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Safe haven enterprise visa 790

Onshore Protection - Subclass 790

Safe Haven Enterprise Visa 790 (SHEV): five years, with a regional pathway - and now a permanent option.

The subclass 790 Safe Haven Enterprise Visa is similar to the TPV but lasts five years rather than three. It also includes a pathway to mainstream visas through 42 months of regional work or study. Like the TPV, most SHEV holders who arrived before 14 February 2023 are now eligible for the permanent Resolution of Status visa (851).

5-year temporary visaRegional work/study pathwayUnauthorised arrivalsMost holders eligible for 851 permanent pathway
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What the SHEV Is

A five-year protection visa with a regional work and study focus.

The Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (subclass 790) was designed for people in the same cohort as the TPV - the legacy caseload of people who arrived in Australia without authorisation and were found to engage protection obligations. The SHEV differs from the TPV primarily in duration (five years instead of three) and in its design to encourage enterprise through regional work and study.

The SHEV included a pathway: after 42 months of living, working and studying in a designated regional area, a SHEV holder could apply for certain mainstream visas. This was intended to incentivise settlement in regional Australia. In practice, the pathway was limited because it led to employer-sponsored or skills visas rather than a direct protection pathway - the underlying protection needs still needed to be addressed separately.

The 851 changes everything for most SHEV holders. Since February 2023, SHEV holders who arrived before 14 February 2023 are eligible for the permanent Resolution of Status (RoS) visa (subclass 851). This is a direct, permanent pathway - far simpler and more secure than the old regional pathway. If you hold a SHEV, your most important next step is checking your 851 eligibility.

SHEV vs TPV

How they compare.

TPV - Subclass 785
Temporary Protection Visa

3-year temporary protection. No regional requirement. Most holders eligible for 851. Cannot travel overseas. Cannot sponsor family.

SHEV - Subclass 790
Safe Haven Enterprise Visa

5-year temporary protection. Regional work/study pathway after 42 months. Most holders eligible for 851. Same family and travel restrictions as TPV.

For most purposes, the distinction between TPV and SHEV has become less critical since the 851 pathway opened. Both cohorts (TPV and SHEV holders who arrived before 14 February 2023) are eligible for permanent residence through the 851.

Three statuses at a glance. The Subclass 785 Temporary Protection visa runs three years with no regional requirement. The Subclass 790 Safe Haven Enterprise visa runs five years and built in a 42-month regional work or study pathway. The Subclass 851 Resolution of Status visa is permanent - and if you arrived before 14 February 2023, it may be available to you regardless of which temporary visa you currently hold. The temporary visas share the same family and travel restrictions; the 851, if granted, removes them. We can confirm which of these applies to your circumstances in writing before you commit to anything.

Common Questions

SHEV questions answered.

If you arrived before 14 February 2023, you are very likely eligible for the 851 Resolution of Status visa. Your pending SHEV renewal may have been automatically converted to an 851 application. Check your ImmiAccount status and contact us if you are not sure - an expired SHEV without a bridging visa means you are unlawful, and that needs to be addressed immediately.
The 851 is a much more direct and secure pathway to permanent residence than the regional pathway. For most SHEV holders, pursuing the 851 is the better option. The regional pathway led to a separate mainstream visa application that had its own requirements - the 851 has no such additional hurdles once eligibility is established.
The regional work and study you have done still counts toward your integration in Australia and may be relevant to future applications. However, for the purpose of the 851, the assessment does not require regional time - it is based on your arrival date and existing TPV/SHEV status.
If you have a valid 851 application on foot before your SHEV expires, you would generally be granted a bridging visa that keeps you lawful while the 851 is decided, so your status need not lapse. The risk is letting the SHEV expire without anything in train - that can leave you unlawful and is exactly what you want to avoid. The safest step is to act before expiry rather than after. We can review your bridging visa eligibility and activation so there is no gap in your status, depending on your circumstances.
No. As a temporary protection cohort visa, the SHEV does not allow you to sponsor family members to join you in Australia, in the same way the TPV does not. This is one of the most significant practical differences that a permanent visa changes - if you move to the Subclass 851 Resolution of Status visa and it is granted, the family sponsorship and travel restrictions that apply to the SHEV no longer apply. Family reunion options can be complex, so we would talk through what may be open to you once your status is settled.
Travel on a SHEV is heavily restricted. As a protection visa, it is not designed for overseas travel, and returning to the country you sought protection from can raise serious questions about your ongoing protection claim and may affect your status and any 851 eligibility. You should never travel - especially to your home country - without getting advice first, because the consequences can be difficult to reverse. If travel matters to you, this is another reason the permanent 851, if available and granted, is worth understanding before you make any plans.
Government application charges and processing times can change, so we confirm the current charge against the Department of Home Affairs schedule at the time you apply rather than quoting a figure that may have shifted. Our own professional fees depend on your circumstances and we quote them in writing before any work begins - see fees and how we quote. Processing times for the 851 are not fixed and vary case by case, so we would give you a realistic, conditional estimate for your situation rather than a promise.
Related Help

Where to from here.

Your permanent pathwayResolution of Status 851Pre-Feb 2023 arrivals - this is your path to permanent residence. Similar visaTPV 785The TPV is 3 years - same cohort, same 851 pathway now available. Lawful arrivalsProtection Visa 866If you arrived lawfully, the 866 permanent protection visa applies.

Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)

Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.

Need to check your 851 eligibility?

Most SHEV holders who arrived before February 2023 have a permanent pathway available now. We can clarify your position and help you make the transition.

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Safe Haven Enterprise 790 SHEV - check your 851 path
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