You can sponsor or support a visa applicant so that they can come to Australia for temporary activities like entertaining or playing sport, cultural exchanges, seasonal work or training. Explore visa options
Some visas will require you to be an
approved temporary activities sponsor.
An approved temporary activities sponsor is someone we have assessed as suitable to:
Depending on which visa or visa stream you want to sponsor an applicant for, you might have to meet other criteria.
If you want to fill a skilled position and you can't find a suitable Australian to fill it, an employer sponsored visa might be more suitable.
Learn about employing migrants.
See other work visa options.
Getting help with events
The International Event Coordinator Network
The International Event Coordinator Network (IECN) provides free advice on visas to event organisers on the following types of events:
- business or academic meetings, conferences and seminars
- sporting tournaments, championships and games
- trade shows, expos and fairs
- cultural festivals
- religious events.
The IECN can't assist you with personal events such as graduation ceremonies, birthday parties, weddings or attendance at interviews or exams.
Event organisers and participants
We can provide advice on visa and border requirements for organising committees managing conferences and events in Australia where there are international participants attending.
If your organisation is involved in the coordination or facilitation of an event involving international participants and delegates (including any contractors/workforce), providing us with advanced notice of events will assist us to provide timely advice to all parties associated with the event. This will also assist participants to apply for the correct visas and if they are eligible, be granted a visa in time for the event. We can also provide relevant information on import and export requirements in relation to baggage, equipment and other goods for these events.
All visitors to Australia must have a valid visa to travel to and enter Australia. New Zealand passport holders do not usually need to lodge a visa application prior to their departure unless they have health and/or character concerns. The International Event Coordinator Network can help participants choose the appropriate visa.
How can event organisers help with the visa application process?
For the best possible chance of hosting a successful event in Australia, event organisers should:
-
register events with the International Event Coordinator Network (IECN) by completing the IECN Enquiry Form in the event planning stage or as early as possible.
- enquire with the IECN about information fact sheets that may be relevant to your type of event.
- advise participants to visit our website to find information about which visa they may be eligible for.
- advise participants of Australia's health and character requirements, which they will have to meet as part of the visa application process.
- provide participants with confirmation of their registration, or a letter of invitation, to attend the event.
- provide the IECN with a participant list.
What can event participants do to help with the visa application process?
For the best possible chance of obtaining a visa to travel to Australia to attend an event, you should determine which visa you should apply for, making sure that the visa allows for the purpose of visit to Australia. For example:
- attendees, amateur performers, and volunteers (who will not be paid to participate, other than to be reimbursed for reasonable expenses such as accommodation and meals) may be eligible for a Visitor visa.
- invited participants and speakers (whose principle intent is to impart information/facts) might be eligible for a Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) as an invited participant in an event.
- performers, entertainers, and other persons intending to work in the entertainment industry in Australia (including, but not limited to, directors and producers) might be eligible for a Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) in an entertainment activity.
- workers (including, but not limited to, exhibit installers, constructors of stands/event products, supervisors and organisers) might be eligible for a Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa (subclass 400).
Other important things to note:
- apply for your visa in advance to allow for variances in processing times.
- consider Australia's health and character requirements, which you may have to meet as part of the visa application process.
- ensure you obtain a confirmation of your registration, or a letter of invitation, to attach to your visa application.
- participants required to lodge paper-based visa applications should do so at the Australian visa office nearest to their current country of residence.
The International Event Coordinator Network might not be able to help if participants do not lodge their visa applications within recommended timeframes.
How can the International Event Coordinator Network help with the visa application process?
The International Event Coordinator Network can also provide any of the following services as required:
- updates on the progress of visa applications
- confirmation of the lodgement of visa applications by event participants
- liaison with Australian visa offices overseas to resolve issues arising in the visa application process
- letters to support bids by Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs) to host events in Australia.
Enquiries
For enquiries, please contact the International Event Coordinator Network (IECN) by completing the online form to register your event and receive advice.
The IECN is not able to provide a list of events and conferences in Australia.
