Abattoirs and boning rooms run short of skilled labour every year. So the Meat Industry Labour Agreement gives processors a sponsorship route. Here are its published terms.
Agreement terms checked on 13 October 2026 on the Home Affairs ILA page and in the template agreement. Home Affairs can change them at any time. Therefore, confirm the current terms on the Home Affairs ILA page and in the template agreement before you act.
What the meat ILA is
An industry labour agreement is a template deal between Home Affairs and a sector. As a result, the terms are set and non-negotiable. The meat agreement runs for five years.
For the wider picture, read our pillar guide to labour agreements in Australia. Meanwhile, our aged care and restaurant ILA guides cover two sibling agreements. Our guide to what a DAMA is covers the regional alternative. Notably, the Orana DAMA sends meat occupations back to this agreement.
The meat ILA at a glance
| Item | Published position, checked 13 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Visas available | 482, 494 and 186 after a three year transition |
| Occupations | One: Skilled Meat Worker, nominated under code 070499 |
| Salary rule | Standard in Category 1 and 2; 90 per cent of CSIT or TSMIT in Category 3 |
| English, 482 and 494 | IELTS 5.0 overall, no minimum per component, or equivalent |
| English, 186 | IELTS 5.0 overall, no minimum; or functional English for some 457 holders |
| Age limit, 494 and 186 | Standard in Category 1; under 55 in Category 2 and 3; none for the 482 |
| Experience rule | MINTRAC assessment plus two years, nine months or one year, by route |
| PR transition | 186 after three years as a primary 457 or 482 holder with the sponsor |
| Endorsing body and fee | None named by Home Affairs; no request fee |
One occupation: the Skilled Meat Worker
Home Affairs lists one occupation, and we counted one on 13 October 2026. The Skilled Meat Worker has no ANZSCO code. Instead, the nomination uses the administrative code 070499.
The role combines the ANZSCO tasks of a Slaughterer with those of a Meat Boner and Slicer. However, the agreement bars labouring duties, apart from workers compensation duties or a week of restricted duties for safety.
Skills, qualifications and experience
Every nominee needs a skills assessment first. A MINTRAC registered assessor, or an assessor approved by the Commonwealth, must verify the worker. The assessor needs a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. The worker must show a skill level matching the Certificate III in meat processing.
In addition, a 482 nominee needs one of three experience routes:
- two years of skilled work at a meat processing establishment acceptable to the parties; or
- nine months on a 457 or 482 visa at an Australian meat processing establishment; or
- one year in Australia on another temporary visa at an Australian meat processing establishment.
The 494 then needs at least two years of recent relevant experience, Australian or offshore. By contrast, the 186 needs three years of full time work in Australia in the occupation.
The English concession
For the 482 and the 494, the worker needs IELTS 5.0 overall or an equivalent test. No component has a minimum score. For the 186, the same score applies. Alternatively, some current 457 holders can show functional English instead.
Salary: it depends on the location
The salary rule follows the regional category of the plant. In Category 1 and 2 locations, there is no concession. So the pay must meet the market rate and the Core Skills Income Threshold. That is AUD79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, and the 494 TSMIT matches it.
In Category 3 locations, however, guaranteed earnings can sit at 90 per cent of the CSIT or TSMIT. Guaranteed or regular overtime may count towards those earnings. Home Affairs defines each category on its regional postcodes page.
Every position must be full time. Moreover, a worker on an annualised salary needs a top-up if an Australian doing the same work earns more. Our guide to 482 salary thresholds explains how the market rate is set.
Age and labour market testing
Home Affairs sets no age limit for the 482. For the 494 and the 186, the standard limit applies in Category 1. In Category 2 and 3, the worker must be under 55 at lodgement.
Labour market testing applies to every 482 and 494 nomination. In Category 1, the evidence must match the standard program. In Category 2, the sponsor needs two attempts with national reach in the past 12 months. In Category 3, one of the two may be local or regional. Our labour market testing guide covers the general rules.
The pathway to permanent residence
The agreement approves a 186 nomination only after a transition. The worker must have worked directly for the sponsor for three years as a primary 457 or 482 holder. In addition, the worker needs three years of full time work in Australia in the occupation.
Extra obligations under the agreement
Schedules 5 and 6 of the template add obligations beyond the standard ones. The sponsor must pay the worker directly from an Australian bank account. It cannot recover recruitment or English testing costs. Any accommodation must be optional and charged at a fair market rate.
Deductions need written consent and a Deductions Plan approved by the Commonwealth. Finally, a labour hire firm may only source the worker, who must then work directly for the sponsor.
What it costs
Home Affairs names no endorsing body for this agreement. MINTRAC keeps the register of assessors, but publishes no per-worker assessment fee. Commonwealth figures, re-verified on Home Affairs on 13 October 2026:
- There is no cost to request a labour agreement.
- Sponsorship approval costs AUD420. A 482 nomination costs AUD330 and a 186 nomination AUD540.
- The SAF levy for the 482 is AUD1,200 per year under AUD10 million turnover, otherwise AUD1,800. For the 186 and 494, it is AUD3,000 or AUD5,000 one-off.
- The 482 Labour Agreement stream visa starts from AUD4,015. The 186 and 494 streams each start from AUD6,140.
Our guide to 482 sponsorship costs covers what you cannot pass on. Then our Skills in Demand visa pillar covers the visa stage.
Frequently asked questions
Which visas does the Meat Industry Labour Agreement cover?
It covers the Skills in Demand 482, the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional 494 and the Employer Nomination Scheme 186. The 186 follows a three year transition.
Which occupations can a meat processor sponsor?
One: the Skilled Meat Worker, nominated under code 070499. The role combines the ANZSCO tasks of a Slaughterer and a Meat Boner and Slicer.
What English scores apply under the meat ILA?
For the 482, 494 and 186, IELTS 5.0 overall or equivalent, with no minimum per component. Some current 457 holders can show functional English for the 186 instead.
Is there a salary concession under the meat ILA?
Only in Category 3 regional locations, where guaranteed earnings can be 90 per cent of the CSIT or TSMIT. In Category 1 and 2, the standard thresholds and the market rate apply.
Who assesses a Skilled Meat Worker?
A MINTRAC registered assessor, or an assessor approved by the Commonwealth, with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. The assessment is videotaped in real time with identity documents shown.
Sam Kanjo, Migration Lawyer, Skyline Migration Lawyers, Melbourne.
Talk to us about the meat ILA
We help meat processors with labour agreement requests and nominations. Call Skyline Migration Lawyers on 03 8108 8748. Or email info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au.
This article is general information only. It is not legal advice and it does not guarantee any outcome. Labour agreement terms change, so please seek advice tailored to your business before you act.
For employers: how we run sponsorship and labour agreement matters
The seven stages, who does what, how documents are collected, privacy, payments, and a working cost estimator. See how we work with employers.
