Most employers budget for the visa fee and stop there. However, the worker usually pays that fee. The employer bill sits elsewhere, and it is larger than many businesses expect.
This guide sets out the real 2026 cost of sponsoring a Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) worker. First it covers the government charges. Then it explains the costs you must absorb yourself.
The three government charges
Sponsoring a worker involves three applications. First, your business applies to become a standard business sponsor. Then you lodge a nomination for the role. Finally, the worker lodges the visa application.
The employer pays for the first two. For the approval process itself, see our guide on becoming a standard business sponsor.
1. Sponsorship application: AUD 420
Home Affairs charges AUD 420 to become an approved sponsor. This is a one off charge, not a per worker charge. As a result, one approval can support several nominations.
2. Nomination application: AUD 330 per role
Each nomination costs AUD 330. Because a nomination covers one worker in one occupation, you pay it every time. In addition, you pay again when a 482 holder joins you or changes occupation.
3. The Skilling Australians Fund levy
The SAF levy reshapes most budgets. Home Affairs calculates it at lodgement, and you must pay it in full then.
How the SAF levy is calculated
The levy depends on your annual turnover and the nomination period. Small business means turnover under AUD 10 million.
| Business size | Skills in Demand (482) | ENS 186, RSMS and SESR |
|---|---|---|
| Small business (turnover under AUD 10 million) | AUD 1,200 per year or part thereof | AUD 3,000 one off |
| Other business (turnover of AUD 10 million or more) | AUD 1,800 per year or part thereof | AUD 5,000 one off |
The phrase “per year or part thereof” matters. For example, a larger business nominating for four years pays AUD 7,200. Meanwhile a small business pays AUD 4,800 for the same period.
Therefore the nomination period is a commercial decision. A shorter period lowers the levy now. However, it also brings the next nomination and levy forward.
These amounts sit in the Migration (Skilling Australians Fund) Charges Regulations 2018. Labour agreement sponsors pay the levy too. Only ministers of religion and religious assistants under Labour Agreement streams are exempt.
A worked example
Take a business with turnover under AUD 10 million. It sponsors one worker for four years in the Core Skills stream.
- Sponsorship application: AUD 420
- Nomination application: AUD 330
- SAF levy: AUD 4,800
- Employer total: AUD 5,550
The worker then pays their own visa charge, which starts at AUD 4,015 for the Core Skills stream. In addition, family members, skills assessments, English tests and health checks add cost.
Salary is the bigger commitment. Nominations lodged in 2026 to 2027 must meet a Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD 79,423. You must also pay the annual market salary rate. Our article on 482 visa salary requirements explains both tests.
The costs you cannot pass on
This is where employers get into trouble. Sponsorship obligations require you to assume certain costs yourself. You must not charge them to the worker or their family, or attempt to.
The Department lists these as costs you must absorb:
- the cost of becoming a sponsor
- nomination charges, including the SAF levy
- migration agent costs for the sponsorship and nomination applications
- recruitment agent fees and advertising
- screening, shortlisting, interviewing and reference checks
- salaries of your recruitment or human resources staff
- outsourced background, police and psychological checks
- travel to interview or meet candidates
Informal arrangements still count. For example, a salary deduction breaches the rule. So does a repayment agreement, or asking the worker to front the levy.
The obligation also has a long tail. It ends two years after the sponsorship ends and you no longer employ a sponsored worker.
What happens if you get this wrong
The Department treats this as more than a paperwork slip. First, it can bar you from sponsoring new workers. It can also cancel approvals or issue a compliance notice.
Financial consequences follow. The Department publishes infringement notices of up to AUD 15,840 for individuals. For bodies corporate the figure is AUD 79,200 per breach. Alternatively, it may seek a civil penalty order. Those run up to AUD 76,200 for an individual and AUD 396,000 for a corporation.
There is one further exposure. If a sponsored person becomes an unlawful non-citizen, you may repay the Commonwealth’s removal costs. That liability is capped at AUD 10,000.
Two costs employers forget
First, return travel. You must pay reasonable travel costs so the worker and sponsored family can leave Australia. Payment is due within 30 days of a written request. Economy class counts as reasonable.
Second, labour market testing done properly. Advertising must meet strict rules on placement, duration and content. Errors usually mean re-advertising, which delays the start date. Our article on labour market testing covers the common mistakes.
Can you get the levy back?
Refunds are narrow. For example, the visa is approved but the worker never starts. Another case is a visa refused on health or character grounds. A third covers early departures, where unused full years may be refunded.
Therefore treat the levy as spent at lodgement. Plan the nomination period carefully instead.
Budgeting sensibly
Start with the three charges and the levy. Then add recruitment, advertising, professional fees and the salary commitment. Finally, hold a contingency for return travel.
For streams and eligibility, see our pillar guide to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost an employer to sponsor a 482 worker?
The employer pays AUD 420 for the sponsorship application and AUD 330 for each nomination. The Skilling Australians Fund levy is then added. It is AUD 1,200 per year or part thereof where turnover is under AUD 10 million, and AUD 1,800 for other businesses. A small business sponsoring one worker for four years therefore pays about AUD 5,550.
Can an employer ask the worker to pay the SAF levy?
No. Employers must pay and assume the levy themselves. You must not charge it to the sponsored worker or their family, and you must not attempt to. This covers salary deductions and repayment arrangements as well as direct payments.
Which costs can the visa applicant pay?
The worker generally pays their own visa application charge, which starts at AUD 4,015 for the Core Skills stream. They also pay for their own skills assessment, English test, health examination and police checks. They cannot be asked to pay the sponsorship cost, nomination charges, the levy, or recruitment costs.
Is the SAF levy refundable?
Only in limited circumstances. Examples include an approved nomination and visa where the worker does not arrive or start work. A visa refused on health or character grounds is another. A third case is a 482 holder who leaves within the first 12 months. There, only unused full years may be refunded.
What penalties apply if an employer passes on sponsorship costs?
The Department can bar future sponsorships, cancel existing approvals, or issue a compliance notice. It publishes infringement notice amounts of up to AUD 15,840 for individuals and AUD 79,200 for bodies corporate per breach. Civil penalty orders run up to AUD 76,200 for an individual and AUD 396,000 for a corporation.
Sam Kanjo, Migration Lawyer, Skyline Migration Lawyers, Melbourne.
Talk to a migration lawyer in Melbourne
Sponsorship costs are easy to underestimate, and the cost recovery rules are strict. If you are planning a 482 nomination, we can help you structure it correctly.
Call Skyline Migration Lawyers on 03 8108 8748 or email info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au.
This article is general information only. It is current at the date of publication and it is not legal advice. Fees, thresholds and policy settings change. Please seek advice tailored to your circumstances before you act.
