# Maritime Crew > visa-988 — as in force on 2026-06-01 — F2026C00497 · Compilation No. 287 — https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026C00497/latest/text Subclass 988—Maritime Crew Note: This Subclass is created in accordance with section 38B of the Act. 988.1—Interpretation Note 1: Member of the crew and non-military ship are defined in regulation 1.03. Note 2: For this Part, a person will sign on to a ship in Australia after: (a) travelling to Australia on another visa in order to join a ship as a member of the crew; or (b) joining the ship in Australia after signing off another ship in Australia; or (c) joining another ship after the ship on which the person travelled to Australia is imported under section 49A or 71A of the Customs Act 1901. 988.2—Primary criteria Note: A member of the family unit of a member of the crew of a non-military ship, or of a prospective member of the crew of a non-military ship, need satisfy only the secondary criteria. 988.21—Criteria to be satisfied at time of application 988.211 The applicant is: (a) a member of the crew of a non-military ship; or (b) a person: (i) who has received an offer from the master, owner, agent, charterer or operator of a non-military ship to become a member of the crew of the ship; and (ii) in relation to whom the offer is current; and (iii) who would be a member of the crew of the non-military ship if the person signs on to the ship. 988.22—Criteria to be satisfied at time of decision 988.221 The applicant is: (a) a member of the crew of a non-military ship; or (b) a person: (i) who has received an offer from the master, owner, agent, charterer or operator of a non-military ship to become a member of the crew of the ship; and (ii) in relation to whom the offer is current; and (iii) who would be a member of the crew of the non-military ship if the person signs on to the ship. 988.222 The applicant satisfies public interest criteria 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4013, 4014, 4020 and 4021. 988.223 The applicant satisfies special return criteria 5001 and 5002. 988.224 The Minister is satisfied that the applicant’s expressed intention to enter and remain in Australia for the purpose of being a member of the crew of a non-military ship is genuine. 988.3—Secondary criteria Note: These criteria must be satisfied by a member of the family unit of a member of the crew of a non-military ship, or of a prospective member of the crew of a non-military ship. 988.31—[No criteria to be satisfied at time of application] 988.32—Criteria to be satisfied at time of decision 988.321 The applicant is a member of the family unit of a person who is the holder of a Subclass 988 visa on the basis of having satisfied the primary criteria for the grant of the visa. 988.322 The applicant satisfies public interest criteria 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4013, 4014, 4020 and 4021. 988.323 The applicant satisfies special return criteria 5001 and 5002. 988.4—Circumstances applicable to grant 988.411 The applicant may be in or outside Australia when the visa is granted. 988.5—When visa is in effect 988.511 Temporary visa coming into effect on grant. 988.512 The visa ceases to be in effect: (a) on the occurrence of the earliest of the circumstances mentioned in an item in the following table; and (b) at the time mentioned in the item: Item Circumstances Time at which the visa ceases to have effect 1 Both of the following apply: The end of the day or period (a) the holder has entered Australia otherwise than as: worked out under (i) a member of the crew serving on a non-military ship; paragraph (b) in column 2 or (ii) a member of the family unit of a member of the crew serving on a non-military ship; (b) the holder has not signed on to a non-military ship as a member of the crew, or as a member of the family unit of a member of the crew, before the latest of: (i) 5 days after the day on which the holder last entered Australia; and (ii) if the holder last entered Australia for health or safety reasons that required the holder to enter Australia—30 days after the day on which the holder last entered Australia; and (iii) if the holder holds another visa that is in effect—the day on which that other visa ceases 2 Each of the following applies: The end of the day or the (a) the holder has entered Australia; longest period worked out (b) the non-military ship in relation to which the holder is: under paragraph (c) or (d) in (i) a member of the crew; or column 2 (ii) a member of the family unit of a member of the crew; has been imported under section 49A of the Customs Act 1901 or entered for home consumption under section 71A of that Act but is not registered in the Australian International Shipping Register; (c) the holder has not signed on to another non-military ship as a member of the crew, or as a member of the family unit of a member of the crew before the end of the longer of the following periods that applies to the person: Item