482 Sponsorship Visa
Imagine Marcus, who runs a mid sized engineering firm in Brisbane. After eight months of searching, he finds a skilled draftsperson overseas who is perfect for the job. He tells her to apply for a 482 visa and assumes the paperwork is hers to handle. Three weeks later he learns that nothing can move until his business is an approved sponsor, he has nominated the position, and he has proved he tried to hire locally first. His salary offer also turns out to sit below what Australians doing the same job are paid.
Marcus is fictional, but the story is common. The 482 sponsorship visa is not a worker application with an employer signature on the side. It is a three part process in which the employer carries most of the weight. This guide walks through the employer side step by step: becoming an approved sponsor, nominating the role, labour market testing, the salary tests, the costs you cannot pass on, and the duties that continue after the visa is granted.
If you want a broad overview of all three parts of sponsorship, including the worker’s visa requirements, see our Subclass 482 visa page. This article stays with the employer’s job.
The Three Stages of a 482 Sponsorship Visa
Every 482 case runs through three linked stages, and each one is a separate application with its own fee and decision.
- Sponsorship approval. The business applies to become a Standard Business Sponsor.
- Nomination. The sponsor nominates a specific position, occupation and salary.
- Visa application. The worker applies for the visa, linked to the approved nomination.
An important quirk is the order. You must be an approved sponsor before a nomination can be approved, and the nomination must be approved before the worker’s visa can be granted. You can often lodge some stages close together, but they are still decided as separate steps, and a problem in one holds up the rest.
Official guidance on becoming a sponsor is published on the Home Affairs Standard Business Sponsor page.
Stage One: Becoming a Standard Business Sponsor
Before you can nominate anyone, Home Affairs needs to be satisfied that your business is a genuine, operating employer that can meet sponsor duties.
Who can apply
Most Australian businesses can apply, whether they are companies, sole traders, partnerships or trusts. An overseas business can also apply in particular circumstances, such as when it plans to operate in Australia. The business should be lawfully operating, with the ability to pay the salary it promises.
What you should show
Typically an application is supported by evidence such as:
- Business registration details, including your ABN
- Financial documents showing the business can support the position
- A summary of your operations, your staffing and your reasons for needing a skilled worker
- Evidence of any past compliance issues, since an adverse history can count against you
You do not need to prove the details of a specific worker at this stage. The sponsorship covers the business, not the person.
What it costs and how long it lasts
The sponsorship application fee is $420 at the latest schedule we reviewed. Once approved, sponsorship usually remains valid for five years and can be used for multiple workers, so you only pay it once during that period. The worker cannot reimburse you for this fee.
Processing for sponsorship approval can range from a couple of weeks to a few months, depending on how complete your application is and how busy the department is.
Stage Two: Nominating the Position
Nomination is where most employer problems arise. You are not just saying “I want to hire this person”. You are formally nominating a specific occupation, a specific position, and a salary that meets a set of tests.
What a nomination includes
- The nominated occupation and a description of the duties
- The annual salary and the employment conditions
- Information about your business and why the role is needed
- Evidence of labour market testing, where it applies
- Your confirmation that the position is genuine
Approval is tied to the sponsor, the occupation and the position. If anything fundamental changes later, such as a different occupation or a different employer, a new nomination is normally required.
The genuine position test
Home Affairs wants to see that the role truly exists and that your business actually needs it. A position invented to fit a particular worker, or one that would not exist without the visa, is a red flag. Your business plan, organisation chart and job description should tell a believable story.
The nomination fee
The nomination fee is $330 per nomination at the latest schedule we reviewed. You pay it each time you nominate a position, so a business hiring three workers pays it three times.
The Salary Tests You Cannot Ignore
This is the point where Marcus came unstuck, so it deserves its own section. Every 482 salary must clear two separate hurdles.
1. The income threshold. The threshold depends on the stream:
| Stream | Income threshold (plus superannuation) |
|---|---|
| Core Skills | $79,423 (Core Skills Income Threshold, indexed each year) |
| Specialist Skills | $146,576 (Specialist Skills Income Threshold) |
2. The Annual Market Salary Rate. If Australians doing the same job in the same location are paid more than the threshold, you must pay the market rate. In other words, the legal minimum is the higher of the threshold and the genuine market rate.
A nomination that fails either test is likely to be refused. Do not guess the market rate. Look at your own pay scales, comparable roles and published salary data, and keep that evidence on file.
The Labour Agreement stream follows its own agreement terms rather than these figures.
Labour Market Testing: Proving You Looked Locally First
For most Core Skills nominations, you must show you made a genuine attempt to find an Australian worker before turning overseas. This is called labour market testing, or LMT.
The rules are strict and administrative. Based on current published guidance, the main points are:
- You generally need to run at least two advertisements.
- Each advertisement should accept applications for at least 28 days.
- The advertising must be finished within the four calendar months before you lodge the nomination.
