COVID-19 Pandemic Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408)

by Department of Home Affairs

Stay: Up to 12 months

Cost: Free

Processing times: Processing times are not available for this visa.

ABOUT THIS VISA

With this visa, you can

remain in Australia to continue your work in critical sectors including agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care or child care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical professionals can commence work in the healthcare sector with this visa.
remain in Australia if you have no other visa options and are unable to depart Australia due to COVID-19 travel restrictions
include members of the family unit in your application.

Note: For those who are granted a COVID-19 Pandemic event visa, work rights will be limited to those continue working in a critical sector such as agriculture, health care, aged care, disability care and child care.

How long you can stay

This is a temporary visa with multiple entries, however travel restrictions are in place. See Leaving Australia

If you apply in Australia, the visa starts the day we grant it. If you apply outside Australia, you won’t meet the requirements for this visa and will be refused.

For the COVID-19 Pandemic event, you may be granted a visa for:

a further stay of up to 12 months if you are employed in critical sectors including agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care or child care
a further stay of up to 12 months if you have been in Australia under the Seasonal Worker Programme or Pacific Labour Scheme and are continuing your work in critical sectors including agriculture
whatever period of temporary stay is necessary, if you can’t be granted another visa, while you are unable to travel home from Australia.

Your visa grant letter will tell you how long you can stay.

Stay longer

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options.

Include family

You can:

include members of the family unit in your application when you apply, or
add family members to your application at any time before we make a decision

Family members who apply for the visa with you must also meet our health and character requirements.

Subsequent entrants

If we grant you the visa, your family members might be able to apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant

Cost

There is no Visa Application Charge for the COVID-19 Pandemic event visa

You might have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Apply from

The COVID-19 Pandemic event visa can only be granted to people in Australia.

Processing times

Processing times are not available for this visa.

Your obligations

You and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

You and your family need to comply with all public health directions to stay safe and help fight COVID-19.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Your activities must not harm the work, training or job conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

Travel

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid and travel restrictions are not in place.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Visa label

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

If we grant you a visa, we will send you a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. You can use this number to access your digital visa record.

ELIGIBILITY

Be in Australia

You must be in Australia.

Have 28 days or less remaining on your current visa or your last substantive visa expired less than 28 days ago

You must have 28 days or less remaining on your current visa or your last substantive visa expired less than 28 days ago

Have evidence that you have ongoing work in a critical sector and that an Australian citizen or Permanent resident can't fill the position

Be able to support yourself and any dependants

You must have enough money to support yourself and any dependent family members who travel to Australia with you.

Meet the health requirement

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement.

This means you may need to undergo a health check.

Meet our character requirement

You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement.

We might also ask that other family members meet the requirement.

Have adequate health insurance

This means you may need to arrange health insurance for your stay in Australia if you haven’t already got it.

Be a genuine temporary entrant

Have paid back debt to the Australian Government

If you owe the Australian Government money, you must have paid it back or have a formal arrangement to pay it back.

Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused

You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia. Check if visa cancellation affects you.

Sign the Australian values statement

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must acknowledge the Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you apply for the visa.

STEP BY STEP

Step 1

Before you apply

Let us know if you are getting help with your application.

Step 2

Gather your documents

Provide evidence to support your application.

Step 3

Apply for the visa

You must apply for this visa online. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply.

Step 4

After you apply

We will let you know when we have received your application. See what you can and must do after you apply.

Step 5

Visa outcome

The COVID-19 Pandemic event visa can only be granted to people in Australia.

We will let you know our decision in writing.

If we grant your visa, we will tell you:

your visa grant number
the date your visa starts
your visa conditions, if applicable

Keep a copy of the decision.

If we refuse your visa, we will tell you:

why we refused the visa
whether you have a right to a review of the decision

We will not refund the application fee if we refuse your application.

WHEN YOU HAVE THIS VISA

In Australia

What you can do when you have this visa

travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid and travel restrictions are not in place
remain in Australia to continue your work in critical sectors including agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care or child care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical professionals can commence work in the health care sector with this visa
remain in Australia if you have no other visa options and are temporarily unable to depart Australia due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

To see your specific conditions and work entitlements use VEVO.

What you must do on your visa

You and your family members must meet all visa conditions and follow Australian laws. Check your conditions in VEVO or your visa grant letter.

Health insurance

It is a mandatory condition of your visa that you maintain adequate health insurance during your stay in Australia.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to let us know about include:

changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
changes to your relationship status
the birth of a child

See how to tell us if there is a change in your situation

See how long you can stay

To see when you must leave, use VEVO.

Staying longer

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You must apply for a new visa if you want to stay longer.

See your options.

Travelling on your visa

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid and travel restrictions are not in place.

Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.

See your conditions in VEVO.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

You can request your international movement records by completing Form 1359 - Request for international movement records (195KB PDF).

Working

Permission to work will be limited to those who are granted a COVID-19 Pandemic event visa to continue working in a critical sector such as agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care or child care.

To see your conditions for work, use VEVO.

If you have permission to work, you are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

Bring family

Family members you declared on your visa application who did not apply for the visa with you might be eligible to apply for a subsequent entrant visa.

Apply for a subsequent entrant visa using the Temporary Work and Activity visa (Subsequent Entrant) (403,407,408) form in ImmiAccount.

Leaving Australia

Before you leave

Check for important information on Leaving Australia

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

Ensure your visa is still valid

Check your conditions and the expiry of your current visa in VEVO.

See what you can and must do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.

At the border

Departures SmartGate

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

After you leave

Proving you have been to Australia