How Sponsorship In Australia By Employer Works

Across sectors such as healthcare, engineering, IT and hospitality, persistent skill shortages are slowing project timelines and limiting growth for Australian businesses. Employer sponsorship offers a practical solution: by nominating qualified overseas professionals for work visas, companies can fill critical roles, access global expertise and secure long-term talent.

Whether you are an HR manager, business owner or recruitment specialist, navigating the visa system can feel complex. This guide breaks the process into ten clear steps—from confirming your business’s eligibility and meeting training benchmarks to conducting labour market testing, choosing the right visa subclass, lodging sponsorship and nomination applications, guiding your employee’s visa application, and fulfilling ongoing compliance obligations.

By following these steps, you’ll gain access to a wider talent pool, accelerate your hiring process, improve retention and even lay the groundwork for permanent residency for key staff—all while ensuring adherence to migration and workplace laws. Let’s begin by exploring what employer sponsorship entails and the visa options available to your organisation.

Step 1: Understand Employer Sponsorship and Available Visa Options

Before you kick off the sponsoring journey, it helps to know exactly what employer sponsorship means under Australian law, why it exists and which visa pathways you can access. In simple terms, employer sponsorship is a formal arrangement under the Migration Act where a business (the sponsor) nominates an overseas worker (the nominee) for a particular role. The Department of Home Affairs then assesses both parties—your company’s eligibility to sponsor and the individual’s suitability for the nominated position—before granting the visa.

Companies turn to sponsorship for a handful of compelling reasons: persistent skill shortages, ambitious growth plans, or the need to gain a competitive edge. By linking your business directly to a specific visa stream, you can fast‐track recruitment of in-demand talent and secure long-term employees in critical roles.

If you’d like a broader overview of how employer-nominated visas fit into Australia’s skilled migration system, check out our guide on skilled visas in Australia.

Definition of Employer Sponsorship

Employer sponsorship is the process by which an Australian business becomes an “approved sponsor” and then nominates an overseas worker for a defined position.

• The sponsor must meet eligibility criteria—such as having an active ABN/ACN, demonstrating financial capacity and adhering to training benchmarks.
• The nominee must satisfy the specific visa requirements for skills, qualifications, English language and experience.
  Once approved, the sponsored worker can only perform the nominated role for the sponsoring employer, and both parties assume ongoing obligations under migration and workplace law.

Benefits for Employers

Sponsoring a skilled worker brings a range of advantages:

• Access to a wider talent pool beyond local labour constraints
• Ability to secure long-term employees in critical or specialist roles
• Potential pathway to permanent residency for key staff
• Increased flexibility to respond to business growth or project needs
• Demonstrable compliance with training benchmarks and workforce development goals

For example, a regional manufacturing firm might sponsor a CNC machinist to fill a persistent skills gap and upskill its local workforce through on-the-job mentoring.

Overview of Employer-Sponsored Visa Subclasses

Those are the core employer-nominated visas. Depending on your business location and the role, you might also negotiate a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) that offers extra concessions on salary or training requirements.

Sponsorship in the Skilled Migration Landscape

Australia’s skilled migration system has two broad pillars:

1. Point-tested visas (e.g., Subclass 189, 190) where applicants lodge independent expressions of interest and score points for age, qualifications, English, experience.
2. Employer-nominated visas (our focus here) which hinge on a sponsoring business nominating a specific individual to fill a defined role.

While point-tested visas give skilled workers flexibility to choose employers, employer sponsorship locks in the relationship and often delivers faster processing, tailored compliance obligations and a direct route to permanent residency for critical staff.

Step 2: Verify Your Business Eligibility to Sponsor

Before diving into training benchmarks or labour market testing, you need to confirm that your organisation meets the Department of Home Affairs’ sponsorship requirements. This step safeguards the integrity of the sponsorship program and ensures only bona fide businesses can nominate overseas workers.

At a high level, your business must:

• Hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN)
• Be lawfully operating and able to demonstrate ongoing business activities
• Show financial capacity to meet sponsorship obligations
• Have a clean compliance record with no serious breaches of workplace or migration laws

For detailed guidance straight from the source, refer to the Home Affairs eligibility guidance.

Legal Status and Registration

To prove your legal standing:

• Provide your ABN/ACN registration documents.
• Submit proof of business operation, such as invoices, client contracts or lease agreements.
• Include company constitutions or partnership agreements where relevant.

These documents show the Department that your organisation is a legitimate, ongoing enterprise with the authority and capacity to sponsor a skilled worker.

