Training Visa (Subclass 407): Occupational Training in Australia
The Subclass 407 Training Visa allows you to come to Australia for workplace-based occupational training that isn't available in your home country. It's not a work visa — it's specifically for structured training programs, professional development, or capacity-building activities. You need a nomination from an approved Australian sponsor, and the training must enhance your skills for your occupation. The visa costs $320 and is granted for up to 2 years depending on the training program.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Visa subclass | 407 |
| Cost | $320 |
| Processing time | 1–3 months |
| Maximum duration | Up to 2 years |
| Work rights | Only as part of the training program |
| Nomination required | Yes — by an approved sponsor |
| Age requirement | 18 or older |
| English requirement | IELTS 4.5 overall (or equivalent) |
What Is the Training Visa?
The Subclass 407 is designed for structured, workplace-based training programs. It's fundamentally different from a skilled work visa — you're in Australia to learn, not to fill a labour shortage. The Department of Home Affairs is clear on this distinction: if the primary purpose is productive work rather than training, the 407 is not the right visa.
Three types of training are covered:
Workplace-Based Training Required for Registration
Professional training that's a mandatory requirement for registration, membership, or licensing in your occupation. For example, a medical graduate who needs supervised clinical training to complete their registration requirements.
Workplace-Based Training to Improve Skills
Training to improve your skills in your current occupation. This must be structured, supervised, and build on your existing qualifications. A junior engineer undertaking advanced project management training at an Australian firm is a typical example.
Professional Development (Government/NGO)
Training arranged under Australia's foreign aid programs or by Commonwealth, state, or territory government agencies. This stream supports capacity building in developing countries.
Nomination Requirements
Every 407 visa applicant needs a nomination from an approved Australian sponsor. The sponsor can be a business, government agency, or organisation that's been approved by the Department to nominate training visa holders.
Who Can Nominate?
Businesses: Any Australian business that becomes an approved sponsor can nominate trainees. The business must demonstrate:
- The training program is genuine and structured
- The training isn't available in the trainee's home country
- The trainee won't displace Australian workers
- Adequate supervision and training resources exist
Government agencies: Commonwealth, state, and territory agencies can nominate trainees under government-sponsored programs.
Religious institutions: Approved religious institutions can nominate trainees for religious training.
Becoming an Approved Sponsor
The nominating organisation must apply to become a temporary activities sponsor (or already be an approved standard business sponsor). Sponsorship approval is separate from the nomination — the organisation first gets approved as a sponsor, then nominates specific trainees.
Training Plan Requirements
The nomination must include a detailed training plan that covers:
- Objectives of the training program
- Duration and structure
- Supervision arrangements
- Skills to be acquired
- How the training relates to the nominee's occupation
- Why the training isn't available in the nominee's home country
- How the nominee will use the skills after returning home
The training plan is the most scrutinised part of the application. A vague or generic plan will result in a refusal.
Eligibility Requirements
For the Applicant
- Age: 18 or older
- English: IELTS 4.5 overall (or equivalent) — lower than the student visa requirement
- Relevant background: You should have qualifications or experience related to the training occupation
- Genuine training purpose: You must genuinely intend to participate in the training and return to your home country or employment afterward
- Health and character: Standard requirements apply
- Health insurance: Adequate health insurance for the duration of your stay
What It's NOT For
The 407 is not a backdoor to:
- Full-time employment in Australia
- Replacing Australian workers with cheaper trainees
- General work experience or internships without structured training
- Extending your stay in Australia after another visa expires
The Department actively monitors 407 visa holders and can cancel the visa if the training arrangement doesn't match the approved plan.
How to Apply
Step 1: Secure a Training Arrangement
Find an Australian organisation willing to sponsor and nominate you. This usually comes through professional networks, industry partnerships, or government programs.
Step 2: Sponsor Lodges Nomination
The Australian sponsor lodges a nomination through ImmiAccount, including the detailed training plan, evidence of the training arrangement, and payment of the nomination fee.
Step 3: Lodge Your Visa Application
Once the nomination is lodged (it doesn't need to be approved yet), you can lodge your visa application through ImmiAccount.
Documents needed:
- Passport
- Evidence of relevant qualifications or experience
- English language test results
- Health insurance
- Evidence of financial capacity
- Nomination transaction reference number
- Police clearances
Step 4: Health Examination
Attend a medical examination at an approved panel physician if requested.
Step 5: Await Decision
Processing takes 1-3 months. You'll receive notification through ImmiAccount.
Conditions and Restrictions
Work limitation: You can only work as part of your approved training program. You cannot take up separate employment outside the training arrangement.
Training compliance: You must participate in the training program as approved. Failure to attend training or changing the training arrangement without Department approval is a breach.
Duration: The visa is granted for the duration specified in the training plan, up to a maximum of 2 years. Extensions may be possible if the training program is genuinely extended.
No pathway to PR: The 407 does not provide a pathway to permanent residence. It's a temporary visa for a specific purpose.
Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Visa application (primary) | $320 |
| Nomination fee | $325 |
| Partner (secondary) | $320 |
| Child (secondary) | $80 |
| Health examination | $300-$400 |
| Police clearances | Varies by country |
| English test | $300-$400 |
Total costs are significantly lower than student visas, making the 407 an affordable option where genuine training opportunities exist.
407 vs Student Visa (500)
| Feature | 407 Training | 500 Student |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Workplace training | Formal study |
| Cost | $320 | $1,600 |
| Work rights | Training only | 48 hrs/fortnight |
| Duration | Up to 2 years | Course duration |
| English | IELTS 4.5 | IELTS 5.5-6.5 |
| Sponsor needed | Yes | No |
| PR pathway | No | Via 485 → skilled |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change employers on a 407 visa?
No. Your visa is tied to the specific training arrangement and sponsor. If you want to train at a different organisation, the new organisation must lodge a new nomination and you may need a new visa.
Can my partner work on a 407 visa?
Partners included on a 407 visa may receive work rights depending on the circumstances. Check the specific conditions on their visa grant.
Is the 407 visa the same as an internship visa?
No, though they overlap. The 407 is for structured occupational training, not general internships. An unpaid internship at a company wouldn't typically qualify unless it's part of a structured training program with clear learning objectives.
Can I study while on a 407 visa?
Limited study related to your training is permitted. Full-time study at a CRICOS institution would require a student visa.
What happens when the training finishes?
You're expected to leave Australia when your training program and visa expire. The 407 doesn't provide any onshore transition pathway, and most grants carry Condition 8503 (no further stay).
