Employer Sponsored Visa Australia
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If you’re a skilled worker with a job offer from an Australian employer, or a business trying to fill a role with someone from overseas, an employer sponsored visa may be the right path. It’s one of the more involved processes in the Australian system, with obligations on both the employer and the worker that have to be managed carefully the whole way through. This page explains the main subclasses (482, 186 and 494), what each costs, and how the sponsorship, nomination and visa fit together.
Our registered employer sponsored visa agents in Melbourne work with both employers and workers at every stage. We handle the three pieces of the process, the sponsorship, the nomination and the visa application, and make sure each one is prepared properly and lodged without unnecessary delays.
Which Employer Sponsored Visa Applies to You?
There are a few employer sponsored visas, and the right one depends on whether the role is temporary or permanent, whether it’s in a regional area, and the worker’s occupation and salary. The three main subclasses are the Skills in Demand visa (482), the Employer Nomination Scheme (186) and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (494).
Employer Sponsored Visa Subclasses
Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) replaced the old Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa on 7 December 2024. It lets approved Australian employers sponsor skilled overseas workers for roles they can’t fill locally. It’s temporary, granted for up to four years, but it gives workers a direct route to permanent residency once they meet the conditions over time. Under the new rules the work experience requirement dropped to one year, and workers now have up to 180 days to find a new sponsor if their job ends. We help both employers and workers through the Skills in Demand process, from confirming eligibility and picking the right stream to running the full sponsorship, nomination and visa application. The 482 has three streams.
Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (Subclass 494)
The subclass 494 is a provisional visa that lets businesses in regional Australia sponsor skilled overseas workers for roles they can’t fill locally. It’s valid for five years, and the holder has to live and work in a designated regional area. After three years, eligible holders may apply for the subclass 191 permanent visa. Applicants need to be under 45 at the time of application, have competent English, and have at least three years of relevant work experience.
Key Eligibility Requirements
The requirements vary by subclass and stream, but the core ones for the worker are these.
- Sponsored by an approved Australian employer for a genuine skilled position.
- At least one year of relevant work experience at a skilled level, gained in the last five years (three years for the 494).
- An occupation and salary that meet the requirements of the relevant stream.
- Competent English as a minimum, generally IELTS 5.0 in each component. Some occupations and streams need higher, and high earners may be exempt.
- Under 45 years of age for the permanent and regional pathways.
- Meet the health and character requirements.
The Three Part Process
The employer sponsored process has three separate applications: the sponsorship for the employer, the nomination for the specific role, and the visa for the worker. All three have to be correct and consistent with each other, because any mismatch can cause delays or a refusal. Before an employer can sponsor, it has to be an approved sponsor and, for most nominations, complete abour Market Testing, which means genuinely advertising the role to show a suitable Australian worker couldn’t be found.
Employer Sponsored Visa Costs
Employer sponsored visas carry costs on both sides.
For the worker, the main charge on the Skills in Demand Core Skills stream is around AUD 3,210 for the primary applicant, with charges for family members on top, plus your English test, skills assessment, health checks and police clearances. The permanent 186 and regional 494 charges are higher, around AUD 6,140 for the primary applicant after the 1 July 2026 increase.
For the employer, there’s a sponsorship application fee and a nomination fee, plus the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, which is AUD 1,200 a year per worker for a business with turnover under AUD 10 million, or AUD 1,800 a year for larger businesses. It’s unlawful to pass the SAF levy on to the worker. Fees are indexed and change over time, so check the current figures on the official Visa Pricing Estimator, and you can see how we charge for our own work on our fees page.
Pathway to Permanent Residency
After working for the sponsoring employer for at least two years on a valid Skills in Demand visa, a worker may be able to apply for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) through the Temporary Residence Transition stream, which leads to permanent residency. Under the new rules, that two years can now be accumulated across more than one sponsor, and time on the 482 counts towards it. For regional 494 holders, the pathway runs through the subclass 191 after three years in the region.
Obligations for Employers and Workers
Employer sponsored visas carry ongoing obligations for both sides that last for the life of the visa. Employers have to pay the worker at least the market salary rate, keep up their sponsorship obligations, keep the required records, and tell the Department about any change in the worker’s employment. They can’t pass sponsorship costs on to the worker. The ATO and the Department now run quarterly payroll data matching, so a salary or occupation that doesn’t match the nomination gets flagged automatically.
Workers have to stay in the occupation nominated in their application and with the sponsoring employer, though the new 180-day portability period gives more room to change jobs than the old rules did. Switching employers or occupations usually means a new nomination. These obligations matter from day one, so we make sure both the employer and the worker know exactly what’s required before anything starts.
Our Employer Sponsored Visa Service
We run the whole thing for our clients. For employers, we prepare and lodge the sponsorship and nomination, advise on labour market testing, and make sure the salary and position details meet the Department’s requirements. For workers, we prepare the visa application, gather the documents, and deal with the Department through the processing period.
We also map out the permanent residency pathway through the subclass 186, including the timing and what you need to maintain on your temporary visa to qualify. If you’re weighing employer sponsorship against a points-tested option, our skilled migration page covers the independent and state-nominated visas. When you’re ready, book a free consultation and we’ll work out the best fit for your situation.
Employer Sponsored Visa FAQs
The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa on 7 December 2024. It kept the subclass 482 number but restructured the streams, salary thresholds and occupation lists, and it reduced the work experience requirement from two years to one.
The main route is the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) through the Temporary Residence Transition stream. After two years of full-time work with your sponsor on a 482, and if you’re under 45, your employer can nominate you for permanent residency. For regional 494 holders, the pathway is the subclass 191 after three years in the region.
The Skilling Australians Fund levy is a charge the sponsoring employer pays, AUD 1,200 a year per worker for a business with turnover under AUD 10 million, or AUD 1,800 a year for larger businesses. It’s the employer’s cost by law and can’t be passed on to the worker.
At least the income threshold for the stream, which is around AUD 79,500 for Core Skills or around AUD 146,000 for Specialist Skills from 1 July 2026, and at least the market rate an equivalent Australian worker would earn for the same role. Whichever is higher applies.
Yes, but your new employer has to become an approved sponsor and lodge a new nomination for your role. Under the Skills in Demand rules you have up to 180 days to find a new sponsor if your job ends, with work rights during that time, which is far more than the old 60-day window.
For the Core Skills stream, yes, you need a positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation. The Specialist Skills stream generally doesn’t require one, since it’s based on a high salary rather than an occupation list.
The Skills in Demand visa is granted for up to four years, or five years for Hong Kong passport holders. Time on it counts towards the two years you need for the permanent 186, so it works as a stepping stone rather than a dead end.
