Subclass 407 Training Visa Australia: Complete 2026 Guide

What Is the 407 Training Visa Used For?

Home Affairs recognises three types of occupational training under the Subclass 407: training required for occupational registration, membership or licensing that is mandatory to work in that occupation in Australia or the applicant's home country; training to improve skills in an occupation on the legislated list of eligible skilled occupations, where the nominee has recent, relevant experience; and training for capacity building overseas, which covers an overseas qualification requiring practical training in Australia, government-supported training programs, and classroom-based professional development sent by an overseas employer. The visa is not intended to fill workforce shortages, and all work done under it must be paid. The first category — training required for registration — is the one most commonly used by overseas-trained doctors completing a supervised internship, nurses completing supervised practice for AHPRA registration, engineers completing structured training toward Engineers Australia membership, and tradespeople completing a supervised program toward an Australian licence or trade recognition.

Who Can Sponsor a 407 Visa Applicant

Not everyone can sponsor a 407 visa — the sponsor must be an approved temporary activities sponsor. Eligible organisations include an Australian company, body corporate, partnership, non-profit or other unincorporated body; an Australian Commonwealth, state or territory government agency; a foreign government agency lawfully operating in Australia; a recognised international organisation; a superyacht operator; or a sporting or religious organisation lawfully operating in Australia. A trust cannot itself hold the sponsorship — the trustee must apply instead. To sponsor a 407 trainee specifically, the organisation must also be able to show it can directly provide the training, unless it is an Australian Commonwealth Government agency or falls under a specific exemption. Once approved as a sponsor, the organisation lodges a nomination identifying the trainee and the training activity — the occupation, the purpose and type of training, and how and where it will happen — and Home Affairs must approve the nomination before the visa application can be lodged. A vague or poorly described training program is a common reason nominations are refused, so a detailed, structured description of the training — its activities, supervision arrangements and learning outcomes — matters. A migration agent experienced in employer-sponsored visas can assist with preparing the nomination.

Duration and Conditions of the 407 Visa

Home Affairs may grant the Subclass 407 for a stay in Australia of up to 2 years. You cannot extend the visa to stay longer — if further training is genuinely needed, you apply for a new 407 visa, which requires continuing sponsorship and may need an explanation of why the original training wasn't completed in time. During the visa, the holder can work for the sponsor in the specified training role, travel in and out of Australia, and include eligible family members in the application. The 407 holder can only work in the training role and with the sponsor named in the approved nomination. If you want to train with a different organisation, that organisation must sponsor you and lodge a new nomination before you can start; if your training program changes with the same sponsor, a new nomination and, in most cases, a new visa application are required. This is an important distinction from the 482 visa — the 407 is strictly tied to the approved training program and sponsor, and it is not meant to plug an ordinary labour shortage.

English Language Requirements

407 visa applicants must meet Home Affairs' functional English requirement. This is satisfied by holding a valid passport as a citizen of Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States; by completing at least two years of full-time study or training toward a degree, higher degree, diploma or trade certificate where all instruction was in English; by meeting one of the education-and-study-time combinations Home Affairs sets out (for example, at least five years of secondary education taught entirely in English, or at least one year of full-time study in Australia towards a degree, diploma or associate diploma taught in English); or by an approved English test result taken in the 12 months before applying — for IELTS (Academic or General Training), an average band score of at least 4.5. Other accepted tests include CELPIP General (overall band score of at least 5) and the Michigan English Test. Doctors, nurses and other health professionals should also check AHPRA's own English language registration standard separately, since it is set by the registration board rather than by the visa's functional English requirement and may differ from it.

After the 407: What Are the Next Steps?

The 407 is a temporary visa with no direct pathway to permanent residence built into it. It does, however, frequently position people for subsequent visa applications. For healthcare and engineering professionals, completing the supervised training required for Australian registration means they are now registered to work in Australia — which opens the door to employer-sponsored visas (Skills in Demand subclass 482 or Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186) or points-tested pathways if they meet the points threshold and hold a positive skills assessment. If the 407 holder enters into a relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident during their stay, the partner visa pathway is also available, subject to its own criteria. A migration agent can map out the full pathway strategy from 407 through to permanent residence, particularly for healthcare professionals who represent a significant share of 407 visa users.

Can the employer pay the 407 visa holder a salary?

Yes. 407 training visa holders can be paid for their work during training. All work undertaken in Australia under the visa must be paid, and the Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the minimum wage rates that apply — underpaying trainees is a visa condition violation and a potential Fair Work Act breach.

What does the nomination need to say about the training?

The sponsor's nomination must describe the occupation being trained, the purpose or type of training, and how and where it will happen. Home Affairs assesses whether this is genuine, structured workplace training — with real supervision and identifiable learning outcomes — or simply a way to fill an ordinary staffing gap. A vague or generic description is a common reason nominations are refused. A migration agent experienced in 407 nominations can help prepare a compliant one.

Is the 407 the same as the 482?

No. The Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa is for filling genuine skills shortages with sponsored workers — it is a work visa, not a training visa. The 407 is specifically for approved occupational training programs. The 407 holder is being trained; the 482 holder is working in the sponsored role. Home Affairs states the 407 is not intended to fill workforce shortages.

Can a doctor use the 407 to complete their intern year in Australia?

Yes — this is one of the common uses of the 407 Training visa, under the stream for training required for occupational registration. International medical graduates completing supervised internships for AHPRA registration, or doctors completing supervised practice toward specialist fellowship, can use the 407. The sponsor is typically the hospital or health service, and must be an approved temporary activities sponsor able to directly provide the training.