Actors and presenters on a film or television production use the 408 Entertainment Activities stream under one of two performer categories, depending on whether the production receives Australian government subsidy, and the sponsor or supporter must obtain an Arts certificate and consult the relevant union. Crew apply under production staff. A documentary or commercial made for an overseas market that will not be shown in Australia has its own category with no union or Arts certificate requirement.
Performers: subsidised or not
Home Affairs splits film and television performers into two categories: performing in a production subsidised wholly or in part by an Australian federal, state or territory government, and performing in one that is not. Both cover lead and major supporting actors, celebrity cameos and reality show hosts. Both require the sponsor or supporter to consult the relevant union before engaging the performer, and to obtain an Arts certificate from the federal arts department. The certificate is the piece productions most often leave to the last week.
Crew
Directors, camera, lighting, sound and other production or technical crew apply under the production staff category. Union consultation applies; the Arts certificate does not. A production bringing a full department should expect to lodge one application per person, all naming the Australian production company or service company as supporter or sponsor.
Overseas-market documentaries and commercials
A documentary or commercial made for an overseas market and not intended to be shown in Australia is its own category. Home Affairs treats factual presentations of real events, eras or people as documentaries, including light entertainment and reality that portrays real events; a drama series about fictional characters is not one. Crew, actors, presenters, production staff and stills photographers can all use it, with evidence such as a distribution contract. Neither union consultation nor the Arts certificate applies. If the work will be shown in Australia, use the performer or production staff categories instead.
Journalists, reality and cameos
- A journalist or media crew covering an event for an Australian audience: 408 Entertainment stream. For a non-Australian audience: subclass 400.
- A paid contestant or worker on a reality program: 408 Entertainment stream. An unpaid contestant: Invited Participant stream or a Visitor visa.
- A celebrity appearing in a commercial: 408 Entertainment stream. A celebrity attending a promotional event without performing: Invited Participant stream.
The Australian side
Same rule as every 408 entertainment application: a supporter is enough for applicants outside Australia staying under 3 months, and an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor is required for anyone applying in Australia or staying 3 months or more. Long-form drama and series work usually lands in sponsor territory. An Australian co-producer or service company normally fills the role; where there is none, 408visa can.
Facts checked against the Home Affairs subclass 408 Entertainment, Invited Participant, subclass 400 pages on 19 September 2026.
Questions on this page
What is an Arts certificate?
A certificate the sponsor or supporter must obtain from the federal arts department when the applicant is performing in a film or television production, subsidised or not. Evidence of it goes in the application. It is not required for live performance, production staff or support staff categories.
Do film crew need union consultation?
Yes. Production staff is one of the categories where the sponsor or supporter must consult the relevant union or unions before engaging the applicant, with evidence in the application.
Is a commercial for the UK market a 408?
If it will not be shown in Australia, it fits the documentary or commercial for an overseas market category of the 408 Entertainment stream, with evidence such as a distribution contract and no union or Arts certificate requirement.