Australia has strengthened its ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Timor-Leste, offering more opportunities for business engagement.
As part of these efforts, Australia has extended the duration of business visitor visas for nationals of these countries. The business visitor visa now allows stays of up to five years, an increase from the previous three years, for applications lodged after 1 April 2024. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Albanese during the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in March.
Holders of a Visitor (subclass 600) visa can stay in Australia for up to three months per visit, with multiple entries permitted over the five-year period. Visa holders can:
- Negotiate contracts
- Make general business or employment inquiries
- Participate in conferences or trade fairs
- Be part of official government visits
Additionally, later this year, Australia will extend the 10-year visitor visa Frequent Traveller stream to include ASEAN states and Timor-Leste. These measures do not apply to Myanmar.
These visa changes are in line with the recommendations from Australia’s blueprint to enhance relations with Southeast Asia, as outlined in “Invested: Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.”
These updates support the Migration Strategy by:
- Boosting international mobility
- Supporting regional relationships
- Strengthening community connections between ASEAN and Australia