Employer Sponsored Visa Australia 2026

The right employer sponsored visa Australia pathway depends on the occupation, work location, salary, experience, age and whether the worker wants permanent residence immediately or later. Both the employer and the applicant must satisfy separate requirements; a job offer alone does not guarantee approval.

This guide compares employer sponsored visas, explains current government fees and salary thresholds, and outlines sponsorship obligations, regional options, Designated Area Migration Agreements, and pathways to permanent residence.

What is employer sponsored visa?

An Australian work visa employer sponsored pathway connects an overseas worker with a business that needs to fill a genuine position. Depending on the subclass, the business obtains sponsorship approval or operates under a labour agreement, nominates an occupation and demonstrates that the proposed employment meets migration and workplace requirements.

The worker then applies for the relevant visa and provides evidence of identity, skills, experience, English ability, health and character. Some visas provide temporary or provisional residence first; others grant permanent residence immediately.

Main employer-sponsored visas

482 Skills in Demand visa

The subclass 482 is often the first Australia employer sponsored visa considered when a business needs a skilled employee and the worker is not yet eligible for permanent residence. The main pathways are the Core Skills stream, the Specialist Skills stream and the Labour Agreement stream.

This stream generally requires an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, an approved sponsor, an eligible nomination, at least one year of relevant experience and a salary that meets both the annual market salary rate and the Core Skills Income Threshold.

The Specialist Skills stream is for qualifying high-earning workers. It uses a higher income threshold and occupation eligibility rules that differ from the Core Skills stream. Certain occupation groups are excluded, so a higher salary alone does not establish eligibility.

This stream is available where the employer has an appropriate labour agreement with the Australian Government, including a qualifying industry agreement or DAMA arrangement. Requirements and concessions depend on the agreement itself.

186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa

The subclass 186 is a permanent employer sponsored Australian visa. Its main streams are Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition and Labour Agreement.

• Direct Entry: generally requires an eligible occupation, at least three years of relevant experience, a positive skills assessment where required, competent English, and an age below 45 unless an exemption applies.
• Temporary Residence Transition: generally requires at least two years of eligible sponsored full-time employment, an approved employer nomination, and compliance with the relevant age and English requirements or exemptions.
• Labour Agreement: applies when permanent nomination is available under the employer’s agreement and its agreed terms are satisfied.

494 Regional employer sponsored visa

The subclass 494 is a regional employer sponsored visa for skilled workers nominated by an eligible business in a designated regional area. It allows a stay of up to five years and can lead to permanent residence through subclass 191 when the regional residence and other statutory requirements are satisfied.

The Employer Sponsored stream generally requires an eligible occupation, a positive skills assessment unless exempt, around three years of relevant experience, competent English, a genuine regional position and an applicant who is under 45 unless an exemption applies. A Regional Certifying Body must assess the annual market salary rate for the nominated role.

Employer sponsored visa requirements

Requirements for the sponsored worker

• A genuine job offer and an eligible employer nomination.
• An occupation that qualifies under the relevant visa stream or labour agreement.
• The required work experience, qualifications and any necessary licensing or professional registration.
• A suitable skills assessment where the subclass, occupation or personal circumstances require one.
• The required English level, unless a valid exemption applies.
• Applicable age requirements for permanent or regional pathways.
• Health and character clearance for the applicant and relevant family members.

Requirements for the sponsoring employer

The employer sponsored visa requirements Australia imposes on businesses vary between subclasses, but generally include:

• Lawful business operation and, where required, approval as a standard business sponsor;
• A genuine skilled position consistent with business activity and operational need;
• A salary meeting the applicable threshold and the Australian market salary rate;
• Labour market testing where required and evidence of genuine recruitment efforts;
• Payment of the nomination charge and Skilling Australians Fund levy where applicable; and
• Ongoing recordkeeping, notification, employment and sponsorship compliance.

Other requirements

English and occupation requirements

The English standard depends on the visa and stream. Subclass 482 Skills in Demand applicants must meet the current sufficient-English requirements unless a valid passport, education, employment or agreement-based exemption applies. For accepted IELTS tests under the current subclass 482 table, the standard is at least 5.0 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

Subclass 186 Direct Entry and subclass 494 Employer Sponsored generally require Competent English, subject to their specific exemptions. A score that is sufficient for a 482 visa does not automatically satisfy the later permanent or regional pathway.

Labour market testing & genuine position

Where labour market testing applies, the employer must show that it made a genuine effort to find a suitable Australian citizen or permanent resident before sponsoring an overseas worker. Home Affairs states that this generally involves advertising the position in Australia for at least four weeks in at least two advertisements, unless a valid exemption applies.