- Ads must appear in acceptable places such as national recruitment websites, national print media, industry job boards or LinkedIn job postings. Social media posts alone and general classified sites are not enough.
- The ad should be in English and include the job title or description, required skills or experience, and your business name or your recruiter’s name. Where the salary is below a set figure, it should be stated.
- You must keep full copies of the ads and lodge them with the nomination.
There are some exemptions, most often through international trade agreements or for particular senior or specialist positions, and certain roles at very high salaries. An exemption is a technical point and depends on the worker’s nationality, the job and the arrangement, so confirm it with an agent rather than assuming it applies.
Also keep a record of why any Australian applicants were not suitable. If you made a local worker redundant in the same occupation within the past four months, your advertising has to follow that redundancy and your nomination must explain it.
LMT rules change, so check the current requirements on the Home Affairs website before you advertise. An advertisement run in the wrong place or for too short a time can cost you weeks.
Stage Three: The Worker’s Visa Application
Once the nomination is approved, or lodged alongside it, the worker applies for the visa. For the employer, the main points are:
- The visa application charge starts from $4,015 for the primary applicant, and either the employer or the employee may pay it.
- Adult family members pay $4,015 each and children under 18 pay $1,005 each. Family members who join later apply separately as subsequent entrants.
- The worker needs to meet the skills, English, health and character requirements for their stream.
The worker’s side deserves its own guide, but remember that your nomination is only as good as the person attached to it. Check experience and qualifications against the occupation before you commit.
What 482 Sponsorship Costs the Employer
The employer cost of a sponsored hire is easy to underestimate. Here are the items that fall on the business.
| Cost | Amount (AUD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsorship application | $420 | One off, usually valid for five years |
| Nomination fee | $330 | Each nomination |
| Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, turnover under $10 million | $1,200 per year of visa | Paid by the employer |
| SAF levy, turnover $10 million or more | $1,800 per year of visa | Paid by the employer |
The SAF levy is calculated on the number of years of visa requested, and it is illegal to recover it from the worker. The sponsorship fee also cannot be passed on.
A worked example
Suppose a small business with turnover under $10 million nominates a worker for a four year visa.
- Sponsorship approval: $420
- Nomination: $330
- SAF levy: 4 × $1,200 = $4,800
- Employer total: $5,550
A large business nominating the same worker for four years would pay $420 + $330 + (4 × $1,800), which is $7,950.
The visa application charge of $4,015 or more is separate and can be paid by either party, so the total outlay is higher still. On top of that, budget for migration agent fees, skills assessments, advertising, relocation and any travel obligations that arise at the end of employment.
For a two year visa the SAF levy halves, which is why the requested visa length affects your cost.
Sponsor Obligations: What Continues After the Visa Is Granted
Sponsoring a worker is not a one off transaction. Approved sponsors take on duties that stay in force during the sponsorship and, in some cases, afterwards. In summary:
- Employ the worker only in the nominated position, and make sure the duties match.
- Pay at least the market rate and the threshold, and provide conditions no less favourable than those of an equivalent Australian worker.
- Do not recruit in a discriminatory way.
- Keep accurate records and give them to an inspector on request.
- Pay sponsorship costs yourself. That includes reasonable and necessary travel costs for the worker and sponsored family members to leave Australia in the circumstances the rules cover.
- Cooperate with inspectors. Compliance is monitored during the sponsorship and can be examined for years afterwards.
The 28 day notification rule
Sponsors must tell Home Affairs within 28 days of certain events, including:
- The worker’s employment ends, or is expected to end, or the expected end date changes
- The worker’s duties change significantly
- The sponsor pays return travel costs for the worker or a family member
- The sponsor becomes insolvent
A missed notification is an easy mistake to make and one that inspectors look for.
What non compliance can cost
Penalties can include a bar on sponsoring other workers, refusal of future sponsorship requests, cancellation of existing approvals and financial penalties. For a business that depends on overseas staff, a compliance problem can be more expensive than the original fees.
Realistic Timeframes for Employers
Timing depends on the stream, your preparation and the department’s workload. As a general guide, based on published agency summaries:
- Sponsorship approval: roughly two weeks to several months
- Specialist Skills nominations: from a few days to around two months
- Core Skills nominations: commonly one to four months, sometimes longer
- Labour Agreement cases: several months
These are not guarantees. Home Affairs publishes its own processing information, and it shifts. Plan for a recruitment timeline with room to spare, and do not promise a start date to your new hire until the visa is granted.
Common Employer Mistakes With the 482 Sponsorship Visa
- Offering a salary below the market rate. The threshold is a floor, not the target.
- Running weak advertising. Wrong platforms, too few days or ads outside the four month window all create problems.
- Nominating a role that looks tailored to one person. The position must be genuine.
- Thinking sponsorship ends at approval. Obligations continue.
- Trying to recover the SAF levy or sponsorship fee from the worker. This is not allowed.
