The Subclass 407 Training Visa just got stricter, and new federal regulations have completely changed.
EMPLOYERS, SPONSORS & APPLICANTS, this is important for you to note ! The changes are already in effect. Lodging applications under the old concurrent method will result in an invalid application. If your organisation sponsors, or plans to sponsor, someone on the Subclass 407 Training visa, the process has completely changed — and the window for preparation is now tighter than ever.
📞Contact Phoenix Law Migration Team to arrange a confidential consultation | Multilingual lawyers. CALL +61731800908 or email info@phoenix-law.com.au | Level 8, 320 Adelaide Street, Brisbane #TrainingVisa #SkilledWorkerVisa #Migration #immigrationaustralia
New federal regulations — the Migration Amendment (Training Visas—Sponsorship Requirements) Regulations 2026 — have amended the Migration Regulations 1994, overhauling how Subclass 407 applications must be sequenced and submitted. The changes are not minor administrative tweaks. They alter the entire lodgement pathway, removing a key flexibility that sponsors and applicants had relied on for years.
What the New Rules Require
Under the updated framework, two conditions must be satisfied — and formally approved — before a Subclass 407 visa application can even be considered valid:
New Pre-Lodgement Requirements
- The sponsoring organisation must hold approved Temporary Activities Sponsor status — granted by the Department of Home Affairs — before any visa application is lodged.
- Where the sponsor is not a Commonwealth agency, an approved nomination covering the specific occupational training program must also be in place. This too must be approved before the visa application is submitted.
- Only once both of the above are approved may the applicant proceed to lodge the Subclass 407 visa application itself.
The Old Way vs The New Way
The most significant practical change is the removal of concurrent lodgement — a process that allowed sponsorship, nomination, and visa applications to be submitted simultaneously.
Before (Old Process)
- Sponsorship application lodged
- Nomination lodged at same time
- Visa application lodged concurrently
- All three processed together
Now (New Process)
- Sponsorship application lodged & approved
- Nomination lodged & approved
- Only then: visa application lodged
- Sequential — no shortcuts
⚠️NOTE WELL – Any Subclass 407 visa application lodged without both an approved sponsor and an approved nomination already in place will be treated as invalid. This means the application will not be processed — and fees may not be recoverable.
Why Did the Government Do This?
The Department of Home Affairs flagged a sharp and sustained rise in onshore Subclass 407 applications beginning in mid-2024. More concerning than the volume was the pattern: a growing number of applications appeared to use the training visa for purposes well outside its intended scope — that is, genuine workplace training and structured professional development.
By breaking the process into sequential, approval-gated steps, the Department aims to create stronger oversight at each stage, reduce the volume of non-genuine applications reaching the visa assessment stage, and improve processing times for the applicants who legitimately need this pathway.
Your New Application Timeline
Planning a Subclass 407 arrangement now requires a phased approach. Here is the sequence every sponsor and applicant must follow:
Step 1
Apply for Temporary Activities Sponsor Approval
Your organisation lodges and receives approval as a Temporary Activities Sponsor from the Department of Home Affairs.
Step 2
Lodge and Obtain Nomination Approval
Once approved as a sponsor, the occupational training program must be nominated and formally approved. (Not required if the sponsor is a Commonwealth agency.)
Step 3
Lodge the Subclass 407 Visa Application
Only at this point — with both approvals secured — can the individual applicant submit their visa application.
Who Needs to Act Now?
These changes are immediately relevant to Australian businesses and organisations that sponsor overseas professionals for in-house training; industry bodies, professional associations, and accreditation providers who use the 407 pathway; any individual currently mid-process or planning to apply for a Subclass 407 visa; and migration professionals advising clients on training visa options.
If you had been planning to use concurrent lodgement — or are in the middle of preparing an application on that assumption — you need to review your approach immediately. Lodging under the old method is no longer valid.
Not Sure How This Affects Your Application?
Phoenix Law & Associates are your registered migration agents, and are across these changes and can map out the right pathway for your specific situation — before you lodge a single form.
Speak to Our Team first
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Immigration regulations change frequently. For advice tailored to your individual circumstances, 📞 Contact Phoenix Law Migration Team to arrange a confidential consultation | Multilingual lawyers. CALL +61731800908 or email info@phoenix-law.com.au | Level 8, 320 Adelaide Street, Brisbane #TrainingVisa #SkilledWorkerVisa #Migration #immigrationaustralia
Source: Migration Amendment (Training Visas—Sponsorship Requirements) Regulations 2026 and Explanatory Statement, Department of Home Affairs.
