If you are planning to use Australia’s Subclass 407 Training Visa — either as an employer sponsor or as a trainee — everything just changed. The Australian Government has introduced sweeping legislative reforms that take effect today, 11 March 2026. Processing times have tripled, refusal rates have skyrocketed to 45%, and a brand-new sequential lodgement rule means you can no longer submit your sponsorship, nomination and visa applications at the same time.
⏱️ Reading time: Approximately 8 minutes | Updated: 11 March 2026
What’s Covered in This Article
- What is the Subclass 407 Training Visa?
- The Biggest Change — Sequential Lodgement (Effective Today)
- How the New Process Works Step by Step
- Why Processing Times Have Tripled
- The Shocking 45% Refusal Rate — and Why It Happened
- The Coroner’s Inquest and Further Reforms Coming in Mid-2026
- Updated Fees from 1 July 2025
- Dependent Work Rights
- Quick-Reference Summary Table
- Action Steps — What You Should Do Right Now
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What Is the Subclass 407 Training Visa?
The Subclass 407 Training Visa is a temporary Australian visa that allows overseas nationals to undertake occupational training in Australia — either to improve skills relevant to their occupation, or to undertake training that is not readily available in their home country. It is also widely used by employers to bring in international staff for structured workplace training programs.
The visa is designed for three main purposes:
• Occupational training to improve skills in a nominated occupation
• Training to support the Australian Government’s official development program
• Training to support a domestic government or international agency training program
Key Fact: The 407 visa has historically been used across industries including healthcare, engineering, ICT, hospitality, and trades — making it one of Australia’s most flexible temporary visa pathways.
Until recently, the 407 was also one of the most accessible visas for onshore applicants — but as you are about to read, that accessibility has been significantly curtailed.
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2. The Biggest Change — Sequential Lodgement (Effective 11 March 2026)
This is the most critical change and it is in effect right now. Under the new Migration Amendment (Training Visas — Sponsorship Requirements) Regulations 2026, the way you lodge a 407 visa application has fundamentally changed.
The Old Process (Before 11 March 2026)
✅ Old Rule: Sponsors could lodge their Temporary Activities Sponsorship application, Training Nomination, and Subclass 407 visa application all at the same time — known as concurrent lodgement.
The New Process (From 11 March 2026)
New Rule: Applications must now be lodged in strict sequence. The visa application cannot be submitted until BOTH the sponsorship AND the nomination have been individually approved.
Here is exactly what the new sequential lodgement process looks like:
Step 1: Lodge Temporary Activities Sponsorship (TAS) application
Step 2: Wait for TAS approval (currently 88 days to 11 months)
Step 3: Lodge Training Nomination application
Step 4: Wait for Nomination approval
Step 5: ONLY THEN lodge the Subclass 407 visa application
⚠️ Important: Applications lodged before 11 March 2026 will continue to be assessed under the previous concurrent lodgement rules and will NOT be adversely impacted by this change.
3. Why Processing Times Have Tripled
Even before this new rule came into effect, Subclass 407 processing times had already deteriorated sharply. The average processing time has tripled to approximately nine months — up from the previous average of around three months.
The reason is a dramatic surge in application volume:
A fivefold surge in applications overwhelmed the Department of Home Affairs‘ processing capacity, leading to both longer wait times and more rigorous scrutiny of each application.
4. The Shocking 45% Refusal Rate
Perhaps the most alarming statistic in the entire 407 landscape is the refusal rate. The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that 45% of Subclass 407 applications have already been refused in FY 2025–26 — a staggering increase from just 12% in 2018–19.
Why Are So Many Applications Being Refused?
Authorities identified a concerning pattern: a significant number of applicants were using the 407 Training Visa pathway primarily as a mechanism to extend their stay in Australia, rather than for genuine occupational training purposes. Additionally, many nomination applications were failing to meet the legislative requirements — resulting in longer wait times for legitimate applicants and increased scrutiny across the board.
