How to use the subclass 403 visa to work in Australia temporarily
If you’re coming to Australia to work under a government agreement, represent a foreign agency, or take up domestic work in a diplomat’s household, the Temporary Work (International Relations) visa — subclass 403 — may be the pathway you need. This visa exists specifically for work arrangements tied to Australia’s international relationships, so it’s narrower than most work visas. But if you fit one of its streams, it’s a clear and direct route.
There are multiple streams under this visa. The source page lists four, though the source material provided covers three in full detail. Here’s what you need to know about each.
Government Agreement stream
This stream is for people employed or engaged under the terms of a bilateral agreement between the Australian Government — or a state or territory government — and the government of another country. If the Philippines has a bilateral labour or government arrangement with Australia that covers your role, this could apply to you.
You can stay for up to 4 years, with the exact period specified in your visa grant notice. The visa costs from AUD 375.00. You can apply from inside or outside Australia.
Foreign Government Agency stream
This stream covers two specific situations:
- You work as a representative of a foreign government agency that does not hold official status in Australia — and your role would not give you official status either.
- You are a foreign language teacher employed by a foreign government in an Australian school.
The stay period is up to 4 years, as specified in your visa grant notice. Cost starts at AUD 375.00. You can apply from inside or outside Australia, but not from immigration clearance — so you cannot lodge while you are physically at the border.
Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream
This stream is worth knowing about if you work as a household domestic worker. It lets someone aged 18 years or older do temporary full-time domestic work in the household of a person who holds a Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995).
This gets important for Filipinos: many Filipinos work as domestic workers for diplomats and consular staff posted to Australia, and this is the formal visa pathway for that arrangement.
Your first visa under this stream allows a stay of up to 12 months. A further Domestic Worker stream visa can be granted for the period specified in a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) support letter.
One critical condition: you must be outside Australia the first time you apply, and also when the Department decides your application. You cannot apply onshore for your first Domestic Worker stream visa.
Cost starts at AUD 375.00.
Processing times and how to check them
The Department of Home Affairs does not publish a fixed processing time for the subclass 403. Instead, it directs applicants to use the visa processing time guide tool on the Home Affairs website. That tool shows processing times for recently decided applications. As the source page notes, it is a guide only and not specific to your application.
What all three streams have in common
- The base application charge starts at AUD 375.00 across all three streams.
- The visa is temporary — it is not a pathway to permanent residence on its own.
- Each stream has its own specific eligibility requirements, so you need to identify the right stream before you apply.
If you’re unsure which stream covers your situation — or whether a bilateral agreement between the Philippines and Australia covers your role — that’s exactly the kind of question a migration agent can help you answer before you lodge.
This is general information, not migration advice. For your specific case, consult a MARA-registered agent — find one in our directory.
First published by the Department of Home Affairs — Immigration and citizenship website. Read the full source at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-work-403
