On 11 March 2026, the Australian government introduced significant changes to the Subclass 407 Training visa – effective immediately and with virtually no advance notice. 

The Subclass 407 allows foreign nationals to undertake structured, workplace-based training in Australia for up to two years.

These amendments represent one of the most significant procedural changes to the program in recent years and require urgent attention from any employer currently using or planning to use this visa.

The Migration Amendment (Training Visas – Sponsorship Requirements) Regulations 2026 introduced stricter requirements regarding sponsorship and nomination approval before a Subclass 407 visa application can be lodged.

Previously

Sponsors and applicants could lodge all three applications at the same time:

• Application for Temporary Activities Sponsor (TAS) approval
• Nomination for the occupational training program
• The Subclass 407 visa application

This concurrent lodgement process often allowed sponsors and applicants to move quickly and secure a bridging visa where the applicant was already in Australia.

Now

Under the amended regulations, concurrent lodgement is no longer possible. Sponsors must now first obtain:

1. Temporary Activities Sponsor approval, and
2. Nomination approval for the training program (except where the sponsor is a Commonwealth government agency, though TAS approval is still required).

Only after both approvals are granted can the visa applicant lodge their Subclass 407 visa application.

Applications lodged after 11 March 2026 without both approvals in place will be declared invalid. The visa application charge will be refunded, but the application will not be processed. Applicants may need to depart Australia or apply for a different visa while awaiting approvals

Why the change?

The Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) indicated that the changes are aimed at strengthening the integrity of the Subclass 407 visa program.

Application numbers grew by 183% between 2023-24 and 2024-25, while the refusal rate jumped from 6.3% to 40.9% over the same period, suggesting widespread use of the visa for purposes other than genuine occupational training.

By requiring sponsorship and nomination approval before a visa application can be lodged, the DoHA hopes to:

• Reduce 'permanent temporariness' – the use of temporary visa applications to extend stays by individuals who do not qualify for permanent residence
• Deter non-genuine applications
• Reduce processing times for genuine applicants by lowering overall application volume
  
  

Practical implications for sponsors and visa applicants

For sponsors (employers)

• Sponsors will need to plan significantly further ahead, as they must clear two approval hurdles (TAS status and nomination) before a visa application can be lodged. Sponsors should begin the sponsorship and nomination applications as early as possible, well before the intended training start date.
  
  
• Expect possible short-term delays. Even for compliant sponsors, processing timelines will likely stretch initially as the system adjusts. Sponsors who do not yet hold TAS approval face the longest lead times.
  
  
• Nominations will face greater scrutiny. Applications where training duration is disproportionate to skills development, remuneration is low relative to training length, or where ongoing work in Australia appears to be the real intent may face extended processing times.
  
  
• For genuine sponsors, the medium-term outlook is positive. As non-genuine applications are filtered out earlier in the process, overall volumes should fall, meaning faster processing for compliant sponsors. Sponsorships and nominations in sectors where there is strong demand – including Health Care and Social Assistance, Professional Scientific and Technical, Education and Training, Engineering, and Aviation – will be prioritised for processing

• Visa applications submitted without prior TAS and nomination approval will be declared invalid and refunded without processing.
  
  
• Onshore applicants face the greatest risk. Under the previous system, concurrent lodgement often allowed applicants to quickly secure a bridging visa while approvals were assessed. That pathway no longer exists. If your current visa is nearing expiry and approvals are not yet in place, you may struggle to maintain lawful status and should seek advice urgently.
  
  

1. Confirm your TAS status. Check whether your organisation currently holds approved Temporary Activities Sponsor status and verify its expiry date.
   
   
2. Lodge your nomination application early. Ensure your training program documentation is thorough and clearly demonstrates a genuine training outcome proportionate to the duration and remuneration.
   
   
3. Brief any affected applicants. Until a valid Training visa application is lodged, applicants cannot access a bridging visa. Onshore applicants with visas nearing expiry are particularly at risk and need urgent advice.
   
   
4. Seek professional advice. Given the abruptness of these changes and the complexity of the approval process, consulting a registered migration agent is strongly recommended, particularly for applications already in progress or pending.