Hire overseas workers in Australia? What employers pay, prove and owe before day one

To hire overseas workers in Australia, most employers become an approved sponsor, nominate the position and then the worker applies for the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). Before any visa charge, the employer's own bill starts at AUD420 for sponsorship and AUD330 for the nomination, plus the Skilling Australians Fund levy for each year of the visa. The salary must be at least the market rate for the job and, in the Core Skills stream, no less than AUD79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026.

Which visa fits the role you need to fill

Home Affairs describes the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) as a temporary visa that lets an employer sponsor a suitably skilled worker for a position it can't fill with a suitably skilled Australian. It is the visa most employers start with.

• Core Skills stream: the occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), with pay at the annual market salary rate and no less than the Core Skills Income Threshold.
• Specialist Skills stream: for occupations in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 where the salary meets the Specialist Skills Income Threshold of AUD146,576.
• Labour Agreement stream: for employers with a labour agreement made with the Australian Government.

A 482 worker can stay for up to 4 years and may bring a partner and dependent children, who can live, study and work in Australia. Two other employer visas matter for planning. The subclass 494 is for jobs in designated regional areas, which take in all of Australia except Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The subclass 186 is permanent, and its Direct Entry stream asks for at least 3 years of relevant experience and a positive skills assessment, unless exempt. Our guide to designated regional areas in Australia explains which postcodes count.

Where the standard lists do not cover a role, labour agreements may. Home Affairs says they are generally in effect for five years and can be used for the 482, 186 and 494. There are currently 13 Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs), and under a DAMA the employer must show a genuine attempt to recruit Australians first.

What sponsorship costs the employer

These are the official employer charges on the Home Affairs cost of sponsoring page. The levy is charged per year or part of a year of the visa, so a 4-year 482 is billed as 4 years.

Worked through for one worker on a 4-year 482, a small business pays AUD4,800 in levy, or AUD5,550 with the sponsorship and nomination fees. A larger business pays AUD7,200 in levy, or AUD7,950 in all. These are our sums from the official rates; the 186 fees depend on stream and location.

The worker's own visa application charge is separate. It is set in the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Table, and applicants also pay for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

One rule runs through every line of that table: the employer must pay all costs of becoming a sponsor and nominating, and cannot transfer them to the worker or their family. For the employer-side detail of each stage, Employer Sponsored Jobs has a guide to the six stages of sponsoring a worker and what each costs.

The salary tests a nomination has to pass

Pay is where most nominations are won or lost. In the Core Skills stream, the worker must be paid the annual market salary rate (AMSR) for the occupation and no less than the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT). Home Affairs sets the thresholds on its salary requirements page and indexes them every year from 1 July.

The visa thresholds are not the only floor. A contract can't provide for less than the minimum entitlements in the award or the National Employment Standards, and a job ad can't advertise pay below the applicable award, agreement or National Minimum Wage. If you are unsure which award applies, start with our guide to finding the right modern award code.

Super sits on top of the salary. The general superannuation guarantee rate is 12.00% for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.

What changed for 2026-27

Three settings moved on 1 July 2026, the start of the 2026-27 program year, and they affect every role nominated this year.

• Higher salary threshold. The CSIT is AUD79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, up from AUD76,515 in 2025-26. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold used for the 494 is the same AUD79,423.
• More employer-sponsored places. The Employer-Sponsored planning level for 2026-27 is 58,040 places, up from 44,000 in 2025-26.
• Higher award wages. In its Annual Wage Review decision announced on 2 June 2026, the Fair Work Commission increased modern award wage rates by 4.75 per cent from 1 July 2026.

A role priced last financial year may now sit under the floor. Re-check the salary in any draft nomination before lodging. Our earlier post on the visa fee changes from 1 July 2026 covers the charges side.

Step by step: from vacancy to day one

1. Check the occupation. Look it up on the combined list of eligible skilled occupations, which shows whether it is on the CSOL and which body assesses skills for it.
2. Try the local market first. The 482 exists for roles you can't fill with a suitably skilled Australian, so keep a record of your recruitment effort and check the nomination requirements for what must be shown.
3. Apply to become an approved sponsor. The fee is AUD420 for the 482 program.
4. Nominate the position. Set the occupation, duties and salary, then pay the AUD330 nomination fee and the levy.
5. Support the worker's application. They need at least 1 year of relevant experience from the last 5 years, a skills assessment for some occupations (started before lodging), health checks with an approved panel physician and police certificates. An accredited sponsor's reference can replace police certificates from countries other than Australia.
6. Plan the start date. A worker granted the visa outside Australia must start within 90 days of arriving.
7. Run day one properly. Give the Fair Work Information Statement, enrol the worker in your payroll and super, and make sure workers' compensation insurance covers them.