Financial Capacity and Track Record

The Department needs assurance that you can fulfil sponsorship obligations—like paying market salary rates and covering return travel if required. Evidence typically includes:

• Recent financial statements (profit & loss, balance sheet)
• Bank statements demonstrating sufficient cash flow
• Audited reports or taxation returns for the past one to two years

While there’s no fixed revenue threshold, a healthy financial track record strengthens your application and reduces processing delays.

Compliance History

A spotless compliance record is essential. You should be ready to declare:

• Any outstanding debts or liabilities to government agencies
• Past breaches of workplace laws (e.g., underpayment, health and safety incidents)
• Previous sponsorship cancellations or adverse findings

If you’ve maintained a clean slate, outline this in a short statutory declaration. Otherwise, candidly detail any corrective actions taken to rectify past issues.

Sponsor Types and Advantages

There are three main sponsor categories, each with its own perks:

• Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS): the most common pathway, suitable for one-off or occasional nominations.
• Accredited Sponsorship: for businesses that regularly recruit overseas talent—benefits include priority processing, streamlined renewals and reduced evidence requirements for future nominations.
• Labour Agreement Sponsorship: available when a formal agreement exists between an industry or region and the government, offering tailored concessions on salary and occupation lists.

Choosing the right sponsor type is a strategic decision. If you foresee ongoing needs for foreign-skilled labour, seeking accredited status can pay dividends in speed and flexibility.

Step 3: Fulfill Training Benchmark Obligations

To ensure that sponsoring overseas talent also benefits the local workforce, the Migration Act requires businesses to meet training benchmark obligations. These benchmarks aim to encourage employers to invest in upskilling Australian employees and maintaining a skilled homegrown talent pool alongside their sponsored staff.

Purpose of Training Benchmarks

The training benchmarks were introduced to:

• Promote ongoing professional development for Australian workers
• Ensure sponsors contribute to national training priorities
• Balance the inflow of skilled migrants with growth in domestic capabilities

By funding training initiatives, businesses help build a stronger, more adaptable workforce. The Department of Home Affairs and parliamentary committees have emphasised these benchmarks as key to long-term industry growth (see the parliamentary report on training benchmarks for 457 visas).

Benchmark A: Industry Training Fund

Benchmark A requires employers to spend a minimum of 2% of their total annual payroll on an approved industry training fund or levy. To comply:

1. Identify the relevant training fund for your industry (for example, Construction, Manufacturing, or Hospitality).
2. Calculate 2% of your annual payroll.
3. Pay that amount into the chosen fund before lodging a nomination.

Example:
For a business with a $1,000,000 annual payroll:

• 2% of $1,000,000 = 20,000
  Your contribution would be 20,000 to the designated industry training fund.

Benchmark B: Direct Training

Benchmark B obliges employers to spend at least 1% of their annual payroll on direct training for Australian employees. Eligible activities include:

• Accredited courses or certifications (e.g., TAFE, registered training organisations)
• On-the-job training programs with formal curricula
• Workshops, seminars or conferences relevant to employees’ roles

Example:
With a $1,000,000 payroll, 1% equals 10,000 direct training investment. You might allocate this to short courses for frontline supervisors or to external leadership development programs.

Sample Training Log

Documenting Compliance

Accurate record-keeping is crucial to demonstrate compliance during sponsorship audits. Employers should retain:

• Proof of industry training fund payments (e.g., receipts, fund statements)
• Invoices and enrolment confirmations for direct training
• A training log or register detailing participants, dates and costs
• Annual payroll summaries showing the calculations for Benchmarks A and B

Recommended retention period: at least five years from the date of sponsorship application. This ensures you can promptly respond to any Department of Home Affairs enquiries or audit requests.

Step 4: Conduct Labour Market Testing

Before you nominate an overseas worker, you must demonstrate that no suitably qualified Australian worker is available for the role. Labour market testing (LMT) ensures local candidates are considered first and helps maintain fair hiring practices. In practice, this means advertising your vacancy in approved channels for a set period, collecting applications, and logging your recruitment efforts.

When LMT Is Required

Most employer-sponsored visas require LMT, including:

• TSS 482 (Medium-term stream)
• ENS 186 (Direct Entry)
• Regional 494 (Employer-sponsored stream)

Some streams are exempt, such as:

• TSS 482 Short-term stream for occupations on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List
• Nominations under specific labour agreements

For a full list of exemptions and details, refer to the Department’s guide on labour market testing requirements.

