A visa for those wishing to work in Australia for a short period of time in a highly specialised job has been extended from three months to six months.
The Temporary Work Short Stay Activity Visa (Subclass 400) is a dedicated visa for those seeking to enter and stay in Australia for non-ongoing short-term highly specialised work.
It usually lasts for three months, but from the 23 November 2014 it will enable the holder to stay in the country for short term work for up to six months.
This visa is often used by those who would have previously applied for Business Visitor Visas and ETAs for limited work opportunities.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) said that the change has been introduced to make these visas much more flexible for businesses.
It is likely to be welcomed by businesses that need specialists at short notice for discreet short term periods.
Stays longer than three months will need a strong business case to show that employment conditions satisfy Australian workplace standards and that the activities will not adversely impact Australian workers.
Businesses will need to provide evidence about the nature and importance of a project, evidence that specialist skills are required, evidence of contractual obligations, details of the number of Australians to be employed on the project and the time available to train an Australian to do the proposed work.