403 Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) – Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Temporary Work 403—PALM stream
Purpose	PALM scheme employment
Stay	Up to 4 years
Short-term stay	Up to 9 months
Cost	From AUD365
Apply from	Usually outside Australia
Eligibility	Participating-country citizens and residents
Sponsor	DEWR-approved PALM employer
Work rights	Sponsored PALM work only
Study	Not stated in the source
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Health insurance	Required for entire stay
Travel facility	Multiple entry while valid
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Selected long-term pilot participants
Visa record	Electronically linked to passport
Application method	Online through ImmiAccount
Processing times	Use processing-time guide

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Purpose

The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) stream of the Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) lets eligible workers participate in the PALM scheme in Australia.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be a citizen and resident of a participating PALM scheme country.
• Meet PALM worker requirements, including minimum age, suitable skills, task-appropriate English, and good character.
• Have an approved PALM scheme job offer.
• Have a PALM scheme recruitment approval letter from your sponsor, including the PALM endorsement number.
• Be sponsored by a temporary activities sponsor approved by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) as a PALM scheme employer.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Hold adequate health insurance for your whole stay, including medically necessary treatment and transport.
• Genuinely intend to stay temporarily, perform the approved work, and comply with visa conditions.
• Repay any Australian Government debt, or have a formal repayment arrangement.

Past visa cancellations or refusals may affect eligibility.

Stay and Work Rights

This is a temporary visa. Its start date is:

• Your first entry to Australia, if granted while outside Australia; or
• The grant date, if granted while in Australia.

Your grant letter states the permitted stay and conditions.

• Short-term contract: maximum 9 months in Australia.
• Long-term contract: maximum 4 years in Australia.
• You must return home when your work contract ends, even if the visa remains valid.
• You may work only for your approved sponsor, or another employer supported under a DEWR arrangement.
• You may work only in the approved position and industry.
• You cannot work for yourself.
• You may change employers only if DEWR approves the change.

Australian workplace laws protect visa holders with work rights.

Time Outside Australia Between Contracts

After a PALM work contract ends:

• Short-term workers must spend at least 3 months outside Australia before returning under another PALM work contract.
• Long-term workers must spend at least 6 months outside Australia before returning under another PALM work contract.

Workers granted a multi-year visa for short-term contracts must return home after each short-term contract.

Applying in or Outside Australia

You must usually be outside Australia when you apply and when a decision is made.

You may apply in Australia only if you currently hold, or held within the previous 28 days, a Subclass 403 visa in the PALM, Seasonal Worker Program (SWP), or Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) streams, and you meet the relevant contract requirements.

In Australia, eligible applicants include:

• Short-term SWP or PALM workers offered a long-term PALM contract.
• Long-term PLS or PALM workers offered an extension, where total Australian stay will remain below 4 years.

Staying Longer

You cannot extend this visa. You must apply for a new PALM stream visa.

You may be able to apply for a new visa if:

• You are a short-term worker offered a long-term PALM contract; or
• You are a long-term worker offered a contract extension, with total stay below 4 years.

You must have an approved PALM sponsor, PALM recruitment approval letter, and apply online.

Family Provisions

Short-term PALM workers cannot bring family members on this visa.

Under the PALM scheme family accompaniment pilot, selected workers on long-term contracts of one to four years may bring family members. Family members must apply as subsequent entrants and provide:

• The family accompaniment selection notification letter.
• Evidence they are a member of the primary holder’s family unit.
• Health and character evidence.
• The required visa application charge.

Cost

Applicant	Visa application charge
Main applicant	AUD365
Additional applicant, 18 or over	AUD355
Additional applicant, under 18	AUD85

Additional costs may include health examinations and police certificates. The visa charge is not refunded if the application is refused.

Required Documents

Prepare:

• Current passport pages showing photo, personal details, issue date, and expiry date.
• Name-change evidence, if applicable.
• PALM scheme recruitment approval letter with PALM endorsement number.
• Employment offer stating your name, employment terms, and proposed employment length.
• Sponsor’s temporary activities sponsorship application ID or Transaction Reference Number.
• Character documents, where required:
  • Australian Federal Police complete disclosure National Police Certificate, if you spent 12 months or more in Australia during the last 10 years since turning 16.
  • Overseas police certificates for each country where you spent 12 months or more during that period.
  • Military records or discharge papers, if applicable.
• Health examination evidence, if requested.

If staying in Australia for 12 months or more, police clearance certificates are required for character assessment.

All non-English documents must be translated into English. Provide both originals and translations. Scan or photograph documents clearly in colour; combine multi-page documents into one file. Document certification is not required.

How to Apply

1. Meet PALM scheme worker requirements and obtain a job offer.
2. Obtain the recruitment approval letter and sponsor reference number.
3. Create or log in to ImmiAccount.
4. Complete the online visa application.
5. Attach all required documents.
6. Pay the visa application charge.
7. Keep the Transaction Reference Number.

The Department will not process an application until the charge is paid.

Processing

Use the visa processing time guide for recently decided applications. Processing estimates are guides only.

Processing may take longer if the application is incomplete, documents are missing, further information is needed, or information requires verification.

After lodgement, check ImmiAccount for requests, including health examination instructions.

After Applying

Tell the Department through ImmiAccount if, before a decision:

• Your contact details or passport change.
• Your relationship status changes.
• A child is born.
• You need to correct an application mistake.
• You want to withdraw the application.

If applying outside Australia, do not travel to Australia until the visa is granted in writing.

If applying in Australia, remain lawful by holding a valid visa. A bridging visa may begin if your current visa expires after a valid onshore application.

Travel

The visa has multiple entry. You may travel outside Australia and return while:

• Your visa remains valid; and
• You hold a PALM scheme work contract.

Time outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Obligations and Conditions

While holding this visa, you must:

• Continue employment with your sponsor or a DEWR-supported employer.
• Work only in the approved position and industry.
• Not change employer without DEWR approval.
• Not work for yourself.
• Comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.
• Notify the Department of relevant changes in circumstances.

Check visa conditions in your grant letter or through VEVO.

Visa Record

The visa is electronically linked to your passport; no passport label is issued.

If you receive a new passport, notify the Department through ImmiAccount. Use VEVO to view visa details and conditions.