Yes. There is no rule limiting sponsorship to large corporations. As long as your business is legally established, operating, and can financially support a genuine position at the market salary rate, you can become an approved sponsor.

Absolutely. Sponsoring an existing employee currently on a Student, Graduate, Working Holiday, or other temporary visa is one of the most common and successful ways to retain proven talent.

Yes. Eligible Australian employers can sponsor suitably skilled workers who are currently overseas.

Yes. For standard 482 and 494 sponsorships, the business will generally need to become an approved Standard Business Sponsor. Once approved, this is generally valid for five years.

Depending on the case, this may include: ABN/ASIC information, financial statements, BAS, payroll information, organisation chart, employment contract, position description, recruitment and salary evidence, and proof of why the position is required. We provide a tailored checklist after assessing your business.

Yes, for most employer-sponsored visas. This is called Labour Market Testing (LMT). The government requires strict evidence that you tried to hire an Australian first. You must speak to us before you place ads, as incorrect advertising will invalidate your application.

There is no single salary that applies to every position. For relevant nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the baseline threshold is $79,423. However, you must pay the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) if the going market rate for the role is higher than the threshold.

The AMSR helps establish what an Australian worker would ordinarily be paid for equivalent work in the same location. Evidence may include salaries of comparable Australian employees, Awards or enterprise agreements, salary surveys, and comparable job advertisements.

Meeting the government minimum is only half the equation. One of the most common and costly mistakes employers make is assuming they just need to pay above the baseline threshold.

For nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT/TSMIT) is $79,423 per annum. However, your proposed salary must also satisfy the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR). If the going market rate for an Australian citizen or permanent resident performing equivalent work in your exact location is $95,000, you must pay your sponsored worker at least $95,000.

We help you gather the right data, review enterprise agreements, and benchmark against industry standards to prove the correct market rate to the Department and prevent application refusals.

Costs can include the Standard Business Sponsorship application charge, nomination charge, Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, visa application charges, medicals, police checks, skills assessments, and professional fees. We provide a written fee proposal before commencing.

By law, the employer must pay the costs associated with becoming a sponsor, the nomination fees, and the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy. These costs cannot be passed onto the employee. We will map out exactly who pays for what and provide a clear fee quote.

It depends on the visa, occupation, and individual circumstances. A skills assessment is not required for every 482 application, but for the 186 Direct Entry stream, a positive skills assessment is generally required unless an exemption applies.

Processing times vary depending on the visa, occupation, business/employee circumstances, and Department processing priorities. We recommend preparing documentation as early as possible, especially if an employee’s current visa is expiring.

Yes. Many eligible 482 visa holders later transition to permanent residence through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme. We often build this PR pathway into the original 482 sponsorship plan.

• 482: A temporary employer-sponsored visa available Australia-wide.
• 186: Grants permanent residence and is available Australia-wide.
• 494: A 5-year provisional visa (with a PR pathway) specifically designed for skilled positions in designated regional areas of Australia.

Approved sponsors must pay the sponsored employee appropriately, maintain approved employment arrangements, keep certain records, notify the Department of specified changes, cooperate with monitoring, and comply with Australian workplace laws.

Occupation selection is critical. Home Affairs looks beyond the job title and considers the employee’s actual daily duties and responsibilities. We carefully assess the position against the applicable occupation requirements to prevent refusals.

A DAMA is a special labour agreement between the Australian Government and specific regional areas. It is not a standalone visa; rather, it is a framework that provides unique concessions under standard employer-sponsored visas (such as the 482 or 494 pathways). DAMAs allow approved regional employers to sponsor overseas workers for a broader range of occupations, often including those in hospitality, healthcare, meat processing, agriculture, construction, and regional trades.

For regional employers struggling to fill roles, DAMAs unlock sponsorship options that are otherwise unavailable. A DAMA is highly strategic and typically used when:

• The occupation is not on the standard skilled occupation list.
• The role does not meet the standard Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT/TSMIT) requirements.
• The employer operates in a designated DAMA region with persistent workforce shortages.
• The sponsored employee is aged 45 or over.

By using a DAMA, employers can access negotiated concessions on occupation eligibility, English language requirements, salary thresholds, and age limits for permanent residency pathways.