Health results for the 482 are generally valid for 12 months, and Home Affairs advises arranging them before lodging to reduce processing times. Early booking keeps start dates on track.

Your duties once the worker starts

Employers must give every new employee the Fair Work Information Statement before, or as soon as possible after, they start. Visa holders have the same workplace rights as every other employee, including pay, leave, protection from discrimination and final pay. Our guide to workplace rights in Australia sets out the full floor.

The employer also has a primary duty under the model WHS laws to ensure the health and safety of workers, and must hold workers' compensation insurance. A 482 holder can work only in the nominated occupation for your business, so a change of duties into a different occupation is not a paperwork detail. An employer also can't cancel a worker's visa; only Home Affairs can.

Common mistakes employers make

• Passing costs to the worker. Sponsorship fees, nomination fees and the levy are the employer's. It is illegal for a person to pay an employer for sponsorship, including through salary deductions, and cashback schemes are illegal too.
• Budgeting the levy once. For the 482 it is charged per year or part year of the visa, not as a single fee.
• Using last year's salary floor. A salary set against AUD76,515 is below the 2026-27 CSIT.
• Long unpaid trials. An unpaid work trial may be unlawful if it lasts longer than needed to show the skills, often an hour to one shift.
• Getting visa help from the wrong person. Anyone giving immigration assistance must be a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or an exempt person. A sponsor may help without charging a fee, but check an agent's listing on the OMARA register.

Where a recruiter fits

Most hiring risk sits before the nomination: picking a candidate whose experience truly matches the occupation. Talynx's talent acquisition service checks references and certificates, runs video interviews and, where the role needs it, arranges a practical test. Some candidates also share a verified profile on Talent Tabloid, which can help you check their work history before an interview. Talynx is a recruitment business, not a migration agent, and works with registered migration agents (MARA) for visa lodgement.

If you are deciding which trades to recruit for, our read of the Occupation Shortage List shows where employers struggle most. You can also see the kinds of sponsored roles already listed, such as fabricator and welder jobs in Perth.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays the costs of sponsoring an overseas worker in Australia?

The sponsoring employer does. Home Affairs says the employer must pay all costs of becoming a sponsor and nominating an applicant, and cannot transfer them to the visa holder or their family. The Skilling Australians Fund levy cannot be passed on to the applicant either.

How much does the Skilling Australians Fund levy cost for a 482 worker?

It depends on turnover. A business with annual turnover under $10 million pays AUD1,200 per year or part of a year of the visa, and a business at $10 million or more pays AUD1,800. For the permanent subclass 186 it is a one-off AUD3,000 or AUD5,000.

What is the minimum salary for a sponsored worker in 2026-27?

For Core Skills nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the salary must be at least the Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD79,423 and also match the annual market salary rate for the occupation. The award or agreement minimum still applies on top of that.

Can a sponsored 482 worker work for another business?

Generally no. A subclass 482 holder may work only in the occupation they were nominated for and only for the nominating business, or in some circumstances an associated entity. A move to a new employer needs a new nomination.

Can a sponsored worker later become a permanent resident?

It can be possible. The employer may be able to sponsor a 482 holder through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), usually after at least 2 years of full-time sponsored work and with the age and other requirements met. A 494 holder in a regional role may, if eligible, apply for permanent residence after 3 years.

Key takeaways

• Most employers start with sponsor approval (AUD420) and a 482 nomination (AUD330).
• The Skilling Australians Fund levy is AUD1,200 or AUD1,800 per year of a 482, by turnover.
• Core Skills pay must meet the market rate and at least AUD79,423 from 1 July 2026.
• Every sponsorship cost stays with the employer and can't be passed to the worker.
• Day one brings the Fair Work Information Statement, WHS duties and workers' compensation cover.

Last checked: 2026-10-23 against the official pages linked above.

Every case is different — book a consultation and the registered migration agents (MARA) in Australia and licensed immigration advisers in New Zealand we work with will assess yours.