In a recent development, Cricket Australia has announced revised eligibility criteria for professional cricketers seeking entry into Australia on the 408 Sporting Visa. A statement released by Cricket Australia in the past 24 hours outlined the following changes:
Cricket Australia has updated the eligibility criteria for providing visa letters of support, in response to a request from the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA). The aim is to ensure that Cricket Australia remains compliant with the legislative intent and requirements of the Sporting Activities Visa. The updates primarily focus on raising the standard of competition for individuals applying for this visa category, particularly emphasizing the ability to participate in Australian national-level cricket competitions such as the Sheffield Shield, Women’s National Cricket League, Men’s and Women’s Big Bash League, and others.
The key updates include:
- Approval of applications for a Letter of Support will only be granted to individuals who will be playing, coaching, or umpiring at a Premier Cricket club or above while in Australia.
- Applicants must have participated in First Class/List A/Twenty20 matches at least once in the previous 12 months (except for coaches and umpires, who must have been employed within the last 24 months), representing an ICC Full Member nation.
- Applicants will still be required to provide evidence through a letter of recommendation from their home member nation and ESPN Cricinfo records.
The application process will reopen early next week and can be accessed through the Community Cricket website.
Cricket Australia acknowledges that these changes may affect clubs’ eligibility to attract international players, coaches, and officials under this specific visa category. To explore alternative visa options for your club and individuals, it is recommended to visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
It’s important to note that players, coaches, and officials who have already been granted the Sporting Activities Visa will not be affected by these changes. Their visas will remain valid until the expiration of the visa term.
More information can be found here – https://www.community.cricket.com.au/clubs/running-your-club/sports-visa-applications