Common reasons for refusal include:
• Training plan not sufficiently detailed or genuine
• Insufficient nexus between training and the nominated occupation
• Sponsor not meeting the required standards for a Temporary Activities Sponsor
• Evidence of intent to use the visa to extend stay rather than for training
• Nomination failing to meet legislative requirements
5. The Coroner’s Inquest and Further Reforms Expected Mid-2026
A coroner’s inquest has added further impetus for reform of the Subclass 407 visa program. The coroner has called on the Australian Government to make several significant changes, including:
• Tighter vetting of sponsors before approval
• Mandatory minimum wage protections for all trainees
• Introduction of pre-departure briefings for incoming trainees
The coroner’s recommendations have prompted the Department of Home Affairs to advise migration practitioners to:
• Audit current trainees’ working conditions
• Formalise learning plans with clear training objectives and timelines
• Ensure trainee payment meets the relevant Award standards
Coming Soon: Updated policy instructions and a further legislative instrument are expected to be released by mid-2026. These changes may further alter eligibility criteria, sponsor obligations and trainee rights. Watch this space.
6. Updated Fees (from 1 July 2025)
Fees for the Subclass 407 visa increased from 1 July 2025. Here is a breakdown of the current cost structure for a single applicant:
Note: Additional costs such as migration agent fees, skills assessment fees, English tests and medical examinations are separate and not included in the figures above.
7. Dependent Work Rights Under the 407 Visa
Dependent family members who are granted a Subclass 407 visa are subject to Condition 8104, which limits their work entitlements to 40 hours per fortnight — calculated over a 14-day period commencing on a Monday.
This is an important consideration for families planning to relocate to Australia under this visa, as the primary applicant’s income will need to support the household given the restriction on dependent work hours.
8. Quick-Reference Summary — Old vs New
9. What Should You Do Right Now?
If You Are an Employer / Sponsor
• Start your Temporary Activities Sponsorship application as early as possible — allow up to 11 months for approval
• Do not wait until you need the trainee to arrive before starting the process
• Ensure your training plan is genuinely detailed, with specific learning objectives, timelines and supervisor arrangements
• Ensure trainee remuneration meets or exceeds the relevant Award rate
• Consult a registered MARA agent before lodging, given the current 45% refusal rate
If You Are a Prospective Trainee
• Ask your sponsoring employer when they intend to lodge the sponsorship application — you cannot lodge your visa until both sponsorship AND nomination are approved
• Do not make irreversible travel or career decisions based on a 407 visa application outcome that is still months away
• Understand that the end-to-end process could realistically take 12–18 months under the new rules
• Ensure the training program offered to you is genuine and substantive
MARA Agent Advice: Given the 45% refusal rate and the new sequential lodgement requirements, obtaining advice from a registered Migration Agent (MARA) is strongly recommended before lodging any application in this program.
10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I still lodge my visa application concurrently with the sponsorship and nomination?
A: No. From 11 March 2026, concurrent lodgement is no longer permitted. You must wait for both the Temporary Activities Sponsorship and the Training Nomination to be individually approved before you can lodge the visa application itself.
Q: How long will the full process take end-to-end?
A: Under the new rules, you should realistically budget 12–18 months from starting the sponsorship application to the trainee arriving in Australia. Sponsorship alone can take 88 days to 11 months; nomination processing then adds further time before the visa can be lodged.
Q: I already lodged my application before 11 March 2026. Am I affected?
A: No. Applications lodged before 11 March 2026 will continue to be assessed under the previous concurrent lodgement rules and will not be adversely impacted by the new regulation.
Q: Why is the refusal rate now 45%?
A: The Department of Home Affairs identified a significant number of applicants using the 407 visa to extend their stay in Australia rather than for genuine training. Additionally, many nomination applications were not meeting legislative requirements. The Department has consequently applied much stricter scrutiny to all applications.
Q: Are further changes expected?
A: Yes. A coroner’s inquest has recommended tighter sponsor vetting, mandatory wage protections, and pre-departure briefings. Updated policy instructions and a further legislative instrument are expected by mid-2026.
Q: Can dependants work on the 407 visa?
A: Yes, but dependants are granted Condition 8104, which restricts them to 40 hours of work per fortnight (a 14-day period commencing on a Monday).
Conclusion
The Subclass 407 Training Visa has undergone its most significant structural change in years, and the impact is immediate. The new sequential lodgement requirement, combined with tripled processing times and a 45% refusal rate, means that planning ahead has never been more important. Employers and trainees who approach this visa without careful preparation, a genuine training plan, and — ideally — professional migration advice, are increasingly likely to face refusal.
Further reforms are expected by mid-2026 following the coroner’s recommendations. We will update this article as soon as those changes are announced.
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