards. A stay can be up to six months; generally, more than three months requires a strong business case.
It permits only the work or activity for which it is granted. Check the official entertainment exclusions and family conditions too. It is not general permission to take any short job.
Before asking the host for a letter, put the proposed duties and finish point in plain language. “Consulting” or “technical support” alone may leave the actual work unclear. Identify the deliverable, where each task happens and any follow-up expected in Australia. If the scope changes, return to the official route before relying on the old description.
Read all subclass 400 eligibility and exclusions · Compare employer-sponsored routes →
Ask the Australian host for concrete details
The official work-document instructions cover the role, duties, duration, reason for the work, application support, wages, employment conditions and applicable Australian workplace standard or award. Specialist-skill evidence can include a CV, qualifications or licences and an overseas-employer letter. Use the full live document list for your application.
Our private checklist provides a working record for questions and filenames. It is an original planning aid, not an official form or a substitute for the application prompts.
- Compare the descriptions. Does the host letter describe the same tasks, worksite and dates as your own plan?
- Record unanswered questions. Ask the host to clarify the finish point, pay arrangement and workplace terms rather than filling gaps with assumptions.
- Map a claim to evidence. Note which existing record explains the relevant skill or project detail. Keep the actual documents in your own files.
- Check the complete application list. Identity, funding, translations and any health, character or family requirements need their own review.
Official subclass 400 document instructions · Translate and upload documents →
Keep application location and granted dates separate
Apply in ImmiAccount from outside Australia; the decision must also be made while you are outside. This visa cannot be extended. The granted stay starts at first arrival and does not restart on re-entry; the notice specifies whether entries are single or multiple.
Use the live fee estimator and processing-time guide. Leave room in the project schedule for a decision and any requested follow-up; a processing estimate does not reserve a start date. Before travelling, compare the passport, first-entry deadline, stay, approved activity and conditions in your own grant with the proposed assignment.
Current subclass 400 application and travel rules · Current fee estimator · Read processing estimates → · Check granted conditions
Organise the activity and host questions
Save an editable text record for tasks, dates, evidence and unresolved questions. Keep it on your device; no email or document upload is needed.
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