For employers · Short-term specialists
Bringing an overseas specialist in for a short project
An installation engineer for six weeks, a consultant for a commissioning, an expert to train your team: which visa applies depends on what the person will actually do, for how long, and whether the work is ongoing. This guide sets out the options from the employer's side, checked against Home Affairs on 10 November 2026.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed on 10 November 2026 · Check the OMARA register
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Meetings and contracts only
- Business visitor (ETA, eVisitor, 600)
- Specialist work, up to 6 months
- 400, from A$535
- Events, research, sport
- 408
- Longer or ongoing
- 482
The migration agent that other migration agents learn from. WIDEN is an OMARA-approved CPD provider — our training is rated ★4.8 by 40+ registered migration agents.
About the CPD →Business visitor: meetings, not work
On an ETA (and similarly on an eVisitor or a Visitor 600 in the business stream) a person can make general business or employment enquiries, investigate, negotiate, enter into or review a business contract, take part in an official government visit, and attend a conference, trade fair or seminar if the organisers are not paying them. Home Affairs says a visitor cannot work for or provide services to a business or organisation in Australia. Installing, commissioning, repairing, training your staff or delivering project work is work, even if the person is paid from overseas. An ETA allows 3 months per entry.
The 400: short, highly specialised, non-ongoing
The Highly Specialised Work stream of the 400 is for skills, knowledge or experience that cannot reasonably be found in Australia, for work that is not ongoing. Home Affairs can grant it for up to 6 months; for more than 3 months a strong business case is generally needed. The person applies from outside Australia, the visa cannot be extended, and they may only do the work it was granted for. It costs from A$535, needs no sponsorship or nomination and has no salary threshold. The Australian business usually supplies a letter setting out the work, the dates and why the skills are not available locally. Detail: the 400 visa.
The 408: events, research, sport and special programs
The 408 covers specific activities: invited participation in events, entertainment, research, sport, special programs and some religious and domestic work, with some streams needing a temporary activities sponsor. It is rarely the route for commercial project work. See the 408 and 400 vs 408.
The 482: when the work is longer or ongoing
If the role is ongoing, runs past what the 400 allows, or is not highly specialised, the 482 is the work visa. It needs approved sponsorship (A$420 if you are not already a sponsor), a nomination and the Skilling Australians Fund levy, and a salary at the market rate and at least the relevant threshold. The Specialist Skills stream (A$146,576 or more, no occupation list, not trades, machinery operators and drivers, or labourers) suits senior experts; the Core Skills stream needs a listed occupation, A$79,423 or more and labour market testing. See the Specialist Skills stream and the cost of sponsoring.
Choosing
- No hands-on work? Business visitor.
- Hands-on, specialist, a defined end within 6 months? The 400.
- An event, research or sport? Check the 408 streams.
- Ongoing, longer, or a regular role? The 482.
The test is what the person will actually do on site. A visa chosen for convenience that does not match the work can lead to cancellation for the person and questions for your business.
Check the visa before the flights
In an employer consultation Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536, registered since 2015) looks at the work, the dates and the person, and tells you which visa fits and what the application needs. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes or A$550 for 60 minutes, credited in full if you engage the practice.
Book an employer consultation →
In other currencies: A$330 is about US$225, €205 or £170; A$550 is about US$380, €340 or £285 (approximate, November 2026).
General information, not migration advice. No visa outcome can be promised.
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Book 30 minutes with Keshab.
Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536), reads your situation with you and tells you which route fits, what it costs and what happens next.
Video consultation. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes, credited in full if you go ahead. Advice on your own case is given in the consultation, and you leave it with a clear plan in writing.
What you get
- 30 minutes (A$330) or 60 minutes (A$550) by video with a registered migration agent, Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536.
- A written summary of your options and next steps after the session.
- What to bring: ABN, what the business does, the role and salary, the candidate’s CV and current visa.
- Prefer no call? The sponsorship readiness check is done in writing, A$550.
Book an employer sponsorship consultation — A$330 inc. GST, credited In writing, no call — A$550
Need 60 minutes, or bringing a partner, employer or documents to go through? Extended consultation, A$550 inc. GST.
MARN 1576536 · practising since 2015 · contact details
Questions we get asked first
Can an overseas specialist work on our project on a visitor visa or ETA?
Only business visitor activities: enquiries, negotiating or reviewing a contract, an official government visit, or a conference or trade fair. Home Affairs says a visitor cannot work for or provide services to a business in Australia, so hands-on project work needs a work visa such as the 400 or the 482.
How long can a 400 visa holder stay?
Home Affairs can grant the 400 for up to 6 months; for more than 3 months a strong business case is generally needed. It cannot be applied for in Australia or extended, and the work must be highly specialised and non-ongoing.
Does the 400 need a sponsor or nomination?
No sponsorship or nomination is needed, and there is no salary threshold, but the Australian business normally supports the application with a letter describing the work, why the skills cannot reasonably be found in Australia and the dates.
When do we need a 482 instead?
When the work is ongoing, longer than the 400 allows, or not highly specialised. The 482 needs approved sponsorship, a nomination and a salary at the market rate and threshold: the Specialist Skills stream starts at A$146,576 and has no occupation list, but excludes trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers; the Core Skills stream needs a listed occupation and labour market testing.
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