From 11 March 2026, the 407 process is no longer something that can be staged casually or lodged all at once. The practical sequence is now much stricter: the Temporary Activities Sponsorship (TAS) must be approved first, then the nomination must be approved, and only then can the visa application be validly lodged in most cases. Home Affairs’ 407 now advise that for a Training visa, the Department must have approved the sponsorship and nomination application before the applicant applies for the visa, and Home Affairs’ sponsor guidance explains that an approved temporary activities sponsor is the entity assessed as suitable to nominate and sponsor a 407 applicant.
That is a major change from the previous position. Previously, it was often possible to lodge the sponsorship, nomination, and visa application together, with sponsorship and nomination needing to be approved only before visa grant. For applications lodged on or after 11 March 2026, you will no longer have that flexibility. In practical terms, the sequence is now: Step 1:Sponsor obtains approval as a Temporary Activities Sponsor. Step 2:Sponsor lodges and obtains approval of the 407 nomination. Step 3:Applicant lodges the 407 visa application.
For applicants already in Australia, this timing change matters a great deal. A person who waits until close to visa expiry may discover that they cannot yet lodge a valid 407 application because the TAS approval or nomination approval is still pending. That can create real status risks, because the ability to access a bridging visa depends on lodging a valid substantive visa application.
The Government’s stated reason for the change is integrity. The intention is to ensure that the 407 visa is used for genuine occupational training and professional development, rather than as a last-minute holding strategy. For sponsors and applicants with legitimate training arrangements, the visa remains available, but the process now requires earlier planning and much tighter sequencing.