Crafting Effective Job Ads

Your advertisements must run for at least 28 days and clearly state:

• Business name, vacancy location and ANZSCO occupation title
• Detailed duties, required skills and minimum qualifications
• Total annual remuneration package (salary and allowances)
• Contact details for applicants and closing date

Recommended platforms include:

• Major online job boards (e.g., SEEK, Indeed)
• National or regional newspapers
• Professional association websites and industry forums

Save start-and-end date screenshots, proof of publication (invoices or receipts) and URL links to each ad.

Evaluating Candidates

Once your ads close, review applications and shortlist candidates in good faith:

• Use a comparison checklist to match qualifications, experience and certifications against the role’s criteria
• Log reasons for rejecting applicants (e.g., insufficient experience, lack of required licence)
• Record interview invitations, dates, interviewer names and outcome summaries

These records demonstrate an unbiased process and will support your case if the Department audits your LMT.

Submitting LMT Evidence

When lodging your nomination, assemble a concise LMT report containing:

1. Copies or screenshots of each job advertisement with active dates
2. A table summarising all applicants, their qualifications, application dates and outcomes
3. Invoices or receipts for ad placements
4. A brief narrative outlining your recruitment steps and why no local hire met the requirements

Presenting well-organised LMT evidence reduces processing delays and minimises follow-up questions from the Department.

Step 5: Choose the Appropriate Employer-Sponsored Visa Subclass

Deciding on the correct visa subclass is a crucial turning point in your sponsorship journey. Each subclass serves different business needs, employee profiles and long‐term goals. Below is a snapshot of the main employer‐sponsored visas to help guide your decision:

For an in‐depth look at each pathway, check our full guide on employer‐sponsored visas in Australia.

TSS 482 Visa Details

The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 visa caters to short‐ and medium‐term recruitment needs.

• Short-term stream (STSOL): valid up to two years, renewable once. It’s ideal for project‐based roles but doesn’t directly lead to PR.
• Medium-term stream (MLTSSL): valid up to four years with multiple renewals. Offers a direct route to permanent residency through ENS 186 or Standard Business Sponsorship.

Sponsors must meet the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) and complete labour market testing for each nomination.

ENS 186 Visa Details

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) 186 visa grants permanent residency via two streams:

• Direct Entry: for candidates with at least three years’ relevant experience and a recognised skills assessment.
• Temporary Residence Transition (TRT): for existing TSS 482 medium‐term visa holders who’ve worked for the same employer for at least three years. No skills assessment is required.

Both streams demand a valid nomination, proof of labour market testing and adherence to salary requirements above the TSMIT.

Regional 494 Visa Details

The Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) visa is designed for businesses in designated regional areas. Key features include:

• A five‐year term, with an option to extend in some cases.
• Nomination by an employer operating in a regional zone.
• Pathway to permanent residency after three years of work and residence in the region.

This visa supports regional industries by offering targeted access to overseas talent and encouraging long‐term retention.

DAMA Visa Streams

Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) allow specific regional or industry groups to negotiate concessions on standard visa requirements. Under a DAMA you can:

• Sponsor via 482 or 494 with reduced training benchmarks or modified salary thresholds.
• Nominate from a customised occupation list aligned with local skill needs.
• Follow pathways to PR that mirror the core visa streams, but with tailored terms.

Check your local DAMA Occupation List and liaise with the designated area representative for specific concessions.

Making the Right Decision

To select the best subclass, weigh:

• Location: metropolitan vs regional staffing needs.
• Role length: project‐based cover vs ongoing positions.
• Employee objectives: temporary placement vs permanent residency aspirations.
• Business capacity: ability to meet training benchmarks, TSMIT and nomination obligations.

For instance, a city‐based IT firm hiring a software developer for a six‐month pilot might choose the TSS 482 short‐term stream. Meanwhile, a regional health service recruiting nurses long‐term could opt for the 494 visa to support PR goals and regional development.

By mapping out these factors, you’ll align your sponsorship strategy with both immediate demands and future workforce planning.

Step 6: Apply to Become an Approved Sponsor

Securing approved sponsor status is the gateway to nominating your overseas candidate. This formal approval confirms your business’s commitment to upholding sponsorship obligations—from training benchmarks to workplace compliance—and unlocks the ability to lodge nomination applications for skilled positions. Below, you’ll find a roadmap for submitting a complete sponsorship application, choosing between standard or accredited pathways, navigating ImmiAccount, and understanding fees and likely processing times.