The advertisements, job description, salary, dates and recruitment outcome must satisfy the rules applying to the nomination. The business must also show that the role is genuine, fits its activities and has employment terms consistent with the Australian market salary rate.

For a subclass 494 Employer Sponsored nomination, regional certification is a separate step: a Regional Certifying Body assesses the annual market salary rate for the proposed position. A DAMA employer may also need endorsement from the relevant Designated Area Representative before accessing the agreement.

Visa salary thresholds 2026-27

For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, the applicable minimum annual earnings threshold depends on the visa and stream:

These amounts are not recommended salaries. The position must also satisfy the Australian market salary rate: if an equivalent Australian worker would earn more than the threshold, the sponsored employee must generally receive that higher market rate. Labour agreements may include specifically approved concessions.

Visa fees & sponsorship costs

Government visa application charges

For example, a couple with one child under 18 would ordinarily face base visa application charges of AUD 9,035 for subclass 482 or AUD 10,745 for subclass 186 or 494, before concessions, payment surcharges or other costs.

Employer-side sponsorship and nomination charges

• Standard Business Sponsorship application, where needed: AUD 420.
• Subclass 482 nomination: AUD 330.
• Subclass 186 nomination: generally AUD 540, subject to applicable exemptions.
• Regional certification, professional advice, recruitment and nomination-related expenses: vary by case.

Skilling Australians Fund levy

For a four-year subclass 482 nomination, the levy is ordinarily AUD 4,800 for a smaller employer or AUD 7,200 for a larger employer, payable at nomination. Certain sponsorship-related costs must not be unlawfully transferred to, or recovered from, the sponsored employee.

Applicants may also need to budget for English tests, skills assessments, medical examinations, police certificates, document translations and migration-agent or legal fees. Concessions and additional charges can apply in particular cases.

How to apply for an employer-sponsored visa

1. Identify the correct visa: confirm the occupation, location, salary, experience, age and long-term residence objective.
2. Check business eligibility: determine whether standard sponsorship approval, a labour agreement or regional endorsement is needed.
3. Prepare the position: verify the occupation description, genuine role, market salary and any required labour market testing.
4. Lodge the employer nomination: pay the nomination charge and applicable SAF levy, and obtain regional certification where required.
5. Lodge the visa application: provide the worker’s identity, employment history, qualifications, English, skills assessment and family documents.
6. Complete health and character checks: respond accurately to any Department request and track the case through ImmiAccount.
7. Maintain compliance after grant: follow visa conditions, notify relevant changes and plan the permanent residence pathway early.

Labour agreements and DAMA pathways

A Designated Area Migration Agreement, or DAMA, is a framework negotiated between the Australian Government and a designated regional representative. An endorsed business may then access an individual labour agreement, allowing nomination under subclasses 482, 494 and, where the agreement permits, 186.

A DAMA may offer a broader occupation list or negotiated concessions relating to English, age, experience or salary. However, concessions are not automatic and depend on the region, occupation, employer endorsement and the precise agreement terms. The worker cannot apply for a DAMA independently without an eligible sponsoring employer.

Industry labour agreements provide another alternative where a particular sector has an approved framework. These can be relevant to employers facing persistent workforce shortages that standard sponsorship settings do not address.

PR pathways from employer sponsored visas

482 to 186

An eligible Skills in Demand or legacy TSS holder may move to the permanent subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream after meeting the qualifying sponsored employment requirement, generally two years, and satisfying the nomination, age, English and other visa criteria.

Direct Entry may be an alternative where the worker independently satisfies its skills assessment, experience, occupation and age requirements. Neither pathway is automatic: a valid permanent nomination and successful visa application are still required.

494 to 191

A 494 holder may apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa after meeting the applicable regional residence and other requirements, generally including at least three years on an eligible regional provisional visa. Conditions and eligibility should be checked before relocating or changing employers.

Direct PR through 186 visa

Where both the employer and applicant meet Direct Entry or Labour Agreement criteria from the outset, subclass 186 may deliver permanent residence without first spending years on a temporary employer-sponsored visa.

Common mistakes that delay sponsorship

• Using obsolete TSS information, old occupation lists or 2025 salary thresholds.
• Choosing an occupation based on its title without matching the worker’s actual duties.
• Assuming a salary meets requirements because it exceeds the threshold, while ignoring the market rate.
• Treating Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane as regional, or failing to check a workplace postcode.
• Overlooking age exemptions, professional licensing, skills assessment or English-test validity.
• Failing to document recruitment, financial capacity, genuine need or regional certification.
• Requesting that the worker reimburse prohibited sponsorship or nomination expenses.
• Assuming permanent residence follows automatically from a 482 or 494 grant.

FAQs