What sponsoring an employee really costs an Australian business
Government fees, the SAF levy, and the costs you legally cannot pass on. A clear budget line for a 482 hire in 2026–27.
Reviewed MARN 0317382Jul 2026 published6 min read
For a typical Skills in Demand (482) hire, an employer budgets three buckets: becoming a Standard Business Sponsor, the nomination for the role (including the Skilling Australians Fund levy at $1,200 per year of visa for businesses under $10M turnover, $1,800 above), and professional fees. The worker's own visa charge is $4,015. Critically, the levy and nomination costs are the employer's by law and cannot be recovered from the worker.
The budget, bucket by bucket
| Item | Who pays | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Business Sponsorship (5 years) | Employer | Hundreds |
| Nomination fee per role | Employer | Hundreds |
| SAF levy, per year of visa | Employer, cannot be passed on | $1,200 / $1,800 |
| Visa application charge (482) | Usually the worker | $4,015 |
A four-year Core Skills hire for a small business therefore carries $4,800 of levy alone. Budget it at nomination time, because that's when it's payable.
The rules on who pays
Sponsorship and nomination costs, including the levy, sit with the business. Recovering them from the worker, through wages, "training fee" deductions or side agreements, is a sanctionable breach that puts the whole sponsorship at risk. The worker's visa application charge and their personal costs (English tests, health checks) can lawfully sit with the worker, though many employers cover them as part of the offer.
Costs that aren't fees
- Salary floors: at least $79,499 (Core Skills) or $146,717 (Specialist Skills), and never below market rate. If the role can't clear that honestly, sponsorship isn't the answer.
- Time: three sequential approvals. Run in parallel where the rules allow, the timeline is predictable; run reactively, each stage can bounce.
- Obligations: record-keeping and notification duties that cost little when set up on day one and a lot when discovered in an audit.
General information only, current at 18 July 2026. Not immigration assistance or advice for your circumstances. Visacorp Pty Ltd — MARN 0317382 · 1799004 · 0104178.
Common questions
Can we deduct sponsorship costs from the employee's pay?
No. Sponsorship, nomination and SAF levy costs are the employer's by law and cannot be recovered from the worker directly or indirectly. Doing so risks sanctions and the sponsorship itself.
Is the SAF levy payable every year?
It's paid upfront at nomination, calculated per year of the visa sought: $1,200 per year for businesses under $10M turnover, $1,800 per year at or above.
What does the whole process cost for one hire?
As a planning figure: several hundred dollars in sponsorship and nomination fees, $2,400–$7,200 of levy depending on visa length and business size, the worker's $4,015 visa charge, plus professional fees. We map the exact number for your role before you commit.
Does sponsorship lock the worker to us?
No. Workers can move to another approved sponsor (they have up to 180 days to find one), and the levy you've paid isn't refunded. Retention comes from the role, not the visa.
Unsure where your situation fits?
Twenty minutes with a registered agent is the fastest way to a straight answer.