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  • Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403)

    Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403)

Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403)

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)
  • as a young Indian graduate or early career professional selected in the MATES ballot (MATES stream).

Related:

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 six 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.
  • Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) stream: a pilot stream for Indian graduates and early career professionals in eligible fields who have been selected in the MATES ballot. No employer sponsorship is needed.

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.

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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

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

PALM and MATES: The Newer 403 Streams

The 403 visa has changed in recent years. Two streams now account for most new applicants.

Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) stream

In April 2022 the Seasonal Worker Programme and the Pacific Labour Scheme were brought together into the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, and the 403 visa now has a PALM stream in place of the Seasonal Worker Program stream. Key points:

  • It is open to citizens of Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
  • Workers are recruited through their home country’s labour sending unit and employed by an approved PALM employer. You cannot simply apply on your own.
  • Short-term placements are for up to 9 months, mainly for seasonal work such as harvesting. Long-term placements run for 1 to 4 years.
  • Short-term workers cannot bring family. A limited pilot allows some long-term workers to bring their partner and dependent children.
  • Workers generally cannot change employer without approval.

Read our PALM stream guide for more detail.

MATES stream

The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) is a pilot stream for young Indian graduates in fields such as engineering, mining, renewable energy, ICT, artificial intelligence, FinTech and AgriTech. Key points:

  • You must first register in an annual ballot. Only people selected in the ballot can apply for the visa.
  • Up to 3,000 primary visa places are available each program year.
  • No Australian employer sponsorship or job offer is needed.
  • The visa allows a stay of up to two years.

Our MATES stream guide explains the age, qualification and English requirements.

Which 403 Stream Fits You?

Stream Who it is for What you need first
Government Agreement People coming under a formal agreement between an Australian government and a foreign government Support from the relevant government body under the agreement
Foreign Government Agency Foreign government representatives without diplomatic status, and some foreign language teachers Support from the foreign government agency
Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) Domestic workers employed by a diplomat or consular officer An employment contract and support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Privileges and Immunities People who have privileges and immunities under Australian law, such as some staff of international organisations Support from DFAT
PALM Workers from eligible Pacific countries and Timor-Leste Recruitment by an approved PALM employer through your labour sending unit
MATES Indian graduates and early career professionals in eligible fields Selection in the MATES ballot

Diplomats and consular officers themselves do not use the 403. They usually hold a Diplomatic visa (subclass 995).

403 Visa Fees from 1 July 2026

Charge Main applicant Additional applicant 18 and over Additional applicant under 18
403 visa, most streams $470 $470 $120
403 visa, PALM stream $365 $355 $85

Fees are government visa application charges in Australian dollars and are usually indexed on 1 July each year. Where a sponsor is needed, the temporary activities sponsorship fee shown above is paid by the sponsor. Health examinations, police certificates, translations and professional fees are extra.

How to Apply for the 403 Visa: Step by Step

  1. Confirm your stream. Each stream depends on a particular arrangement, such as a government agreement, a diplomatic employer, a PALM placement or a MATES ballot selection.
  2. Obtain the support you need. This could be a letter from a government body, DFAT support, a job offer from an approved PALM employer, or a MATES ballot invitation.
  3. Gather your documents. See the checklist below.
  4. Lodge online and pay the visa application charge. Include family members where your stream allows.
  5. Health and character checks. Complete any health examinations and provide police certificates if requested.
  6. Grant. Be in the right place when the visa is granted. If you applied outside Australia you must be outside Australia at grant, and if you applied in Australia you must be in Australia.

Document Checklist

  • passport and any change of name documents
  • the support letter, agreement, employment contract or ballot invitation for your stream
  • evidence of qualifications and work history, where relevant to your stream
  • evidence of English, if your stream requires it
  • evidence of health insurance, where required
  • police certificates and health examinations, when requested
  • relationship and identity documents for any family members included

Documents that are not in English must be translated into English by an accredited translator.

After Your 403 Visa Is Granted

  • Work within your stream. In most streams you can only do the work your visa was granted for. MATES is different, as holders can work for any employer during their stay.
  • Keep to the arrangement. If the agreement, placement or employment behind your visa ends early, your visa may be affected. Get advice quickly.
  • Domestic workers are protected by Australian law. Employers must meet Australian workplace standards, and workers can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman if they have concerns.
  • Plan your next step. The 403 is temporary and does not lead directly to permanent residence. PALM workers may be able to register for the Pacific Engagement Visa (subclass 192) ballot, which is a permanent visa. MATES holders may apply for another visa if they meet its requirements.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying in the old Seasonal Worker Program stream or relying on outdated information about it. Seasonal work now runs through the PALM scheme.
  • Trying to apply for PALM or MATES directly, without a PALM employer placement or a ballot invitation.
  • Including family members in a stream that does not allow them, such as the Domestic Worker stream.
  • Lodging before the required government or DFAT support is in place.
  • Being in the wrong location when the visa is granted.
  • Changing employer or role without the required approval.

Temporary Work (International Relations) Visa 403: Frequently Asked Questions

No. The Seasonal Worker Programme was combined with the Pacific Labour Scheme into the PALM scheme in April 2022. Seasonal and longer term work for Pacific and Timor-Leste workers now uses the PALM stream.

It depends on the stream. MATES does not need a sponsor or job offer, but you must be selected in the ballot. The other streams all depend on support from a government body, DFAT, a diplomatic employer or an approved PALM employer.

In some streams, yes. Family members cannot be included in the Domestic Worker stream, and short-term PALM workers cannot bring family. Check the rules for your stream before you apply.

The 403 is linked to international relations, such as government agreements, diplomatic employers, PALM and MATES. The 408 Temporary Activity visa covers specific activities such as sport, entertainment, research and religious work, usually with a supporter or sponsor in Australia.

No, not directly. It is a temporary visa. Some holders later qualify for a permanent visa, such as the Pacific Engagement Visa for eligible Pacific and Timor-Leste citizens, but that requires a separate application.

Related guides

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