Resource Visa mobilises specialist personnel into Australian mining operations, processing plant shutdowns, fixed and mobile plant maintenance, and the specialist roles that remote operations cannot source locally. Perth-based, working across the Pilbara, Goldfields, Kimberley and South West.
Sector detail
What’s specific to mining
Remoteness and rosters. The subclass 400 (Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist)) visa is for short-term, highly specialised work in Australia where the skills aren’t readily available locally. Normally up to three months in any 12-month period, counting every 400 stay with any employer. Up to six months only in exceptional circumstances, on strong evidence. A specialist who has already spent time in Australia on a 400 in the last 12 months may be granted only the balance, so offshore and FIFO rosters that add up to more than three months a year need a different visa.
This is also a sector where DAMAs matter: semi-skilled site roles that fall outside standard lists are exactly what the WA agreements were designed for. As at [date]: five DAMAs operate in Western Australia. These are the state-wide WA DAMA, which covers all of WA including metropolitan Perth, and regional DAMAs for the Goldfields, Kimberley, Pilbara and South West. The regional agreements are closing to new applications between late October 2026 and March 2027, after which new DAMA labour agreements in WA are expected to run through the WA DAMA. Existing labour agreements and visas continue.
Roles
Role guides for mining employers
Each page covers which visa typically applies to that role, what the application has to evidence, and what usually goes wrong.
Rotating Equipment & Turbine Specialists
Mobilising OEM turbine, compressor and rotating equipment specialists into Australian sites. What the OEM letter needs to say, and why it matters.
HV Electrical Technicians
Bringing high voltage electrical specialists into Australian sites. Why electrical licensing is often the constraint, not the visa.
Coded Welders & Boilermakers
Bringing coded welders and pressure boilermakers into shutdowns. Why the welding procedure qualification is the core of the case, and the requalification trap.
NDT Inspectors
Bringing overseas NDT inspectors in for shutdown inspection campaigns. Which visa applies, and the certification recognition issue that trips employers up.
Crane & Heavy Lift Specialists
Bringing heavy lift engineers, lift supervisors and specialist crane operators into Australia. Why licensing, not the visa, is often the constraint.
Mobilisation events
The events that trigger a visa need
Shutdowns & Turnarounds
Bringing overseas specialists in for a plant shutdown or turnaround. What the Subclass 400 covers, how far ahead to start, and what happens when the date moves.
FIFO & DIDO rosters
Bringing overseas workers onto a FIFO or DIDO roster. How rosters interact with visa conditions, what counts toward cumulative stay, and which instrument fits.
Unplanned Breakdowns
Production stopped and the specialist is overseas. What to have to hand when you call, and which work visa fits an emergency repair.
Commissioning & SAT
Bringing a vendor or OEM engineer to Australia for commissioning or acceptance testing. Which visa applies and what the application must prove.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
The subclass 400 (Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist)) visa is for short-term, highly specialised work in Australia where the skills aren’t readily available locally. A crew on one project is assessed as one case: why this many people, why none locally, and what happens when they leave.
If the role turns out to be ongoing, the 482 is a fresh application with its own sponsorship and nomination. A 400 may carry a ‘No Further Stay’ condition. If it does, the specialist can’t apply for the 482 while in Australia unless the Department first waives the condition. A waiver is discretionary, so the 482 may need to be lodged from outside Australia.
A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) lets an employer in a designated area sponsor occupations, with concessions, that the standard 482 doesn’t offer. The employer first needs endorsement from the region’s Designated Area Representative, then its own labour agreement with the Australian Government.
Reviewed by a Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1686595) · Last reviewed [date]
Operating in the Pilbara, Goldfields or regional WA?
Twenty minutes. No obligation. Direct with a Registered Migration Agent. Tell us the role, the site and the date.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AWST