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Maritime Crew visa (subclass 988)
The Maritime Crew Visa - Subclass 988 is designed for foreign crew members on non-military ships undertaking international voyages to enter Australia by sea. Additionally, this visa extends to the partners or dependent children of foreign crew members. This visa allows individuals to arrive and depart Australia by sea as part of a non-military ship's crew, perform work in Australia that aligns with the ship's operational requirements, and stay in Australia while the ship is in the country, provided it has not been imported.
With the Maritime Crew Visa – Subclass 988, you can:
Arrive and depart Australia by sea as a crew member of a non-military ship.
Stay in Australia while you work as a crew member on a non-military ship in Australian waters (if the ship hasn’t been imported).
Perform work in Australia as a crew member that meets the normal operational requirements of your ship.
However, there are specific requirements:
You must be outside Australia when you apply.
You should be a crew member or have a current offer to work as a crew member on a non-military ship taking an international voyage to Australia.
You cannot hold a permanent Australian visa.
This visa does not allow:
Entry into Australia by air alone; you will need another visa for air travel.
Staying as a visitor or tourist or establishing permanent residency.
Involvement in offshore resource activities unless you are a crew member onboard a petroleum export tanker on an international voyage.
Working in Australia, onshore or offshore, performing tasks indirectly related to the ship’s operation as a crew member.
The Maritime Crew Visa – Subclass 988 is free of charge.
This visa may have the following conditions attached:
Condition 8101: No work.
Condition 8113: Not to work other than as a crew member of a non-military ship.
The processing times for the Maritime Crew Visa – Subclass 988 are as follows:
25% of applications: Less than 1 Day
50% of applications: Less than 1 Day
75% of applications: Less than 1 Day
90% of applications: 2 Days
To be eligible for the Maritime Crew Visa – Subclass 988, you must meet the following criteria:
Be outside Australia when you apply for this visa.
Be a crew member on a non-military ship taking an international voyage to Australia. This includes individuals under contract or subcontract working on a ship at sea, people conducting scientific research on a research ship owned by a foreign government, and crew members on a petroleum export tanker on an international voyage.
The ship must be used for commercial trading, carrying paying passengers, owned and operated by a foreign government for scientific research, approved for ‘public vessel status’ by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, or brought to Australia for sale and registered in the Australian International Shipping Register.
You may not be eligible if you’ve had a visa application refused or cancelled while in Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, members of the family unit can apply for this visa if they are traveling on the same ship with permission from the vessel master. However, their visas will end if your Maritime Crew Visa ceases, they enter Australia without you and hold no other valid visa, or they stop traveling with you and do not leave Australia or obtain another suitable visa.
No, you cannot extend your stay in Australia with this visa. You must apply for another type of visa if you wish to stay longer.
Yes, you are personally responsible for all healthcare costs in Australia, so having medical insurance is highly recommended to limit your financial liability. Some countries have reciprocal healthcare agreements with Australia; you can find more information on this from Services Australia.
Currently, there are no frequently asked questions available for the Aged Dependent Relative Visa (Subclass 114).