- Missing the 28 day notification.
- Changing duties without updating the nomination.
- Starting the worker too soon. A worker should not begin until they hold the right visa or right to work.
- Using outdated fee tables. Fees update each year on 1 July.
- Leaving family members off the plan. A partner or child who joins later needs a separate application.
When the Worker Wants to Stay Permanently
Some employers want to keep a good worker long term. The 482 can lead to employer sponsored permanent residence through the Subclass 186 visa, subject to the requirements that apply at the time. For regional employers, the Subclass 494 visa is another employer sponsored route with its own rules. Raise your long term intentions early, because they affect which pathway makes sense and how you write the nomination.
Should You Use a Migration Agent for Sponsorship?
A simple case with a clear occupation, a straightforward salary and a strong employer record can be manageable for a well organised business. But sponsorship errors are expensive. A refused nomination does not return the fee, the advertising window may close before you can try again, and compliance problems follow the business, not just the application.
A registered migration agent can check the occupation, test the salary, review your advertising, prepare the nomination and set up your compliance habits. We are a registered migration agency, MARN 2518961, and we work with employers across Australia.
Quick Answer
A 482 sponsorship visa needs three things from the employer: approval as a Standard Business Sponsor, approval of a nomination for the specific position, and a salary that meets both the income threshold and the market rate. Most employers must also complete labour market testing. At the latest schedule we reviewed, the employer pays $420 for sponsorship, $330 per nomination and a Skilling Australians Fund levy of $1,200 or $1,800 per year of visa, depending on turnover. Sponsors then keep records, notify Home Affairs within 28 days of key changes and cover required costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a 482 sponsorship visa? It is the employer sponsored Skills in Demand visa, where an approved business sponsors an overseas worker for a specific position. The employer and the worker each lodge applications that are linked.
2. Can a worker apply for a 482 without an employer? No. The 482 requires an approved sponsor and an approved nomination before the visa can be granted.
3. Who can become a Standard Business Sponsor? Most lawfully operating Australian businesses can apply, if they can show they are genuine, can pay the salary and have a sound compliance history.
4. How much does it cost an employer to sponsor a 482 worker? At the latest schedule we reviewed, $420 for sponsorship, $330 for each nomination and a SAF levy of $1,200 or $1,800 per year of visa. The visa application charge of $4,015 or more is separate.
5. Can the worker pay the sponsorship fee or the SAF levy? No. These are employer costs and cannot be recovered from the visa holder.
6. What salary must I offer? At least the relevant income threshold and the Annual Market Salary Rate, whichever is higher. The Core Skills threshold is $79,423 and the Specialist Skills threshold is $146,576, plus superannuation.
7. What is labour market testing? It is the requirement to show you genuinely tried to hire an Australian worker first, normally through at least two advertisements running for at least 28 days within the four months before nomination.
8. Are there exemptions from labour market testing? Yes, in limited cases such as certain trade agreement categories or specific senior roles. Whether one applies depends on your facts, so confirm before skipping advertising.
9. How long does sponsorship approval last? Sponsorship is usually valid for five years and can cover multiple workers.
10. What must I tell Home Affairs after the worker starts? Within 28 days, notify key events such as the end of employment, a significant change in duties, payment of return travel costs or insolvency.
11. How long does the process take? It varies by stream and complexity. Specialist Skills cases can move within weeks, Core Skills cases often take a few months, and Labour Agreement cases usually take longer.
12. Can the worker change employers? Generally yes, but a new sponsor must nominate the worker. Visa holders usually have a limited period to find a new sponsor, so seek advice before any change.
13. What happens if my business does not comply? Penalties can include restrictions on future sponsorship, cancellation of approvals and financial penalties.
14. Can a 482 worker become a permanent resident? Often yes, through employer sponsored pathways such as the Subclass 186, subject to the rules in force at the time.
Key Takeaways
- The 482 sponsorship visa is employer led. Approval, nomination and visa are three separate stages.
- Salary must clear both the income threshold and the market rate.
- Most nominations require well documented labour market testing within the right window.
- Employers pay sponsorship, nomination and SAF levy costs, and cannot recover them from the worker.
- Obligations continue after the visa is granted, including the 28 day notification rule.
- Requested visa length changes the SAF levy cost.
- Check fees, thresholds and testing rules against official sources before every nomination.
Conclusion
Sponsoring a worker on a 482 visa can be a smart way to fill a skills gap, but only for employers who treat it as a process with rules rather than a favour for a new hire. Prepare the salary evidence, run the advertising properly, budget for the full cost and set up the habits that keep you compliant. A clean first nomination also makes later sponsorship quicker and easier.
If you are planning to sponsor, we can review your position, check the numbers and prepare the nomination so you are not learning the rules through a refusal.
Next Step
Book a consultation with Migration Republic (MARN 2518961), or contact us to talk through your sponsorship plans.
