The Business Visitor stream of the subclass 600 Visitor visa allows foreign nationals to make short business visits to Australia. The stream permits specified business activities — such as making general business enquiries, investigating or negotiating contracts, reviewing existing business arrangements, conducting activities as part of an official government visit, or participating in a conference, trade fair, or seminar. The Business Visitor stream does not permit the holder to work in Australia, take up employment, or perform productive labour for an Australian employer or in the Australian labour market. The key distinction is between a business visitor (conducting international business activities whose benefit accrues outside Australia) and a worker (performing work in Australia that requires a work visa such as the subclass 482). This page explains the permitted activities under the Business Visitor stream, the work restriction, who can apply, and how the stream relates to other short-term business entry options.

For current eligibility, permitted activities, processing times, and fees, refer to the DHA subclass 600 Business Visitor stream page.

• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 600 (Visitor), Business Visitor stream criteria — the criteria that must be satisfied to be granted a subclass 600 in the Business Visitor stream; includes the requirement that the holder intends to make a short business visit for permitted business purposes and not to work in Australia
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 8 — Condition 8115 — the condition attached to Business Visitor stream visas prohibiting the holder from working in Australia; the holder is authorised only for the specified business visitor activities and not for productive employment or service delivery in Australia
• Migration Act 1958, s 116 — breach of visa conditions (including the work restriction) is grounds for cancellation of the visa
• DHA: Visitor visa (subclass 600) Business Visitor stream — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visitor-600-business

Permitted business visitor activities

The Business Visitor stream of the subclass 600 authorises the holder to engage in the following activities in Australia:

• General business or employment enquiries: attending meetings with potential business partners, distributors, or employees; exploring business opportunities in Australia
• Investigating, negotiating, entering into, or reviewing a business contract: engaging in commercial negotiations, due diligence visits, or post-contract review activities with an Australian counterpart
• Official government visits: conducting activities as part of an official government program or delegation
• Conferences, trade fairs, and seminars: participating in or attending industry events, trade exhibitions, professional conferences, and similar activities

The common element in all permitted activities is that the business visitor is acting in a representative or commercial capacity for an overseas principal — the commercial benefit of the activity flows to or from outside Australia, and the visitor is not performing labour in the Australian market.

What is not permitted — the work restriction

The Business Visitor stream visa carries a work condition (condition 8115) that prohibits the holder from working in Australia. Activities that are not permitted include:

• Taking up employment with an Australian employer
• Providing services as a contractor or consultant directly to Australian clients in a way that substitutes for Australian labour
• Performing any form of productive labour in Australia (whether paid directly in Australia or not) that benefits an Australian employer or is directed by an Australian entity
• Earning income directly from Australian sources for services performed in Australia

A person who will be doing any of these things requires a work visa appropriate to their occupation and engagement — such as the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa, the subclass 400 Short Stay Specialist visa, or another relevant work-related subclass. For detail on the general work restriction that applies to visitors, refer to the visitor work restriction page.

Applying for the Business Visitor stream

The Business Visitor stream application process:

• Applications are typically submitted outside Australia using the visitor visa application form (form 1415)
• Applicants must provide evidence of the business purpose of the visit — this may include letters of invitation from Australian businesses or government agencies, details of the conference or trade fair, or other documentation establishing the nature of the business visit
• Applicants must demonstrate sufficient funds to cover their stay, health insurance, and an intention to depart Australia at the end of the business visit
• Standard health and character requirements for visitor visas apply

For current processing times, fees, and required documentation for the Business Visitor stream, refer to the DHA subclass 600 Business Visitor stream page.

Alternatives — eVisitor, ETA, and work visas

Other options for short-term business travel to Australia include:

• eVisitor (subclass 651) and Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601): citizens of eligible countries may use the eVisitor or ETA for short business visits — these are available online for eligible nationalities and permit the same types of business visitor activities as the subclass 600 Business Visitor stream; for eligibility, refer to the eVisitor and ETA page
• Subclass 400 Short Stay Specialist visa: for foreign nationals who need to perform short-term, highly specialised work in Australia — activities that go beyond business visitor activities but are genuinely short-term; the 400 allows work in Australia for up to 3 months
• Subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa: covers a range of specific temporary activities including government-endorsed events and sport and entertainment; relevant for some activities that go beyond standard business visitor purposes

The line between a permissible business visitor activity and work requiring a work visa is one of the most practically significant distinctions in short-term Australian visa law. Foreign nationals who routinely visit Australia for commercial purposes — particularly consultants, trainers, technical specialists, and service providers — frequently encounter the question of whether their activities require a work visa or fall within the business visitor exemption. The distinguishing factor is whether the activity involves performing productive labour in Australia that substitutes for or competes with Australian workers, or whether it is genuinely an international business activity whose benefit primarily accrues outside Australia. A technical specialist sent to Australia to repair equipment under warranty (after-sales service) may be in a different position from a consultant providing advisory services to an Australian business under an ongoing engagement. For current DHA guidance on what constitutes a permitted business visitor activity under the subclass 600 Business Visitor stream, and for the distinction between business visitor and work visa purposes, refer to the DHA subclass 600 Business Visitor stream page.