This visa allows an employer to nominate and sponsor an applicant to undertake full-time training for up to two years. Employers can assess growth and suitability; applicants can focus on skill development in a structured environment confirmed by the employer.
First Tree guides both sponsoring companies and trainees from training plan design through to application procedures, based on each party's situation.
A visa for providing training through a three-stage process: sponsorship, nomination, and visa application.
You can only proceed to the visa application (Step 3) after sponsorship and nomination are approved. Brindging visa is not granted while you cannot lodge Step 3, so for onshore applications it is critical to complete Steps 1 and 2 within your current valid visa period.
The stage where the employer is registered as a training provider sponsor. Demonstrates genuine domestic operations under Australian law. The first prerequisite for proceeding to Step 3.
The stage where the training content and its legitimacy are demonstrated. Plans must be tailored to the applicant's background and skill gaps. The second prerequisite for proceeding to Step 3.
The applicant's own application stage, which can only proceed once both Step 1 and Step 2 are approved. Demonstrates fulfilment of employment history, education, English, health, and character requirements.
Cannot apply without completing Steps 1 and 2. During this waiting period, you cannot lodge a visa application.
Like SC407, SC482 (Employer Sponsored visa) follows the same three-stage application structure: sponsorship, nomination, and visa application. The key difference is whether you wait for Step 1 and Step 2 approval before proceeding to Step 3, or can lodge Steps 1, 2, and 3 almost concurrently.
Waiting for Step 1 and Step 2 approval before lodging the visa application follows a similar flow for both SC407 and SC482. Bridge visas are not granted for offshore applications from Japan, so you can continue preparation in Japan while waiting for approval.
For onshore applications, whether you can maintain your stay in Australia on a bridging visa while waiting for Step 1 and Step 2 approval is the decisive difference between SC407 and SC482.
You cannot proceed to Step 3 until both Step 1 and Step 2 are approved. Because you cannot lodge a visa application, no bridging visa is granted, and if you cannot complete Steps 1 and 2 within your current valid visa period, you will be unable to lodge a visa application thereafter.
Steps 1, 2, and 3 can be lodged almost concurrently, and a bridging visa is granted with the visa application, making it easier to maintain your stay in Australia while awaiting assessment.
Both the employer and applicant must meet requirements, and the training provided must fall under one of three purpose types.
Details vary by occupation, training content, and rules at the time of application. This section summarises the main requirements.
What First Tree can support
First Tree works with both sponsoring companies and trainees to build a consistent approach to visa selection, application strategy, and preparation sequence. We clarify what to decide and what to gather first.
We review the employer's sponsor requirements and the applicant's visa eligibility against their respective conditions at a high level. We generally meet each party separately, but can arrange a joint session on request.
For the employer, we clarify documents, deadlines, and priorities for TAS and nomination applications. For the applicant, we clarify supporting documents and how to evidence employment history and education from Japan. We design the overall schedule.
The service agreement is prepared in English. After you sign and pay the initial fee, we commence the service.
We prepare Temporary Activities Sponsor (TAS) requirements, fees, and documents, and support you through to lodgement.
We align what can be provided, the supervisor structure, the applicant's background, and skill gaps to design a bespoke training plan.
We explain what each document means and why it is needed, then guide you on preparation and submission. We also support documents you cannot obtain yourself or that need to be created from scratch.
The key is knowing what to submit and when. We review mandatory documents at lodgement and those that can be provided after application, and support you from submission through to post-lodgement follow-up.
We provide ongoing support from progress during the training period through to long-term planning for next steps (transition to SC482 or permanent residence applications).
Government application fees vary by visa type and application details. Our professional fees depend on your situation and the scope of support — we outline both in an initial consultation. If you want a sense of costs upfront, please reach out to us first.
Consultations with employers are conducted in Japanese when required. First Tree handles English correspondence with the Department of Home Affairs, including applications and document submissions. Employers do not need to manage English communication themselves. We also make arrangements for interpreter services for any language upon request.
You can contact us at any stage — while still exploring options, or after a hire is confirmed. The earlier you consult, the more pathways remain open. Even if you are still deciding, feel free to get in touch.
Yes — it is possible. If the company has been operating for less than a year, you will typically need additional documents to demonstrate genuine operations and cover the short trading history. We explain which documents to prepare, how to obtain them, and how to present a strong sponsorship case step by step.
Yes. You can contact us while still planning recruitment. We can help clarify what kind of talent to hire and which visa pathway is realistic. Consulting before a candidate is confirmed often keeps more options open later.
For the Training Visa (SC407) in particular, sponsorship can proceed before a trainee is confirmed, but nomination requires a confirmed candidate — and the visa application can only follow approval of both earlier stages. We recommend starting preparation six months to a year ahead.
Consultation is not about reaching a conclusion — it is about starting the design.
First Tree treats employment and visas not as paperwork alone, but as design for workplaces and lives that keep moving. Before we talk applications, we clarify where you are and what conditions apply — then, if needed, we decide the next step together.
In an initial consultation, we typically cover: