Employer Sponsorship · DAMA · Labour Agreements
Sponsor the skilled workers your business needs
Australian businesses can sponsor skilled workers from overseas. We guide employers through sponsorship, nomination and regional agreements, and we keep you compliant once your workers arrive.
Where To Start
Sponsorship, step by step
Employer sponsored migration follows a clear sequence. First, your business becomes an approved sponsor. Next, you nominate the specific role you need to fill. Then, the worker applies for their visa. In regional areas, a designated area migration agreement can widen the occupations available and adjust the requirements. We manage every step so the pieces fit together.
The Pathways
Standard, regional and tailored options
Step 1
Become a sponsor
Your business applies to become an approved standard business sponsor. We prepare the application and make sure your business meets the requirements.
Step 2
Nominate the role
You nominate the specific position and occupation. Getting the nomination right is essential, because errors here can delay or sink the visa.
Regional
DAMA agreements
Designated area migration agreements let regional employers access occupations and concessions that standard programs do not offer. We advise on whether a DAMA suits you.
Tailored
Labour agreements
Where the standard program does not fit, a labour agreement can create a tailored pathway negotiated with the government. We assess whether this route is worthwhile.
Staying Compliant
What sponsorship requires of you
Sponsor obligations
Approved sponsors carry ongoing legal obligations. We explain them clearly and help you stay compliant to protect your sponsorship.
Genuine position
The nominated role must be genuine and needed. We help you document the business case so the nomination stands up to scrutiny.
Labour market testing
Many nominations require evidence that you tested the local labour market first. We guide you on how and when to do it.
Keeping records
Sponsors must keep certain records and report certain events. We set you up so compliance is straightforward, not a burden.
Costs
Fixed professional fees, official government charges
We charge fixed professional fees, agreed in writing before work begins. Government charges for sponsorship, nomination and the visa are separate, and the Skilling Australians Fund levy usually applies to employers. Charges change over time, so for current figures always check the Federal Register of Legislation or the ImmiAccount fee estimator. We confirm every cost in writing first.
Common Questions
Employer sponsorship questions, answered plainly
Does my business qualify to sponsor?
Most lawfully operating Australian businesses can apply to become approved sponsors, subject to meeting the requirements. We assess your business before you commit.
What is a DAMA?
A designated area migration agreement is a regional arrangement that gives employers in that area access to more occupations and certain concessions. We advise whether one fits your location and roles.
How long does sponsorship take?
It depends on the pathway and how complete the application is. We prepare thoroughly to avoid the delays that come from requests for more information.
What are my obligations afterwards?
Approved sponsors must meet ongoing obligations, keep records, and report certain events. We set you up to stay compliant from day one.
The lawyers who guide employers through sponsorship
We act for the business and the worker, from sponsorship approval and nomination through to the visa, DAMA endorsements and labour agreements. Deepika leads employer files; Sam runs the Skills in Demand strategy.
Meet the whole team →
What sponsored workers say
Sam made the SID process straightforward and stress-free. He understood my work history clearly and guided me on every document I needed. Thanks to him, my visa was approved faster than I expected.
Deepika took the time to understand my background, my work history, and my goals. She planned my entire skilled migration pathway with such clarity that I finally felt confident again. My SID application was successful and I am now working in Melbourne.
How employer sponsorship runs with us
Consultation
We look at your circumstances, map the pathways open to you, flag the risks and give you a fixed fee quote in writing before any work begins.
Strategy and checklist
We decide the strongest approach first, then set you up in our secure client portal with a tailored document checklist so you always know what is needed.
Evidence and preparation
We review every document, draft the submissions and statements, and quality check the file so it is decision ready before it goes anywhere near the Department.
Lodgement and follow through
We lodge, respond to any Department requests, keep you updated at every stage and stay with your matter until the decision.
Employer sponsorship costs in 2026
Sponsoring a worker involves charges paid by the business and a visa application charge paid by the worker. Some business costs, including the levy and nomination charge, cannot be recovered from the employee. Our fixed professional fee is separate.
Our professional fee: fixed, in writing
You approve the fee before work begins. There is no hourly billing and no hidden extras. Book a consultation for a quote on your exact situation.
Get a fixed fee quote| Government charge (main applicant) | From 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Standard business sponsorship Paid by the business, valid for five years | $420 |
| Nomination application (482) Paid by the business, per nominated role | $330 |
| Nomination application (186) Paid by the business, permanent nomination | $540 |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy Per year of the 482 visa (482); one off for a permanent 186 nomination | $1,200 or $1,800 per year (482); $3,000 or $5,000 (186) |
| Skills in Demand visa, subclass 482 Paid by the worker, main applicant | $4,015 |
| Employer Nomination Scheme, subclass 186 Permanent, paid by the worker, main applicant | $6,140 |
Government charges are taken from the Department of Home Affairs visa pricing table and the Administrative Review Tribunal fee schedule (charges from 1 July 2026, checked 17 August 2026) and are a guide only. Surcharges and other government fees may apply, and charges change. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted separately in writing. We confirm every figure in your quote.
Employer sponsorship questions we hear most
How does a business become an approved sponsor?
The business applies for standard business sponsorship, showing it is lawfully operating and meets its obligations. Approval lasts five years and covers as many nominations as you need. We prepare the application and set up the compliance framework at the same time.
What does sponsorship cost the business?
Sponsorship is $420, each 482 nomination is $330 (a permanent 186 nomination is $540) and the Skilling Australians Fund levy is $1,200 or $1,800 per year of the visa depending on your turnover, or $3,000 or $5,000 for a permanent 186 nomination. The levy and nomination charge must be paid by the business and cannot be passed to the worker. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted up front.
What is a DAMA and does it help my business?
A Designated Area Migration Agreement lets employers in a designated region access concessions on age, English, salary and occupation lists that are not available under the standard program. If your business is in a DAMA region and cannot fill roles locally, it can open occupations and candidates that would otherwise be out of reach.
What are my obligations as a sponsor?
Sponsors must keep records, notify the Department of certain events, pay the nominated salary and conditions, meet the levy and not recover certain costs from the worker. Getting this wrong can lead to sanctions or bars, so we build the record keeping into your onboarding.
Guides from our lawyers
How to Sponsor Skilled Workers in Melbourne
Becoming a standard business sponsor and nominating a role.
Labour Agreements in Australia
How industry labour agreements give access to concessions.
Ready to sponsor skilled workers?
Book a consultation. We will assess your business, map the right pathway, and handle sponsorship, nomination and compliance for you.
03 8108 8748 · info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au