Circumstances Time at which the visa ceases to have effect (i) 5 days after the day on which the non-military ship was imported or entered for home consumption; (ii) if an authorised officer decides, within those 5 days, to allow the person a longer period of up to 30 days after the day on which the non-military ship was imported or entered for home consumption—that longer period (d) the person has not departed Australia before the end of the longest of the following periods that applies to the person: (i) 5 days after the day on which the non-military ship was imported or entered for home consumption; (ii) if an authorised officer decides, within those 5 days, to allow the person a longer period of up to 30 days after the day on which the non-military ship was imported or entered for home consumption—that longer period; (iii) if the holder holds another visa that is in effect—the day on which that other visa ceases 2A Each of the following applies: The end of the day or the (a) the holder has entered Australia; longest period worked out (b) the non-military ship in relation to which the holder is: under paragraph (e) or (f) in (i) a member of the crew; or column 2 (ii) a member of the family unit of a member of the crew; has been imported under section 49A of the Customs Act 1901 or entered for home consumption under section 71A of that Act; (c) the non-military ship was registered in the Australian International Shipping Register when the ship was imported or entered for home consumption; (d) the non-military ship ceases to be registered in that Register; (e) the holder has not signed on to another non-military ship as a member of the crew, or as a member of the family unit of a member of the crew, before the end of the longer of the following periods that applies to the person: (i) 5 days after the day on which the non-military ship ceases to be registered in the Australian International Shipping Register; (ii) if an authorised officer decides, within those 5 days, to allow the person a longer period of up to 30 days after the day on which the non-military ship ceases to be registered in that Register—that longer period; (f) the person has not departed Australia before the end of the longest of the following periods that applies to the person: (i) 5 days after the day on which the non-military ship ceases to be registered in the Australian International Shipping Register; Item Circumstances Time at which the visa ceases to have effect (ii) if an authorised officer decides, within those 5 days, to allow the person a longer period of up to 30 days after the day on which the non-military ship ceases to be registered in that Register—that longer period; (iii) if the holder holds another visa that is in effect—the day on which that other visa ceases 3 Each of the following applies: The end of the day or the (a) the holder has entered Australia; longest period worked out (b) the holder has signed off a non-military ship as: under paragraph (c) or (d) in (i) a member of the crew of the non-military ship; or column 2 (ii) a member of the family unit of a member of the crew of a non-military ship; (c) the holder has not signed on to another non-military ship as a member of the crew or a member of the family unit of a member of the crew before the end of the longer of the following periods that applies to the person: (i) 5 days after the day on which the holder signed off the last ship; (ii) if an authorised officer decides, within those 5 days, to allow the person a longer period of up to 30 days after the day on which the holder last entered Australia—that longer period; (d) the holder has not departed Australia before the end of the longest of the following periods that applies to the person: (i) 5 days after the day on which the holder signed off the last ship; (ii) if an authorised officer decides, within those 5 days, to allow the person a longer period of up to 30 days after the day on which the holder last entered Australia—that longer period; (iii) if the holder holds another visa that is in effect—the day on which that other visa ceases 4 The end of a continuous period of 3 years starting when the At the end of the period of 3 visa is granted years 5 Both of the following apply: The end of the day on (a) the holder is a person who satisfied the secondary criteria which the maritime crew for the grant of the visa; visa granted to the holder (b) the maritime crew visa granted to the person who satisfied who satisfied the primary the primary criteria for the grant of the visa ceases to be in criteria ceases to be in effect effect 6 Both of the following apply: At the end of the day on (a) the holder also holds another visa; which the other visa is (b) the other visa is cancelled otherwise than under section 501, cancelled 501A or 501B of the Act 988.6—Conditions 988.611 For an applicant who satisfies the primary criteria, condition 8113. 988.612 For an applicant who satisfies the secondary criteria, condition 8101.