Australia training visa rules: Applicants now need sponsor approval first

Australia now requires sponsor and nomination approvals before a Training visa (subclass 407) application can be filed from March 11, 2026

Australia has changed the order in which applications must be filed for the Training visa (subclass 407), requiring sponsor and nomination approvals before a visa application can be submitted. The revised rules took effect from March 11, 2026, according to an update from Australia’s Department of Home Affairs.

 

Under the new process, applicants, including Indians, can submit a valid Training visa application only after their sponsor has been approved as a temporary activities sponsor and the training nomination has been approved. The rule applies to all new applicants unless the sponsor is a Commonwealth agency, which refers to an Australian federal government department or agency.

   

The Training visa (subclass 407) allows professionals to undergo structured workplace training in Australia to develop skills in their occupation or field of study.

 

What is the Australia Training visa (subclass 407)?

 

This includes:

 

• Overseas professionals travelling to Australia for short-term workplace training

• Employees sent by multinational companies for skill development

• Graduates or trainees participating in occupational training programmes

 

New process before a visa application can be lodged

 

The new rule changes the sequence of applications.

 

From March 11, 2026, sponsors and applicants must complete two approvals before a visa application can be filed.

 

• Sponsors must first obtain approval as a Temporary Activities Sponsor

• The training nomination for the trainee must then be approved

• Only after these two approvals can the visa application be lodged

 

Earlier, all three steps, sponsorship approval, nomination approval and the visa application, could be lodged at the same time.

 

For instance, suppose an engineer from India is selected by an Australian company for a six-month workplace training programme under the Training visa subclass 407.

 

Under the earlier process, before March 11, 2026, the engineer and the company could complete all steps at the same time:

 

1. The company applied to become a Temporary Activities Sponsor

2. The company submitted the training nomination for the engineer

3. The engineer submitted the Training visa application

 

All three applications could be lodged together. Immigration authorities would process them simultaneously and grant the visa once everything was approved.

 

Now the steps must take place one after another.

 

First, the Australian company must obtain approval as a Temporary Activities Sponsor. The company must then submit a training nomination for the engineer, which also has to be approved. Only after both approvals are granted can the engineer submit the Training visa application.

 

If an applicant lodges a visa application before these approvals are issued, the Department of Home Affairs will treat the application as invalid and refund the visa fee.

 

Impact on foreign trainees and sponsoring organisations

 

The revised rule will affect two main groups:

 

• Foreign professionals applying for the Training visa

• Companies, universities and organisations sponsoring trainees

 

Employers and training organisations will now need to complete more of the process in advance, which may require earlier planning before trainees travel to Australia.

 

Onshore applicants may face gaps between visas

 

The change may also affect applicants who are already inside Australia and whose current visas are nearing expiry.

 

A bridging visa is issued only after a valid visa application has been lodged. Because applicants must now wait for sponsor and nomination approval before lodging the visa application, some onshore applicants could face a gap between visas.

 

In such situations, individuals may need to leave Australia or apply for another visa while waiting for the approvals. 

 

Indian professionals and companies among those affected

 

Indian professionals and companies are likely to be among those affected because the Training visa is frequently used for workplace training in sectors such as:

 

• IT and engineering

• Healthcare

• Technical and professional services

 

Companies sending staff to Australia for training may now need longer timelines and additional documentation before trainees can submit their visa applications.

 

Commonwealth agency sponsors are exempt

 

The requirement for nomination approval before lodging a visa application does not apply when the sponsor is a Commonwealth agency.

 

For example, if the engineer were travelling for training with an Australian federal government department, such as the Department of Defence, the agency would not need to file a nomination, although it must still be an approved sponsor.

 

A Commonwealth agency refers to an Australian federal government department or agency.

 

Earlier, applicants could submit the visa application at the same time as sponsorship and nomination requests, and approvals were required only before the visa was granted.

 

The Department of Home Affairs said that Training visa applications lodged after March 11, 2026 without prior approval of both the sponsor and the nomination will not be considered valid. In such cases, the department will notify the applicant and refund the visa application charge.

 

Why did Australia change the rule?

 

Authorities said the change is intended to address what they described as “permanent temporariness”.

 

According to the government, this occurs when individuals extend their stay in Australia through repeated temporary visa applications even though they do not meet the requirements for permanent residence. Officials said such situations can leave visa holders vulnerable to exploitation.