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Subclass 408 Temporary Activity Visa Australia 2026: Streams, Sponsorship and Activities
The Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) is a temporary visa for people undertaking specific approved activities in Australia. It is not one single generic work visa: eligibility, sponsorship and maximum stay depend on the activity stream.
What kinds of activities can subclass 408 cover?
Current subclass 408 pathways cover activities such as invited social or cultural participation, entertainment work, sport, religious activity, research, reciprocal staff exchanges and other specified temporary activities. The correct stream matters because the criteria and permitted activities differ.
Official landing page: Temporary Activity visa subclass 408.
Stay periods are stream-specific
There is no single stay period for every subclass 408 stream. For example, the Other Social and Cultural Activity (Invited Participant) stream currently allows a maximum stay of up to three months, while the Staff Exchange Arrangements and Entertainment Activities streams can allow stays of up to two years.
Invited participant source: Other Social and Cultural Activity stream.
Staff exchange source: Staff Exchange Arrangements stream.
Sponsor or supporter?
Subclass 408 requirements can change according to whether the applicant is in Australia, how long the proposed stay is and the stream used. Some streams permit an offshore applicant staying for less than three months to rely on an eligible supporter, while longer or onshore cases can require an approved temporary activities sponsor.
Sponsor source: Bringing someone to participate in temporary activities.
408 versus Visitor or subclass 400
Home Affairs expressly distinguishes invited participants and performers from ordinary visitors and short-stay specialist workers. An unpaid attendee at a conference may fit a Visitor visa, an invited participant or entertainer may fit subclass 408, and a specialist worker performing highly specialised short-term work may instead require subclass 400.
Compare with our Visitor Visa 600 Business Visitor guide.
Health insurance
Adequate health insurance is relevant to subclass 408 and condition 8501 may be attached depending on the stream and grant. Applicants and holders should check the stream criteria, grant letter and VEVO.
See our Condition 8501 guide.
