Australia Business Visa — Subclass 600 / ETA

Two main options exist: the Business Visitor stream of Subclass 600 (formal visa), which allows a stay of up to 3 months, and the ETA (Electronic Travel Authority, Subclass 601), available to eligible passport holders and also allowing up to 3 months at a time. European passport holders may instead be eligible for an eVisitor (Subclass 651). For both routes you must be outside Australia when you apply and when a decision is made.

Home Affairs publishes no service standard for Subclass 600; its processing time guide reports recently decided applications and is explicitly a guide only, not specific to your application. ETA decisions are usually returned immediately. We confirm the current guide figure for your route before you commit to travel dates.

Citizens of specific countries (US, UK, Canada, Japan, Singapore, etc.) can apply for an ETA online for short business trips. Our team helps determine your eligibility and best option.

The Subclass 600 Business Visitor stream costs AUD 250, with concessions in limited circumstances. There is no charge for the ETA (Subclass 601) itself, but a AUD 20 service charge applies to use the Australian ETA app. Our service fee is quoted per case based on urgency and case complexity — request a personalized quote.

The Business Visitor visa typically allows stays of up to 3 months, with maximum stays of 6 or 12 months at discretion of the Department of Home Affairs. ETA visits are limited to 90 days per entry.

Permitted activities include: attending business meetings, conferences, contract negotiations, exploring investment opportunities, and short-term business inquiries. Employment is not permitted.

The ETA (Subclass 601) suits eligible passport holders (US, UK, Canada, Japan, Singapore, etc.) and allows up to 3 months at a time, with unlimited entries in a 12-month period. There is no charge for the visa itself, only a AUD 20 service charge to use the Australian ETA app. Subclass 600 Business Visitor (AUD 250) applies to nationalities not eligible for an ETA; it also allows up to 3 months, so the choice is driven by passport eligibility rather than trip length. Our corporate service determines the optimal route per employee.

Business visitors cannot work for Australian companies. Longer assignments require Subclass 400 (short-term) or 482 (TSS - medium/long-term). Fair Work Act sets minimum conditions. State-specific Workplace Health and Safety Acts vary. Our compliance team advises on visa selection for various assignment durations.

Australia applies a 183-day test alongside domicile and residency rules that can be involved for extended assignments. Non-resident rates, thresholds and superannuation obligations change with each federal budget, so we do not publish figures here — we flag where a trip length or pattern is likely to create exposure and recommend you take advice from a tax specialist before it does. Australia has double-tax treaties with more than 40 countries.

Subclass 600 multiple-entry visas allow repeated visits during validity (typically 12 months). ETA allows unlimited entries within 12 months. Our corporate service tracks employee entries and stays to ensure compliance with maximum 3-month per visit rules and cumulative day limits.

Sydney CBD / Barangaroo hosts major financial services and multinationals. Melbourne Docklands centers technology and consulting. Brisbane, Perth (mining), and Adelaide serve sector-specific corporate needs. We report applications by destination, so your team can see where people are being sent.

Our per-application rate scales with your annual volume. Larger programs qualify for progressively better rates, and high-volume enterprises receive custom agreements with dedicated account management and priority processing where possible within the Australian immigration framework. Request a quote for your program.

Australian business activity slows significantly from mid-December through late January (summer holidays and Australia Day). Our corporate travel planning accounts for these patterns, scheduling major initiatives outside this window and managing employee expectations for response times and meeting availability.