Features
This visa allows you to come to Australia on a temporary basis:
- in relation to a bilateral agreement (Government Agreement stream)
- to represent a foreign government or to teach a foreign language in an Australian school (Foreign Government Agency stream)
- to do domestic work for a diplomat (Domestic Worker stream)
- as a person with statutory privileges and immunities (Privileges and Immunities stream)
- to work under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme (PALM stream).
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Requirements
You might be able to get this visa if:
- you meet the requirements for one of the streams within this visa.
About this visa
The Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) allows you to come to Australia under one of five streams:
- Government Agreement stream: to come to Australia under the terms and conditions of a bilateral agreement between the Australian Government or an Australian state or territory government and the government of another country
- Foreign Government Agency stream: for a representative of a foreign government who will not be given official status in Australia by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), or a person who is to be employed as a foreign language teacher by a foreign government in an Australian school
- Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream: to do domestic work in the household of someone who holds a Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995)
- Privileges and Immunities stream: for a person with privileges and immunities under the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963 or the Overseas Missions (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1995
- Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) stream: to come to Australia to work for an approved Australian employer who cannot source local labour, in short-term or long-term roles in eligible sectors. You must be recruited by an approved PALM scheme employer. The scheme is open to citizens of participating Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.
This is a temporary visa.
Applying in Australia: If you apply in Australia, you must be in Australia when the visa is granted.
Applying outside Australia: If you apply outside Australia, you must be outside Australia when your visa is granted.
Note: The PALM stream visa can only be applied for and granted outside Australia.
Who can employ a domestic worker
To employ a domestic worker under this visa, you must:
- hold a Diplomatic visa (subclass 995) and be accredited as a diplomat or consular officer in Australia
- not be a permanent resident of Australia
- have formal support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to employ a domestic worker, before the worker applies for their visa
- intend to employ the worker to perform domestic duties in your private household
- sign an employment contract that is in accordance with Australian workplace conditions, as well as applicable state and territory legislation.
The Fair Work Ombudsman can provide information and advice about workplace rights and conditions, including employer obligations.
Employer obligations
You must:
- ensure the domestic worker is employed only to perform domestic duties in your private household
- tell the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade when your domestic worker first arrives in Australia and when they finally leave
- ensure that the domestic worker leaves Australia when they finish working for you.
Who can sponsor a PALM worker?
For the PALM stream, the sponsor must be an employer approved under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, recruiting workers for short-term or long-term roles in eligible sectors such as agriculture, meat processing, accommodation and care.
To be a sponsor, your organisation must be lawfully established and actively operating in Australia. In addition:
- you must be an Australian organisation or government agency
- there must be nothing adverse known about your organisation or it is reasonable to disregard any adverse information
- if your organisation has previously sponsored overseas workers to Australia, you must have a satisfactory record of complying with Australian laws.
How long does the sponsorship last?
A sponsorship lasts for up to five years.
If you are approved as a temporary activities sponsor, you can apply to vary (extend) your sponsorship before it expires to allow you to continue to sponsor people. If the sponsorship period expires, you will need to reapply and be approved as a sponsor, to sponsor further visa applicants.
403 visa fees
The 403 visa application charge is AUD 470 for the main applicant (from 1 July 2026). As an example fees for 403 visa for the main applicant, spouse and a dependent under 18 would be:
| PRODUCT | QUANTITY | PRICE |
|---|---|---|
| 403 visa | 1 | AUD 470 |
| Additional Applicant Charge 18+ | 1 | AUD 470 |
| Additional Applicant Charge U18 | 1 | AUD 120 |
| GST | 0.00 | |
| Total | AUD 1060.00 |
*You can’t include family members in your 403 visa (Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular)) application.
Sponsorship
All charges shown below are in Australian Dollars.
| TYPE OF APPLICATION | FEE |
|---|---|
| Temporary activities sponsorship | $420 |
Employer sponsored visa guides
- Skills in Demand 482 visa
- 482 Core Skills stream
- 482 Specialist Skills stream
- 482 visa fees
- 482 visa path to PR
- Employer Nomination Scheme (186 visa)
- Regional employer sponsored (494 visa)
- Becoming a standard business sponsor
- Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy
- Labour agreements
- Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA)
- Employer sponsorship assessment
Book a meeting today for a commitment free briefing with our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne to find more about your visa options.
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