With points-tested invitations at record lows and the Temporary Graduate visa fee now AUD 4,600, migration advisers are steering international graduates toward the Training (subclass 407) visa as a stop-gap option. A fresh explainer published by NS Legal on 3 May outlines how the two-year, employer-sponsored training route can bridge the gap between the expiry of a student or 485 visa and eligibility for permanent residence.
![Training (subclass 407) visa positioned as ‘Plan B’ pathway while graduates await skilled-migration invitations]()
For graduates weighing this pathway, VisaHQ’s Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers step-by-step breakdowns of subclass 407 criteria, supporting document lists and fee calculators, helping applicants and sponsors streamline preparations and stay on top of rule changes.
Unlike the better-known Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa, the 407 does not require formal skills assessments or minimum salary thresholds. Applicants need only one year of recent, relevant study or work experience and functional English. The government application fee is just AUD 310, and spouses receive full work rights. Holders can change employers, providing flexibility rarely found in other sponsorship classes. For businesses, the 407 offers a low-cost way to build a talent pipeline while assessing candidates for long-term roles. It is particularly attractive in hospitality, community services and early-career engineering, where graduates need further Australian experience to qualify for higher-tier visas. Employers must still lodge a nomination with a tailored training plan and pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy, but processing times of one to three months are typical. The article cautions that the 407 is strictly temporary and requires a genuine training purpose; using it as de-facto cheap labour risks refusal or sponsor sanction. Graduates are urged to plan an onward pathway—typically a 482, 186 or 189 visa—before the 407 expires, as bridging options are limited without a fresh sponsorship or invitation.
For graduates weighing this pathway, VisaHQ’s Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers step-by-step breakdowns of subclass 407 criteria, supporting document lists and fee calculators, helping applicants and sponsors streamline preparations and stay on top of rule changes.
Unlike the better-known Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa, the 407 does not require formal skills assessments or minimum salary thresholds. Applicants need only one year of recent, relevant study or work experience and functional English. The government application fee is just AUD 310, and spouses receive full work rights. Holders can change employers, providing flexibility rarely found in other sponsorship classes. For businesses, the 407 offers a low-cost way to build a talent pipeline while assessing candidates for long-term roles. It is particularly attractive in hospitality, community services and early-career engineering, where graduates need further Australian experience to qualify for higher-tier visas. Employers must still lodge a nomination with a tailored training plan and pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy, but processing times of one to three months are typical. The article cautions that the 407 is strictly temporary and requires a genuine training purpose; using it as de-facto cheap labour risks refusal or sponsor sanction. Graduates are urged to plan an onward pathway—typically a 482, 186 or 189 visa—before the 407 expires, as bridging options are limited without a fresh sponsorship or invitation.
