Temporary visa 408 - Great things you should know
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Basic Information on temporary visa 408 – Relevant to Students and Study
Information Source – Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs
You must have the skills to undertake the activity to be carried out in Australia be supported or sponsored meet additional requirements of the relevant stream. This visa allows you to come to Australia on a temporary basis to:
• work in the entertainment industry
• participate in activities at the invitation of an Australian organisation
• participate or observe in an Australian research project
• work in a skilled position under a staff exchange arrangement
• participate in high-level sports competitions or sports training programs
• participate in a special programme approved by the department that provides opportunities for youth exchange
• cultural enrichment or community benefits
• do full-time religious work
• be employed as a superyacht crew member
• do full-time domestic work in the household of certain senior foreign executives
• and participate in a government endorsed event.
Eligible If You
• intend to stay in Australia for three months or less and apply from outside Australia, and you have the support of an organisation or individual in Australia who has responsibility for the events or activities being undertaken who passes the support test
• intend to stay in Australia for more than three months and you are sponsored by an approved sponsor for this visa who passes the sponsorship test
meet the requirements of the activity type in which you are applying for this visa
• have adequate financial support for you and your family while you are in Australia
• have adequate arrangements for health insurance while you are in Australia
meet health and character requirements
• genuinely intend to remain temporarily in Australia to do the work or activity specified in your application.
Other Requirements
No Adverse Consequences
• You must not intend to engage in any activity that will have adverse consequences for employment or training opportunities, or conditions of employment, for Australian citizens or permanent residents.
Genuine Temporary Entrant
• The genuine temporary entrant requirement (GTE) is an integrity measure to ensure that the temporary visa programme is used as intended and not as a way to maintain ongoing residency in Australia. Temporary residents are generally not able to extend their stay in Australia beyond four years by applying for this visa.
• The GTE requirement applies to all temporary activity visa applicants. The officer assessing the visa will consider whether the individual circumstances of the visa applicant indicates that their intention is for a temporary stay in Australia.
• You must satisfy us that you have a genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily.
• When assessing the GTE requirement, we will consider:
• your circumstances
• your immigration history
• if you are under 18 years old, the intention of your parent, legal guardian or partner
• any other relevant matter
English Language Skills
• Visa applicants under “special programs” should have functional English language. This is to ensure that participants fully experience the cultural and social benefits of the special programme and to ensure occupational health and safety standards are met.
Financial Support
• While you are in Australia, you must be able to support yourself and any eligible dependant family members who come with you. You might be asked to provide evidence of funds, such as an employment contract, bank statements or a letter from your financial institution stating your financial position. Allowances, accommodation and other assistance from your employer can also be considered when looking at your ability to support yourself.
Declaration – No Payment
• Sponsors, nominators and visa applicants are required to provide a statement in relation to current or previous conduct that constitutes a breach in ‘paying for visa sponsorship’ activity. This declaration is included in the visa application form. See: Paying for visa sponsorship – declaration requirement.
Sponsor Requirements
• If you apply in Australia or you apply outside Australia and you intend to stay for more than 3 months you must provide the following from your sponsor:
• Sponsors Transaction Reference Number or Sponsorship Application ID
• Sponsor approval letter or receipt for lodgement of the sponsorship application.
• A written statement from the sponsor that they will meet the sponsorship obligations for you and all dependent family members included in your application.
Family Members
• For detailed information regarding who you can include in your application see including family members in your application. You should read and understand this before completing your applications.
• All family members who will come with you or who will join you later in Australia must be:
• included in your visa application (even if they will join you later in Australia)
• sponsored if your stay in Australia is for more than 3 months (your sponsor must agree, in writing, to sponsor your family members)
• Members of your family unit must be able to show that they have access to adequate means of support for their stay and meet health and character requirements.
Health
• You must meet certain health requirements. The results of your health examinations are generally valid for 12 months.
• This applies to you and any dependent family members included in the application.
• You are able to organise your health examinations upfront before lodging a visa application.
Health Insurance
• You are responsible for all your health costs while you are in Australia.
• You will not be covered by Australia’s national health scheme (Medicare) unless your country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia.
• You must make adequate arrangements in Australia for health insurance, for the period of your intended stay in Australia, unless you are covered by Medicare.
• You should ensure that your insurance will provide at least the level of coverage required for the purpose of your stay. Your health insurer could be in either Australia or your home country.
• Attachment A in the health insurance standard template letter (142KB RTF) is a guide to the level of health insurance we will accept as adequate.
• This applies to you and any dependent family members listed in the application.
Character Requirements
• If your proposed duration of stay in Australia will be for a period of 12 months or more, then police certificates should be provided when you lodge your application for this visa. For all other situations, do not arrange for police certificates until we tell you to.
• You must meet certain character requirements. You must provide a police certificate from each country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after you turned 16 years of age.
• If you intend to work as a domestic worker (executive): Provide police certificates when you lodge your application for this visa.
Benefits
• This visa allows you to:
• stay in Australia for the period that aligns with the activities that you have been approved to undertake on this visa. The maximum stay periods allowed are:
Invited participant activity type – up to three months
• Australian Government endorsed event activity type – up to four years
• Any other activity type – up to two years
• do the work or activity specified in your application
• bring eligible family members with you to Australia
• enter and leave Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid.
Note
• For some activity types such as superyacht crew members and special program participants, the stay period is usually no more than 12 months.
• Temporary visa holders are generally not able to extend their stay in Australia beyond four years by applying for this visa.
Obligations
• During your stay in Australia, you must:
• maintain adequate health insurance while you are in Australia
continue to meet the requirements of the visa activity type in which you were granted the visa
• leave Australia when your visa ends (unless you are granted another visa)only engage in work or an activity for the employer or organisation identified in your visa application (you cannot become unemployed, leave your position to do work or an activity for someone else, or work for someone else in a second job)
only engage in work or activity consistent with the position or role identified in your visa application
• not become involved in activities disruptive to, or violence threatening harm to, the Australian community or a group within the Australian community.
Note
• for entertainers only: It is a condition on your visa that you must not change details of the times and places of engagements specified in the application to be undertaken in Australia during the visa period, without the prior permission in writing of the Secretary of the department…
Government
Debts
• You must have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government before this visa can be granted.
This also applies to all dependent family members in your application who are 18 years of age or older.
Visa Fees
• for the visa applicant are:
• Visa application – from AUD 285
• Other costs:
• You might have to pay other costs, such as the costs of health assessments, police certificates, or any other certificates or tests. You are responsible for making the necessary arrangements. There is also a fee for additional family members who are coming to Australia with you
Shanthi Silva was admitted as a Lawyer in the Supreme Court of the State of New South Wales, Australia in February 2010. Shanthi is also qualified as a Bachelor of Business with major studies in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management. Having worked in Government, Industry and Corporate sectors her legal experience includes Compliance law, Industrial Relations law, Employment law and Migration Law.
Qualifications
LLB, Grad. Dip Legal Practice
B.BUS (Industrial Relations & Human Resource Management)
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