If you are planning to use the Subclass 407 Training visa, the rules around how and when you can lodge changed on 11 March 2026 — and the change is significant.
Previously, an employer and applicant could lodge the Temporary Activities Sponsorship, the Training nomination, and the visa application all at the same time, as long as the approvals were in place before the visa was decided. That "lodge everything together" approach is no longer permitted.
What changed
Under the Migration Amendment (Training Visas — Sponsorship Requirements) Regulations 2026, a Subclass 407 visa application lodged on or after 11 March 2026 is only valid if, at the time of lodgement:
The sponsoring organisation is already approved as a Temporary Activities Sponsor, and the sponsor has an approved Training visa nomination for the applicant — unless the sponsor is an Australian Commonwealth agency.
If these approvals are not already in place, the visa application is not valid and cannot be lodged.
Why this matters, especially if you are onshore
This is a sequencing change with real consequences for timing. A Bridging visa is only granted once a valid visa application is lodged — and now that can only happen after sponsorship and nomination are approved. If you are in Australia on a visa that is about to expire, this is critical: you cannot rely on lodging a 407 at the last minute to keep yourself lawful, because you must wait for the earlier approvals first.
The practical takeaway is that sponsors need to start the sponsorship and nomination process well in advance of the intended training start date, and applicants should not leave their planning until their current visa is nearly expired.
The 407 remains a genuine pathway for occupational training and can be granted for up to two years, but it is meant for real skill development, not as a shortcut to work or to extend a stay. If you are considering a 407 — particularly if you have an imminent visa expiry — book a consultation so we can map the correct sequence and timing for your situation.