Pre Season, Off Season and Staying On: 408 Sports Visa Length of Stay

Players, coaches and clubs often ask how long a 408 sports visa will be granted for, and whether the player can stay on after the season. This page explains how the Department sets the visa period and what to plan for.

Maximum length of stay

Situation	Maximum stay
Applied outside Australia and stated a stay of 3 months or less	3 months
Other stays, including sponsored Sport stays	Up to 2 years
Family members	Until the main visa holder’s visa ends

Under policy, the visa is aligned with the length of the season, contract or training program, not automatically the maximum. For engagements of 12 months or more, a few weeks at each end can be allowed for settling in and departure.

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When the visa period starts

If you are granted the visa outside Australia, it will have a date by which you must first enter, and the stay period counts from your first entry. Leaving and coming back does not reset it. If you are granted the visa in Australia, the period starts on the grant date, and time you have already spent doing the same activity on a bridging visa may be taken into account. The visa allows multiple entries.

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Pre season and end of season

Some extra time is allowed, but not a whole off season. Under policy, a contracted player may be granted additional time before the season for pre season training, and a short period after the season to finish their arrangements. Ask the club to set out the pre season and season dates in the contract and the sponsor letter.

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Staying between seasons

Remaining in Australia between seasons is not normally consistent with the visa, particularly where the sport is played below national level, because local club activity drops substantially outside the competition. To meet the genuine temporary stay requirement, your main purpose during any off season must still be the contracted sporting activity. A possible exception is a coach in a national level program who stays engaged in intensive elite development programs out of season.

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Coming back next season

Many players return for several seasons, applying for a new 408 each year. Under policy, the Department considers whether a person is using temporary visas to maintain ongoing residence. If a new 408 would take total time in Australia on temporary visas past 4 years, the general policy position is to grant only enough time to finish the current engagement, and the Department may add a no further stay condition (8503). If you want to settle in Australia, look at a longer term option early, such as a 482 visa or the National Innovation visa for elite athletes.

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Applying in Australia

You can apply for a 408 in Australia, but the application must be sponsored by an approved temporary activities sponsor, and your current visa must allow it. Some visas carry conditions that prevent further applications in Australia.