Sponsorship Application Checklist

Before you begin, gather the following documents and forms to avoid delays:

• Sponsorship application form (Form 482 Sponsor application)
• Statutory declaration attesting to your business’s good standing
• Proof of legal status: ABN/ACN registration certificate
• Evidence of ongoing operations: recent invoices, contracts or lease agreements
• Financial capacity statements: profit & loss, balance sheet or audited reports for the last 12–24 months
• Training benchmark evidence: receipts for industry levy contributions or direct training payments
• Compliance declaration: record of workplace law adherence and absence of outstanding government debts
• Organisational chart or business profile outlining headcount and structure

Standard vs Accredited Sponsorship

You can apply as a Standard Business Sponsor or pursue Accredited Sponsorship if you foresee regular nominations:

• Standard Business Sponsorship

  • Best for occasional or one-off nominations
  • Requires full evidence for each sponsorship application
  • Processing is thorough but may take longer during peak periods

• Accredited Sponsorship

  • Designed for businesses that frequently sponsor overseas talent
  • Offers priority processing and reduced evidence requirements for subsequent applications
  • Requires a proven track record of compliance and financial stability
  • Ideal for employers with ongoing or multiple vacancies to fill

Lodging via ImmiAccount

ImmiAccount is the Department of Home Affairs’ secure online portal for lodging sponsor applications:

1. Create or log in to your ImmiAccount at the Department’s website.
2. Select “New Application” > “Sponsorship and Nomination” > “Standard Business Sponsorship.”
3. Complete the online form, entering business details, contact person and sponsorship type.
4. Upload all required documents in the specified formats (PDF, DOCX, JPG).
5. Review for completeness—missing evidence is a common cause of delays.
6. Pay the sponsorship application fee via credit card or ePay.
7. Submit and note your Transaction Reference Number (TRN) for future tracking.

For detailed guidance, see the Department’s sponsorship application guidelines.

Fees and Processing Times

Understanding costs and timelines helps you plan your recruitment cycle:

• Standard Business Sponsorship fee: AUD 420 (approx.)
• Accredited Sponsorship fee: AUD 630 (approx.)

Processing times (subject to change):

• Standard Business Sponsorship: 4–6 weeks
• Accredited Sponsorship: 2–3 weeks (priority processing)

Note that accredited sponsors benefit from faster assessment and may receive bundled priority for their nominations, reducing overall lead time. Always verify current fees and estimates on the Department’s website before applying to avoid surprises.

Step 7: Nominate the Position and Employee

Before your nominee lodges a visa application, you must submit a nomination to the Department of Home Affairs. Nomination and visa application are two separate lodgments: the nomination confirms the role, salary and business details, while the visa application covers the individual’s eligibility. A well-prepared nomination reduces delays and ensures your candidate meets all requirements.

Once your sponsorship is approved, follow these steps to nominate:

ANZSCO Codes and Occupation Selection

Begin by identifying the correct ANZSCO code from the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).

• Search by job title or key responsibilities to find matching occupations.
• Review the detailed ANZSCO description to confirm duties, skill level and qualification requirements.
• If multiple codes fit, choose the one that most closely aligns with the nominee’s qualifications and your business needs.

Example: A civil engineer role may fall under ANZSCO 233211 (Civil Engineer) if the primary tasks involve design and project management, but ANZSCO 233111 (Construction Engineer) if the focus is on site supervision.

Employment Contract Essentials

Your employment contract must reflect the terms nominated in your application and comply with both visa and workplace law:

• Position title and ANZSCO occupation description.
• Annual salary (including allowances) at or above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT).
• Standard hours of work, leave entitlements and any shift or penalty rates.
• Duties summary, reporting lines and probationary period.
• Conditions for termination, notice periods and redundancy provisions.

Including these clauses ensures the nominee and Department have a clear understanding of the role and prevents later disputes or compliance issues.

Completing the Nomination Form

The nomination form (Form 482 Nomination) requires precise information:

1. Business details and sponsorship ID.
2. Nominee’s personal details and passport information.
3. Proposed ANZSCO code, role title and salary details.
4. Labour market testing evidence and training benchmark compliance.
5. Organisational chart or business profile, showing where the nominee fits.
6. Attachments: employment contract, training records and proof of LMT.

Common errors to avoid: mismatched job titles, incorrect ANZSCO codes, missing LMT evidence or salary details that fall below TSMIT. Double-check each field before submission to minimise requests for additional information.

Market Salary and TSMIT Compliance

To meet the market salary rate requirement, ensure your nominee’s total remuneration equals or exceeds:

• The TSMIT (currently AUD 53,900 per annum*), or
• The market rate for the occupation if higher than TSMIT.

