Temporary Activity visa
This visa allows you to come to Australia to do specific types of work on a short-term, temporary basis.
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At a glance
- Base application charge
- A$535
- Checked with the Department on 25 October 2026
- Primary applicant only. The Department publishes five further charges per row.
- 90% decided within
- 18 months
- Slowest of 8 streams - see below
- Age limit
- No limit
- English
- Varies by stream (Functional to Competent English)
Processing times
How long the Department took to decide recently finalised applications. Each figure is a percentile, not an average or a promise.
| Stream | 50% decided within | 90% decided within |
|---|---|---|
| Research Activities | 15 months | 18 months |
| Religious Work | 3 months | 5 months |
| Sporting Activities | 16 days | 4 months |
| Special Programs | 31 days | 56 days |
| Exchange Arrangements | 28 days | 52 days |
| Entertainment Activities | 23 days | 47 days |
| Superyacht Crew | 7 days | 35 days |
| Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity | 4 days | 22 days |
Captured from the Department of Home Affairs on 23 October 2026. The Department does not state a reporting period for this source. Check the Department's tool for the figure as it stands today.
Streams
Each stream has its own eligibility, duration and charge. Read them alongside the Department's page before lodging.
| Stream | Duration | Base fee |
|---|---|---|
Australian Government Endorsed Events This temporary visa lets you come to Australia to participate in certain events endorsed by the Australian Government. | 4 years | A$535 Primary applicant |
Entertainment Activities This temporary visa lets you come to Australia to work in the entertainment industry on film, television or live productions as a performer, production or support staff. You can include family members in your visa application. | 2 years | A$535 Primary applicant |
Domestic work for executives This visa lets you come to Australia to do full-time domestic work in the household of certain senior foreign executives. You and members of your family unit can stay here for up to 2 years. | 2 years | A$535 Primary applicant |
Special Program This visa lets you stay in Australia to take part in an approved special program. Special programs can include youth exchange, cultural enrichment or community programs, school language assistants or "gap year school volunteering ". | 1 year | A$535 Primary applicant |
Exchange Arrangements This visa lets you come to Australia as part of a staff exchange with an Australian organisation. You and your family members who travel here on the visa with you can stay for up to 2 years. | 2 years | A$535 Primary applicant |
Invited for other social and cultural activity (Invited Participant) This visa lets you come to Australia if you are invited to participate in a community-based event, including sporting events. You and your family who travel on the visa with you can stay here for up to 3 months. | 3 months | A$535 Primary applicant |
Research activities This visa lets you observe or take part in a research project at a research or tertiary institution in Australia. You and your family who apply for the visa with you can stay here for up to 2 years. | Varies | A$535 Primary applicant |
Sporting Activities This visa allows you to play, coach, instruct or adjudicate for an Australian team, or do high level sports training with a sporting organisation. You and your family can stay in Australia for up to 2 years. | 2 years | A$535 Primary applicant |
Superyacht Crew This visa lets you work in Australia as a crew member of a superyacht. You can stay here for up to 12 months. | 1 year | A$535 Primary applicant |
Religious Work This visa lets you do full-time religious work for a religious institution in Australia. You and your family who apply for the visa with you can stay here for up to 2 years. | 2 years | A$535 Primary applicant |
As published by the Department of Home Affairs on 25 October 2026
Data verified from immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Charges and processing times are published by the Department of Home Affairs and change from time to time. Each figure on this page carries its own capture date - the page has no single “as at”, because the charge and the processing times are captured separately.
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