A supporter is enough when the applicant applies from outside Australia and will stay less than 3 months. An approved Temporary Activities Sponsor is required when the applicant applies in Australia, or will stay more than 3 months. Both must be lawfully established in Australia and both must consult the relevant union for most entertainment categories.
The rule
Two questions decide it. Where will the applicant be when they lodge, and how long will they stay?
- Outside Australia and under 3 months: a supporter.
- In Australia, or more than 3 months: an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor.
A ten-day festival run from London needs a supporter. A twelve-week arena tour, or a performer already in Australia on another visa, needs a sponsor. A crew member who will do the short run and then stay on for a second project tips into sponsor territory, which is why 408visa asks about the longest stay in the party, not the average.
What a supporter provides
A supporter can be an Australian organisation lawfully established and operating in Australia, a Commonwealth, state or territory government agency, a foreign government agency operating in Australia, or an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. With the application they provide:
- A letter of invitation with an itinerary of every performance, including dates and venues
- A written statement that they support any dependent family members included
- Evidence they are lawfully established, and that they hold any licences the production needs
- For non-profit engagements, evidence of non-profit status and that tax obligations are met
What a sponsor provides
A sponsor must be an Australian organisation lawfully established and operating in Australia, or a government agency, and must be approved as a Temporary Activities Sponsor. With the application they provide:
- The sponsorship application ID, transaction reference number, approval letter or lodgement receipt
- A written statement that they will meet the sponsorship obligations for the applicant and every dependant included
- Evidence they are lawfully established and operating, and hold any licences the production needs
Sponsorship carries obligations that run for the life of the engagement, which is why promoters and venues often prefer to have them managed rather than learn them.
What both must do
- Union consultation before engaging the applicant, for performers in film and television, performers other than in film and television, production staff, and support staff for entertainers. Evidence goes in the application.
- Arts certificate from the federal arts department for performers in film or television productions.
- Not change the engagements after grant without permission from the Temporary Specialist Entry Centre.
No Australian entity?
Many touring parties arrive without an Australian promoter, and many overseas productions have no local service company at the point visas need lodging. TourHub Australia Pty Ltd, which operates 408visa, can act as the local supporting or sponsoring entity in those cases, and takes on the consultation, letters and obligations that go with it. Tell us on the assessment form and we confirm the arrangement in the first reply.
Facts checked against the Home Affairs subclass 408 Entertainment Activities page on 19 September 2026.
Questions on this page
Can an individual be a supporter for a 408 visa?
Yes. An Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen can be a supporter, alongside Australian organisations and government agencies. A sponsor, by contrast, must be an organisation or government agency approved as a Temporary Activities Sponsor.
Does a supporter have to consult the union?
Yes, for the same categories as a sponsor: performers in film and television, performers other than in film and television, production staff and support staff for entertainers. Evidence of the consultation goes in the application.
What is a Temporary Activities Sponsor?
An Australian organisation or government agency approved by Home Affairs to sponsor subclass 408 applicants. Approval is applied for separately from the visa and comes with obligations that last for the engagement.