How to Sponsor a Worker in Australia
Sponsoring an overseas worker under the 482 Skills in Demand visa runs through three parties — the employer, the Department of Home Affairs, and a migration agent. Here's the process, step by step, from business eligibility through to ongoing obligations.
A note on visa guidance: RecruitUp Global is a recruitment agency, not a migration agent. All content on this site is for general educational purposes only. For immigration advice or to lodge a visa application, consult a MARA-registered migration agent. RecruitUp specialises in finding and placing qualified South African tradespeople with Australian employers who are ready to sponsor — we handle the recruitment side, not the visa lodgement.
Why Employers Sponsor Overseas Workers
Most employers arrive at sponsorship after exhausting the local market — a role has stayed open for months, or a trade is in structural shortage in their state. Sponsorship opens access to a wider pool of trade-qualified candidates, and because the visa ties the worker to the role for its duration, it comes with a retention incentive a local hire doesn't carry.
It isn't the right call for every vacancy — see our guides on whether your shortage is structural and the real cost of a vacancy versus sponsoring before committing to the process below.
Is Your Business Ready to Sponsor?
Four things the Department of Home Affairs looks for before approving a business as a sponsor.
A Lawfully Operating Business
Sole traders, partnerships, and companies can all sponsor, provided the business is genuinely trading in Australia — evidenced through ABN registration, financial records, and an operating history.
A Genuine, Ongoing Position
The role must be a real position within the business, consistent with its size and activities — not one created solely to bring a worker to Australia.
A Commitment to Training Australians
Sponsors commit to supporting the training of Australian workers, satisfied through payment of the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy at the nomination stage.
No Adverse Compliance History
The business must not have a history of sponsorship-related breaches, underpayment, or other conduct that would fail the sponsorship approval criteria.
How to Become a Standard Business Sponsor
The full pathway from sponsorship application through to ongoing compliance.
Become an Approved Business Sponsor
Apply to the Department of Home Affairs for Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) status. Approval is typically valid for 5 years and lets the business nominate multiple workers across multiple roles during that period.
Get the sponsorship document checklist →Nominate the Position
Confirm the role sits on the Core Skills Occupation List, complete Labour Market Testing, and demonstrate the offered salary meets both the TSMIT and market salary rate for the role.
Full nomination requirements →The Worker Applies for the Visa
Once the nomination is approved, the overseas worker lodges the visa application — skills assessment, English language evidence, health checks, and police clearances.
Worker eligibility criteria →Meet Ongoing Sponsor Obligations
Once the worker is employed, the sponsor has ongoing obligations — accurate record-keeping, notifying the Department of any changes, and cooperating with compliance monitoring.
Common compliance mistakes to avoid →What Labour Market Testing Actually Involves
Advertise the role in Australia on at least two approved channels (e.g. SEEK and LinkedIn) for a minimum of 28 days.
Keep records of the advertisements themselves, and of any applications received and why they weren't suitable.
Complete testing within the 4 months immediately before the nomination is lodged — testing that's gone stale needs to be repeated.
Some occupations and international trade obligations carry an LMT exemption — confirm your occupation's status before assuming testing is required.
What Sponsorship Costs, at a Glance
Government fees are fixed and published — they don't vary by industry or agency. The SAF levy is paid upfront, scaled to how many years of stay the nomination covers.
Full Fee Breakdown & Worked Examples →Costs Summary
Employers cannot legally pass the SAF levy or nomination cost to the worker.
Tips for a Smoother Process
Start Labour Market Testing early — its 4-month validity window is the most common cause of nomination delays.
Line up your recruitment partner and migration agent at the same time, not sequentially — sourcing and visa processing can run in parallel.
Keep every piece of LMT and nomination paperwork in one place from day one; reconstructing it later is the single biggest driver of processing delays.
Confirm your specific occupation's CSOL status and any LMT exemption before you commit to a timeline.
Common Questions
How long does the whole sponsorship process take?
Do I need to be an Approved Sponsor before I start recruiting?
What happens if the sponsored worker leaves before their visa period ends?
Is Labour Market Testing required for every nomination?
Ready to Start Sponsoring?
RecruitUp sources and vets the candidate before the visa process begins — so you're never navigating sponsorship and recruitment at the same time on your own.
Related 482 Visa Guides
← Back to 482 Visa Hub482 Visa Requirements
Full eligibility criteria for employers and workers.
Read guide →482 Visa Processing Time
How long each stage takes in 2026 and what affects your timeline.
Read guide →482 Visa Fees & Costs
Full breakdown of SAF levy, nomination charges, and visa fees.
Read guide →Sponsorship Document Checklist
The full document checklist for a Standard Business Sponsorship application.
Read guide →Sponsorship Compliance Mistakes
The most common compliance mistakes employers make — and how to avoid them.
Read guide →482 Visa Hub
The complete overview of Australia's Skills in Demand visa.
Read guide →