A Training visa applicant's checklist: sponsor approval, nomination, then lodgement (subclass 407)

Visa guide · 2026-08-14 · 4 min read

A Tanzanian woman organizes paperwork beside a clock and closed laptop at a sunlit table in her home.

Anyone in Dar es Salaam or Arusha working towards a Training visa (subclass 407) can summarise the new rule in one sentence: approvals first, application second. From 11 March 2026, the sequence that used to work, lodging everything together and sorting out approvals later, is no longer an option. The rest of this article explains why, and how to stay on the right side of it.

The rule in two conditions

A Training visa application will be considered valid only if, at the time of lodgement, two things are already true. First, the sponsor holds approval as a temporary activities sponsor. Second, the sponsor has an approved Training visa nomination for that specific applicant. Commonwealth agencies are exempt from the nomination requirement but still need sponsor approval.

Why people were caught out before

Under the current system a business could start its sponsorship application, its nomination and the applicant's visa application around the same time. As long as the sponsorship and nomination were approved before the visa was granted, all was well. That sort-it-out-as-you-go approach ends on 11 March 2026.

Three risks, in order of seriousness

The application is treated as never valid

Lodge before the approvals and the application will not simply be delayed. The visa application charge is refunded, but the applicant loses their place in the queue and has to start over once approvals come through.

No bridging visa

Previously, lodging the visa application, even a technically premature one, triggered a bridging visa, which kept applicants legally in Australia while everything was finalised. With no valid application, there is no bridging visa.

A gap in your status

If your current visa expires while you wait for the sponsor's approvals, you may need to leave Australia or scramble for an alternative visa to stay within your conditions.

The checklist

For applicants

Compare your current visa's expiry date with your sponsor's approval timeline; if a gap is likely, look at bridging options or other visas early.
Ask your sponsor to confirm that their temporary activities sponsorship and your nomination are both approved.
Do not lodge speculatively, because an invalid application resets the clock.

For sponsors

Lodge sponsorship and nomination early, well ahead of the planned start date.
Remember that an application in progress is not enough; only approved ones count.
Plan the training timeline against current processing times, not the old timeline.

The policy behind it

The change belongs to a wider push against permanent temporariness, where people link temporary visa after temporary visa because they do not quite meet the criteria for permanent residence. That pattern has been tied to exploitation risk, especially in sponsored categories. Locking in sponsorship and nomination first is meant to close the gap where that vulnerability opens. For sponsors who plan ahead the effect is small; for anyone who relied on lodge now, approve later, the buffer is gone.

Common mistakes to avoid

Several recur. People assume a pending approval is as good as a granted one. They forget that a local contact in Tanzania cannot change how Australian systems treat the sequence. They keep no record of when each approval arrived. And they pay someone who claims to have a shortcut. If an adviser is involved, look for a MARA registration for Australia, or a licensed immigration adviser or lawfully exempt person for New Zealand. For help understanding how Australian qualifications and training are recognised, see RPLDirect. Related reading on this site includes why visa fee increases happen and what visa system glitches mean for applicants. You can also see current roles on the jobs page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the rule about the start date of training?

No. It is about the order of approvals and lodgement.

Does the sponsor need anything else?

Under the rule, the sponsor needs temporary activities sponsor approval and an approved nomination for the applicant, unless it is a Commonwealth agency exempt from nomination.

What if my sponsor is slow?

Check your visa expiry early and look at alternatives before a gap opens.

Where do I find the official visa information?

On the Home Affairs visa listing.

Key takeaways

Approvals first, application second, from 11 March 2026.
An early application is never valid and loses the queue place.
No valid application means no bridging visa.
Sponsors should lodge early; applicants should confirm and not lodge speculatively.

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