Information for Existing Crew

Home Affairs describes a superyacht as a high-value luxury sailing or motor vessel that is 24 metres or longer, doesn’t carry cargo, and is used for sport or recreation.

• work as a crew member on a superyacht in Australia
• leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you like while the visa is valid

You can only work as superyacht crew, and only for the employer the visa was granted for. Your grant letter and VEVO show the conditions on your visa.

You need to:

• be 18 or older
• have a contract to work as a crew member on a superyacht in Australia, or a letter confirming that employment
• have a supporter or a sponsor (see “Do I need a sponsor?”)
• have enough money to support yourself
• hold adequate health insurance for your whole stay
• meet the health requirement, which might mean health examinations
• meet the character requirement, which might mean police certificates
• intend to stay in Australia temporarily

• Applying from outside Australia and staying less than 3 months: you need a supporter. This is the captain, owner or operator of the superyacht, and they give you a letter of invitation.
• Applying in Australia, or applying from outside Australia and staying more than 3 months: you need a sponsor. This is the captain, owner or operator of the superyacht, and they must be an approved temporary activities sponsor or have applied to become one.

Captains, owners and operators can see what’s involved by choosing “For Sponsors” on the Home Affairs page for this visa.

• your passport, and a national identity card if you have one
• your contract of employment, or a letter from your supporter or sponsor confirming they employ you as crew
• your supporter’s letter of invitation, or evidence your sponsor is approved or has applied
• evidence of the vessel’s superyacht status from the captain, owner or operator, such as registration papers, insurance papers and the superyacht survey
• evidence you can support yourself, such as your employment contract or bank statements

Documents that aren’t in English need an English translation. The step by step guide has the full list.

Home Affairs usually grants a stay of up to 12 months. If you’re outside Australia when the visa is granted, your stay period starts on the day you arrive. If you’re in Australia, it starts on the day of grant.

The stay period doesn’t restart when you come back into Australia, and time spent overseas counts towards it. Your grant letter shows your stay period and the date you must first arrive by.

The visa can’t be extended, so you’ll need to lodge a new application to keep working. You can apply in Australia only while you hold a substantive visa, or within 28 days of your last one ending.

Check your conditions in VEVO first: condition 8503 (No further stay) is one that might be attached to this visa, and it limits the visas you can be granted while you’re in Australia.

If your employment with your sponsor or supporter stops, you need to apply for a new visa if you’re eligible, or leave Australia within 28 days (sooner if your visa is due to expire). Working for a new employer means a new visa application.

The Home Affairs guidance for this stream refers to family members applying with the crew member, and your supporter or sponsor needs to include them.

Family members travelling on their own can look at the Visitor visa (subclass 600), the eVisitor (subclass 651) or the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), depending on their passport.

On 15 September 2026 the application charge started from AUD535.00 for the main applicant. You might also pay for health checks, police certificates and biometrics, and a lower charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens.

The Visa Pricing Estimator gives the current figure for your application.

The visa processing time guide shows recent processing times. Applications take longer when details are incomplete or documents are missing.

Apply online through ImmiAccount, from inside or outside Australia (you can’t apply in immigration clearance).

If someone helps you with your application, they must be a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or an exempt person. See who can help with your visa application.

The Home Affairs visa finder shows other options.

Everyone on board needs a valid passport and visa, and the vessel’s arrival must be reported before it reaches Australia. See the Australian Border Force pages on requirements for superyachts and yachts and pleasure craft.