Visa Application Guide for the 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work 2023

23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work 2023

27 – 30 November 2023

International Convention Centre Sydney, Australia

We are delighted to assist with your registration to attend the 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work 2023 and have compiled the below information which should be helpful to guide you through your visa application process. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the Organising Team using the details provided below.

Visa options:

Participants, attendees, and speakers that will not be working outside of attending the World Congress may be eligible to apply for the following visa options:

Visitor (subclass 600) Business stream visa.

For more information see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa- listing/visitor-600/business-visitor-stream

Electronic Travel Authority – ETA (subclass 601).

For eligible passport holders and more information see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/electronic-travel-authority- 601

eVisitor (subclass 651) Business Stream visa.

For eligible passport holders and more information see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/evisitor-651

Foreign government representatives may also be eligible to apply for a Visitor visa option as above. The visa application charge (VAC) for the Visitor (subclass 600) Business stream visa can be waived for an applicant who applies in the course of acting as a representative of a foreign

government and provides the department with supporting evidence. In most cases, such persons will identify themselves at time of application by presenting a diplomatic, or official, passport, however applicants can also provide other types of supporting evidence, such as a third person note of support from their government.

Attendees, speakers, and exhibitors that will be working at the event, or otherwise be paid to contribute at the event may be eligible to apply for one of the following visa options:

Temporary Activity (subclass 408) (Invited Participant) visa (where there is an inviting Australian organisation). For more information see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-activity- 408/invited-for-other-social-and-cultural-activity

Please note that a the letter of support from an Australian organisation is a legislative requirement for the Temporary Activity (subclass 408)(Invited Participant) visa.

Temporary Work (subclass 400)(Short Stay Specialist) visa (where there is no inviting Australian organisation). For more information see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-work-400

NB: These are the visa options available presently, but the Department reserves the right to change regulations. Visa applicants must demonstrate that they meet all the legislative requirements for an Australian visa.

For more information about which visa type is most relevant to your individual circumstances, we recommend contacting your local embassy.

Biometrics:

Visa applicants outside of Australia will need to provide biometrics when they apply for a visa that is part of the Australian biometrics program, or where they are from a country, or located in a country at time of application that is part of the Australian biometrics program.

For information regarding Australia’s biometric program including visas and countries that are part of the program, please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our- requirements/biometrics

Visa Application Process and Processing Times:

Visa applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

whether the applicant has lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents, and paid associated visa application charges
how promptly the applicant responds to any requests for additional information
how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
how long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character, and national security requirements
when the application is lodged taking the current global visa processing times into account

Processing times are impacted each month by cases that are complex, changes to volume of applications and changes to Ministerial Directions. More information about visa processing times please see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/overview. For this reason, we would advise that visa applications be lodged at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to a person’s intended date of travel.

Border and Entry Requirements:

Travellers should familiarise themselves with Australia’s border and entry requirements. For further information, see ‘Entering and leaving Australia’ at: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/covid19/entering-and-leaving-australia

Please feel free to contact the 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work team via the details provided below if you need any further assistance or to discuss our service in more detail.