How this Visa Works
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This visa allows professional and amateur sports people to travel and participate in sports in Australia.
The categories of sports people that are covered by this visa are:
- individuals or teams (and their support staff) taking part in specific sports events or contests
- players, coaches and instructors joining an Australian sports club, team or similar organisation
- participants undertaking a structured sports training program in Australia
- sports instructors entering under a business arrangement with an organisation in Australia
- show/competition judges and adjudicators
- persons entering Australia under a country to country agreement.
Sponsorship
Depending on the reason for your visit to Australia, and the length of your visit, you may require sponsorship.
Where sponsorship is required, you should not lodge your visa application until you have received confirmation that sponsorship has been approved.
Work rights
While you are in Australia you can work only in the position nominated in your visa application.
Amateur competitors
To be considered an amateur, you must demonstrate that you compete in your sport mainly on a recreational basis and not for the purpose of deriving an income from that sport.
Example: For pleasure or health reasons.
Bringing family
The following people may be included in your application:
- your spouse
- your or your spouse's dependent children
- other dependent relatives.
See: Family Member Definitions
Visa validity period
If you are not sponsored, the maximum period that you can stay is determined by the purpose of your visit.
If you are sponsored, and have a contract with a club or an organisation, the period of stay will be for the length of the contract, up to a maximum of two (2) years.
Extending your stay
If while in Australia you decide to apply for a further visa to extend your stay, you will need to complete a new visa application and attach appropriate evidence to support the purpose of your stay.
If sponsorship is required, the sponsor will need to lodge a new sponsorship application.
The sponsorship and visa applications should be lodged well in advance of the expiry date of your current visa.
See: Applying for this Visa
Other visa options
Other visa options available are:
Short duration events
If you are competing in short duration events an alternative is the Business (Short Stay) visa (subclass 456) or ETA (Business Entrant) (subclass 956/977).
See: Business Visit Visa Options
Contracted players or coaches
If you are a professional player or coach contracted to a club an alternative visa is the Temporary Business (Long Stay) (subclass 457) visa. This visa allows up to a four year stay.
See: About this Visa
Trainees
If your stay is for less than three (3) months, and you intend to undertake training in Australia, an alternative visa is the Business (Short Stay) visa (subclass 456) or ETA (Business Entrant) (subclass 956/977).
See: Business Visit Visa Options
Amateur competitors
If your stay is for less than three (3) months an alternative visa is the Tourist visa (subclass 676) or ETA (Visitor) (subclass 976). These visas may be appropriate if you are genuinely intending to visit Australia and the sporting activity is incidental to the purpose of your visit. If playing for a particular club, you will usually be restricted to a maximum of three (3) games.
See: Tourists Visa Options