Temporary Activities Sponsor Approval for Entertainment Organisations
If you are a promoter, festival, venue, theatre company, orchestra, record label or production company bringing overseas talent to Australia, you will often need to be an approved temporary activities sponsor. Sponsor approval lets you sponsor performers, crew and support staff for the 408 Entertainment Activities visa and accept the legal obligations that come with it.
This page explains when sponsorship is needed, who can apply, the evidence Home Affairs expects, your obligations once approved and how to stay compliant across many tours. It is written for the organisation, so if you are the artist, start with our Australia entertainment visas overview.
Do you need to be an approved sponsor?
For the Entertainment Activities stream, the answer depends on where the artist applies and how long they stay.
| Situation | What your organisation needs |
|---|---|
| Artist applies from outside Australia and stays 3 months or less | You can act as a supporter and provide a support letter. Sponsor approval is not needed. |
| Artist applies from outside Australia and stays more than 3 months | Approved temporary activities sponsor |
| Artist applies while in Australia (any length of stay) | Approved temporary activities sponsor |
| You bring in artists regularly throughout the year | Sponsor approval is usually worth having so you are ready for longer engagements and onshore applications |
Supporters still have to meet the requirements for the entertainment category, including union consultation, the Arts certificate where it applies and non-profit status for non-profit events.
Who can apply
You can apply for approval as a temporary activities sponsor if you are:
- an Australian organisation lawfully operating in Australia
- an Australian Government, state or territory government agency
- a foreign government agency operating in Australia
- a foreign organisation lawfully operating in Australia
Individuals and sole traders generally cannot be approved as temporary activities sponsors. Home Affairs will also consider whether there is adverse information about your organisation or people associated with it, and whether you can meet sponsorship obligations.
Practical points by type of organisation
Promoters often sponsor several touring acts a year. Keep a standard pack ready (company documents, financial evidence, template itineraries and contracts) so each new tour only needs the engagement-specific documents. Remember the union consultation and net employment benefit for categories 3 to 5, such as showing local support acts, crew and venue staff.
How to apply for sponsor approval
Your obligations as a temporary activities sponsor
| Obligation | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Cooperate with inspectors | Give Home Affairs inspectors access to premises and records when asked |
| Keep records | Keep records of each sponsored person, their engagement, dates, payments and compliance |
| Provide records and information | Respond to formal requests for information from the Department |
| Tell Home Affairs about certain events | Notify the Department within the required timeframe when, for example, an engagement ends early or your organisation details change |
| Ensure the activity is carried out | Make sure the visa holder only does the activity described in the application |
| Pay return travel costs | Pay reasonable travel costs for the visa holder to leave Australia if asked in writing |
| Do not recover certain costs | Do not pass sponsorship costs on to the artist or anyone else |
| Pay costs of locating and removing | Pay costs the Commonwealth incurs if a sponsored person becomes unlawful |
Breaching obligations can lead to infringement notices, civil penalties, cancellation of your approval or a bar on sponsoring in future. Our team can set up a compliance checklist for your tours and productions.
Frequently asked questions
How long does sponsor approval last?
Temporary activities sponsor approval generally lasts five years. During that time you can sponsor eligible 408 applicants for new engagements, as long as you keep meeting your obligations.
Can an overseas promoter sponsor artists for an Australian tour?
A foreign organisation lawfully operating in Australia can apply. In practice many overseas promoters partner with an Australian promoter, venue or local company, which acts as the sponsor or supporter.
Can we lodge the sponsorship and visa applications together?
Yes, the visa applications can be lodged while the sponsorship application is being processed, but the visas cannot be granted until your organisation is approved.
Do we need to pay the artists a minimum amount?
The 408 Entertainment Activities stream does not set a fixed income threshold like the Skills in Demand visa, but pay and conditions should be consistent with Australian workplace laws and industry standards. Unions may comment on this during consultation.
What if an artist needs to stay longer than planned?
The artist should apply for a further visa before the current one ends, and your organisation should tell Home Affairs about changes to the engagement in writing.
Do we need a separate sponsorship for each tour?
No. Once approved, you use the same sponsorship for each new tour or production during the approval period. Each artist still needs their own visa, union consultation where required and a current itinerary.
Related entertainment visa guides
Keep reading to plan your visa with the rest of our entertainment visa guides: