The Temporary Work (International Relations) visa — subclass 403 is an Australian temporary visa for workers whose engagement in Australia is connected to Australia's bilateral or multilateral international relations commitments. It operates across four streams, each targeting a specific category of internationally connected worker: employees of foreign government agencies posted to Australia, workers covered by bilateral government-to-government agreements, domestic workers employed by diplomats, and Pacific island and Timor-Leste workers under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.

For current stream-specific eligibility requirements, application processes, and conditions, refer to the DHA subclass 403 page.

• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 403 (Temporary Work — International Relations) — visa criteria for all streams
• DHA: Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/temporary-work-403
• DHA: Foreign Government Agency stream — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/403-foreign-govt
• DHA: PALM scheme — palmscheme.gov.au

Foreign Government Agency stream

The Foreign Government Agency stream allows employees of a foreign government or intergovernmental organisation to work in Australia in a role connected to that government or organisation's functions in Australia. This includes:

• Foreign language teachers employed by a foreign government to teach their nation's language in Australia — for example, a teacher employed by the Goethe-Institut (German government cultural organisation) or a similar body
• Representatives of foreign governments in Australia in a capacity that falls outside the Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995) but is connected to the foreign government's functions
• Employees of intergovernmental organisations operating in Australia

The applicant must be employed by the relevant foreign government or organisation and the role must be genuinely connected to the organisation's functions in Australia. For current eligibility criteria and application requirements, refer to the DHA Foreign Government Agency stream page.

Government Agreement stream

The Government Agreement stream is for workers who come to Australia under a bilateral or multilateral government-to-government agreement between Australia and a foreign government. These agreements are negotiated at the government level and may specify the categories of workers who may come to Australia, the conditions of their work, and the duration. Workers under this stream must be sponsored by an approved organisation under the relevant agreement. For current approved agreements and application requirements, refer to the DHA Government Agreement stream page.

Domestic Worker (Diplomat) stream

The Domestic Worker (Diplomat) stream allows a personal or domestic worker employed by a diplomat or consular official who holds a subclass 995 Diplomatic visa to work in Australia as a domestic employee. This stream recognises the specific employment context of diplomats who may bring household staff with them to their posting in Australia. For current eligibility requirements, refer to the DHA 403 page.

Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) stream

The PALM stream is the largest stream of the subclass 403, providing the visa mechanism for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme — Australia's flagship labour mobility program with 9 Pacific island nations and Timor-Leste. Under the PALM scheme:

• Eligible workers from participating countries (Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Timor-Leste) can work in Australia in unskilled, low-skilled, and semi-skilled roles
• Short-term placements: up to 9 months (for seasonal roles, primarily in agriculture)
• Long-term placements: between 1 and 4 years (for more extended roles in approved sectors)
• Employers must be approved PALM scheme employers and demonstrate that Australian workers are not available
• Workers have the same workplace rights and protections as Australian workers

For detailed information on the PALM scheme, including employer approval, worker protections, and participating sectors, see the PALM scheme page or the PALM scheme website.

Common features across all streams

Across all 403 streams:

• Health and character requirements apply
• Work rights are limited to the specific role and purpose for which the visa is granted
• The visa is temporary — there is no direct pathway to permanent residence through the 403 itself (PALM workers may pursue other permanent residence pathways if they qualify independently)
• Family members may be included as secondary applicants in some streams

For current conditions, stay periods, and fees for each stream, refer to the DHA subclass 403 page.

The subclass 403 primarily serves two distinct constituencies: the diplomatic and cultural community (Foreign Government Agency and Domestic Worker streams) and the Pacific development agenda (PALM stream). The PALM stream is the most operationally significant, providing a managed seasonal and long-term labour mobility pathway that is central to Australia's Pacific step-up foreign policy engagement. The Foreign Government Agency stream serves the small but important population of cultural institutions and language teaching organisations associated with foreign governments that operate in Australia. For current information on each stream, approved employers for the PALM scheme, and bilateral agreement details for the Government Agreement stream, refer to the DHA subclass 403 page.