The Australian Government has introduced a legislative change affecting the Training visa (subclass 407), introducing an important change to the visa application process. The change was made through the Migration Amendment (Training Visas Sponsorship Requirements) Regulations 2026, which will commence on 11 March 2026 and applies to subclass 407 visa applications lodged on or after this date.
Under the new regulation, a subclass 407 visa application can only be lodged after the employer’s Temporary Activities Sponsorship and Training Nomination have both been approved. As a result, employers and trainees can no longer submit the sponsorship application, training nomination, and visa application at the same time, as was previously permitted. Applications lodged before this date will continue to be assessed under the previous requirements.
What the new legislation requires
The amendments modify the visa application requirements under Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations 1994.
Under the updated provisions, a subclass 407 visa application must meet the following requirements:
- The applicant must be associated with an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor
- The sponsor must have nominated a program of occupational training for the applicant
- The training nomination must be approved under subsection 140GB (2) of the Migration Act 1958
- The nomination approval must remain valid at the time the visa application is lodged
- The visa application must identify the approved nomination
These requirements establish the approval of the training nomination as a mandatory condition before a subclass 407 visa application can be submitted. It is important to note that bridging visas cannot be granted if a valid subclass 407 visa application is not lodged.
Processing timeframes may affect visa planning
Current government processing timeframes indicate that Temporary Activities Sponsorship and Training Nomination approvals can take between approximately 88 days and up to 11 months in some cases.
A valid subclass 407 visa application cannot be lodged until these approvals are granted. As a result, the overall timeframe for bringing a trainee to Australia may be extended.
This change is particularly relevant for businesses that rely on the subclass 407 visa to support:
- Professional training programs
- Workplace skills development
- Graduate and internship placements
- Industry training initiatives
Why careful planning is now essential
This regulatory change alters the order in which Training visa (subclass 407)applications must be prepared and lodged, which may affect both employers and trainees.
Employers and prospective trainees should consider:
- Starting Temporary Activities Sponsorship and Training Nomination applications earlier
- Managing visa expiry risks for trainees already in Australia
- Aligning training program start dates with expected processing timeframes
- Preparing training plans and supporting documentation in advance
These considerations may influence training schedules and the timing of trainee arrivals in Australia.
How Absolute Immigration can help
The new subclass 407 requirements introduce additional planning considerations for businesses that operate structured training programs.
Absolute Immigration supports employers by:
- Assessing Training visa (subclass 407) eligibility and strategy
- Preparing Temporary Activities Sponsorship applications
- Managing compliant Training Nomination applications
- Identifying visa timing risks and alternative visa pathways
- Supporting employers with structured training program requirements
Professional guidance can help ensure applications are prepared correctly and lodged in the appropriate sequence.
For support with the Training visa (subclass 407) or employer training programs, contact us at aisupport@absoluteimmigration.com.
