Visa processing times / Subclass 403

403 Visa processing time

Name: 403 Visa processing times (Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403))
Creator: AusVisaClock

As of 2 November 2026, Home Affairs reports that 90% of recently decided Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (Foreign Government Agency) applications were finalised within 4 months, and half within 42 days.

Half decided within

42 days

9 in 10 decided within

4 months

Estimate my decision date

Foreign Government AgencyUpdated 2 November 2026

4 months

for 90% of applications

Applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026

25% decided within13 days
50% decided within42 days
75% decided within85 days
90% decided within4 months

Source: Department of Home Affairs, global visa processing times.

Key facts

As of 2 November 2026, Home Affairs reports that 90% of Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (Foreign Government Agency) applications were decided within 4 months, 75% within 85 days, 50% within 42 days and 25% within 13 days.
The figures cover applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026 and are measured from lodgement to decision.
Across the 5 403 streams, Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme was quickest (90% within 29 days) and Foreign Government Agency slowest (90% within 4 months).
Home Affairs revises these processing times about once a month.

Checked against Home Affairs every day. Last checked 11 November 2026.

Cite this page

AusVisaClock. “403 visa processing time.” Updated 2 November 2026. https://ausvisaclock.com/403-visa-processing-time/

The figures come from the Department of Home Affairs. You may quote them with a link to this page.

403 processing times by stream

Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme is the quickest stream (90% within 29 days); Foreign Government Agency is the slowest (90% within 4 months).

Stream	25%	50%	75%	90%
Government Agreement	14 days	21 days	28 days	41 days
Foreign Government Agency	13 days	42 days	85 days	4 months
Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular)	4 days	14 days	41 days	3 months
Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme	14 days	15 days	18 days	29 days
Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES)	55 days	69 days	3 months	3 months

Updated 2 November 2026 for applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026.

When could my 403 be decided?

Enter the date you lodged. We add the department’s published percentiles to it and show where today falls: how many applications like yours were decided in the time you have already waited.

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Stream

Date you lodged your application

Share of applications decided	By

Your dates will move.

Home Affairs revises these figures about once a month, so your 50% and 90% dates change with them. Pro checks every morning and emails you the new dates the day the 403 figures move.

Or save it free

How the 403 wait has moved

The gap between the median and the 90th percentile is about 3 months, so a minority of applications take far longer than most.

Trend starts with the next release.

AusVisaClock records every release the department publishes from November 2026. Once the next one is out, this chart shows how the 90% time for Foreign Government Agency has moved, and Pro members get an email the day it changes.

403 visa processing time questions

How long does the 403 visa take?

In the department’s latest figures (published 2 November 2026, for applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026), 50% of Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (Foreign Government Agency) applications were decided within 42 days, 75% within 85 days and 90% within 4 months. Times differ by stream: see the table above.

What do the 25%, 50%, 75% and 90% figures mean?

They are percentiles of recently decided applications. “90% within 4 months” means nine in ten applications decided in the reporting period took 4 months or less from lodgement to decision. They describe applications that have already been decided, so they lag behind changes in the queue and do not guarantee a time for any single application.

My 403 application is past the 90% time. What now?

Some applications take longer, for example when the department asks for more information, health or character checks are still open, or the application was incomplete when lodged. The department says it is usually not useful to contact it before the processing time has passed. After that, you can check your ImmiAccount and use the department’s enquiry form. For advice about your own application, speak to a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner.

How often are these processing times updated?

The Department of Home Affairs revises its global processing times about once a month, a few weeks after the end of each reporting period. AusVisaClock checks the department’s figures every day, updates this page when they change, and keeps each release so you can see the trend.