Sponsoring a worker
Can't fill a role locally? We handle sponsorship, job advertising, nomination and the visa — and help you stay compliant afterwards.
- Category
- Employer
- Covers
- Sponsorship, advertising, nomination and compliance
- Sponsorship
- A$420, valid 5 years
- Training levy (482)
- A$1,200 a year (turnover under A$10m) or A$1,800 a year
- Our fee
- From A$5,500
Start here
Do this
- Check the salary against the threshold and market rate
- Keep recruitment records from the start
- Prepare a clear position description
- Plan the worker's path to PR with them
Avoid this
- Recovering any sponsorship cost from the worker
- Advertising in ways that don't meet the rules
- Setting pay below the market rate
- Forgetting to report changes within 28 days
What a wrong turn can cost: A refused nomination or a compliance breach can cost you fees, time, and your ability to sponsor again.
Are you on the right track?
- Is the salary at least A$79,423 and the market rate?
- Can you show you tried to recruit locally?
- Do you know your obligations after approval?
Unsure about any of these? Talk it through on a free call — you're not alone in this.
Is this you?
- You run a business in hospitality, construction, aged care, health, IT, trades or agriculture.
- You employ an international graduate you don't want to lose.
- You're worried about cost, paperwork and getting it wrong.
What changed
1 Jul 2026 Salary floors rose to A$79,423 (Core Skills) and A$146,576 (Specialist Skills).
19 Sep 2026 Construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture and resources are processed first.
Who qualifies
- A lawfully operating business with a genuine need for the role.
- Pay at least the market rate and the salary threshold.
- Advertise the role (usually for at least 4 weeks) unless an exemption applies.
- Sponsorship, nomination and levy costs can't be passed on to the worker.
Step by step
- Free 15-minute callRoles, salary, location and timing.
- Business checkWhether you can sponsor, and which visa fits.
- AdvertisingWe write and schedule compliant ads.
- Sponsorship and nominationPrepared, checked and lodged.
- Ongoing complianceReminders, plus a nudge when your worker becomes eligible for PR.
Document checklist
Your ticks are saved on this device only.
Common problems
Myths and facts
How we help you with Sponsoring a worker
- 1UnderstandA free call about the role and timing.
- 2PlanA written plan: visa options, costs and timeline.
- 3PrepareAds, documents and the business case prepared for you.
- 4LodgeSponsorship, nomination and visa lodged and followed up.
- 5DestinationA compliance calendar and a PR reminder for your worker.
What you'll receive
How we keep in touch: One point of contact for the business, with weekly updates during preparation.
Three ways to do it
An honest look at your options. Some people do this themselves, and that can work well.
| Topic | With Omar Nafiz | Doing it yourself | With another provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | Checked before you pay any government fee | Learned from refusals | Varies |
| Advertising | Written and timed to the rules | Easy to get wrong | Varies |
| Paperwork | Prepared for you | Your team's time | Varies |
| Compliance | Calendar and reminders | Easy to miss | Rarely included |
| Your worker's PR | Planned from day one | Later, if at all | Usually separate |
Free mini-course: Your 482 roadmap
5 short lessons and quick checks. About 18 minutes.
A situation like yours
An illustrative situation, in Omar's words. Names and details are fictional. See all situations.
A café owner who cannot find staff
- Age 33
- English Proficient
- 🏢 Sponsoring a worker
The situation. Lina runs a café outside Melbourne. She cannot fill a role locally. Her best candidate is a 33-year-old graduate with Proficient English. She is worried about cost and paperwork.
How I'd approach it
What I check first. Is the role on the right list, and can she pay at or above the threshold? The Core Skills threshold is A$79,423 from 1 July 2026. Sponsored staff must be paid the market rate and the threshold.
The options. Advertise properly, lodge the nomination, then the visa. Keep records so she is compliant afterwards. Many small businesses sponsor successfully with good records.
Age and English. For Lina's worker, age and English are not scored on a 482. They matter for the permanent route afterwards, so I ask about both early.
My caution. The nomination and training charges are separate from the visa charge. I confirm each one from the official pages before I quote it.
Illustrative situation. The names and details are fictional.
Questions people ask
How long does sponsorship approval last?
Five years.
Can we keep our 485 graduate?
Often yes, through a 482 and later a 186.
What are our obligations?
Pay the agreed terms, keep records, report certain changes within 28 days, and never recover costs from the worker.
Pricing
Consultation
A full review of your situation and a written plan.
482 full package
Sponsorship, ad audit, nomination and visa for one worker.
Extra nominations
Quoted per role once you're an approved sponsor.
Government visa charge (Department of Home Affairs, as at 1 July 2026)
| Visa | Main applicant | Extra 18+ | Extra under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills in Demand (482), all streams | A$4,015 | A$4,015 | A$1,005 |
Checked 22 October 2026. Official pricing table · Estimate for your family
Our prices as at 22 October 2026. Packages are paid in stages, only after you sign a written service agreement. All services and fees.
Book
Talk to us about Sponsoring a worker
Start with a free 15-minute phone call. If you need full advice, book a A$110 consultation — it comes off your package.
Often considered alongside
Official sources
Figures checked 8 October 2026. Visa rules and charges change — we confirm everything for your situation before you pay for a package.