*Always verify the up-to-date TSMIT on the Department’s website before nominating. For example, if the market rate for a software developer in Sydney is AUD 85,000, your salary offer must meet that benchmark rather than the minimum TSMIT.

By correctly nominating the position and employee, you pave the way for a smooth visa application process. For more detailed guidance, consult our employer-sponsored visa booklet which walks you through every section of the nomination form.

Step 8: Assist the Employee with the Visa Application Process

Assisting your nominee through the visa application is a collaborative effort. While your role as sponsor focuses on the nomination and meeting sponsorship obligations, helping the employee navigate their own requirements—skills assessments, language tests, health and character clearances—keeps the process on track. Clear guidance and timely follow-ups can prevent costly delays and ensure the application sails smoothly through ImmiAccount.

Skills Assessment and Authorities

Many employer-sponsored visas require a positive skills assessment from an approved authority. The correct assessing body depends on the occupation:

• Engineers Australia for engineering professionals
• Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) for registered nurses
• Trades Recognition Australia for electricians, chefs and other trades

Processing times and fees differ: an engineering assessment might take 4–6 weeks and cost around AUD 500, whereas a nursing assessment can span 8–10 weeks at roughly AUD 700. Encourage your employee to initiate their skills assessment early and use the authority’s online portal to track progress.

English Language and Test Options

Proof of English proficiency is mandatory. Applicants can choose from the following tests:

Suggest that the nominee selects the exam they feel most confident in and books a test date well ahead of their visa lodgment deadline. Remind them to include certified copies of their test results when submitting the application.

Health and Character Clearances

Health and character checks safeguard public safety and the integrity of the visa system. Key steps include:

• Completing a medical examination with an approved panel physician (inside or outside Australia)
• Providing chest X-rays and any further specialist examinations if flagged during the initial check
• Submitting police certificates from every country where the nominee has lived for 12 months or more in the past ten years

These checks can take up to several weeks. Share a list of recognised panel clinics and instruct your employee to request police certificates early to avoid bottlenecks.

Lodging and Monitoring the Application

When all assessments and checks are in hand, the nominee lodges their visa application via ImmiAccount. A typical document checklist includes:

• Skills assessment decision
• English proficiency test results
• Health clearance e-receipt
• Police certificates
• Passport bio-data page
• Contract of employment along with sponsorship and nomination IDs

After submission, the applicant should log in periodically to review status updates and respond swiftly to any additional information requests from the Department of Home Affairs. Prompt replies keep the application moving and minimise processing hiccups.

For a detailed step-by-step guide from the employee’s perspective, see our working visa application guide.

Step 9: Comply with Workplace Rights and Sponsorship Obligations

Maintaining sponsorship isn’t just about securing a visa—it’s about honouring your commitments under migration and workplace laws. Both sponsors and visa holders have ongoing responsibilities to ensure the working relationship is fair, lawful and transparent. Failing to meet these obligations can lead to fines, cancellation of sponsorship or visa refusal. This step outlines what you must do under the Migration Act, the rights your employee enjoys under the Fair Work Act, how to uphold anti-discrimination and safety standards, and best practices for keeping everything audit-ready.

Migration Act Sponsorship Obligations

As a sponsor, the Migration Act requires you to:

• Pay the nominee at or above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) or the market rate for the occupation, whichever is higher
• Cover reasonable costs for the worker’s return airfare at the end of their employment or if their visa is cancelled
• Ensure the sponsored worker performs only the nominated duties and reports any significant changes—role, location or salary—to the Department of Home Affairs within specified timeframes
• Provide the same working conditions and benefits you offer to your Australian employees in equivalent roles
• Not recover any recruitment or sponsorship costs from the employee—visa fees, training contributions and agency fees must be borne by the employer
• Maintain compliance with training benchmarks and labour market testing requirements throughout the sponsorship period
• Submit six-monthly reports (or on-demand updates) about your workforce and any sponsorship changes via ImmiAccount

Fair Work Act Employee Rights

Visa holders sponsored under subclasses 482 or 457 are entitled to the full suite of National Employment Standards (NES) and relevant modern award conditions. Key rights include:

• Minimum wage and penalty rates under the Fair Work system
• Paid leave entitlements: annual, personal/carer’s, compassionate and parental leave
• Maximum weekly hours and rest breaks; request for flexible working arrangements when eligible
• Superannuation contributions at the statutory rate
• Protection from underpayment—employers must not pay sponsored workers less than local peers in the same role

For a comprehensive guide, see the Fair Work Ombudsman fact sheet on 482 and 457 visa holders’ workplace rights and entitlements.

Anti-Discrimination and Safety

Creating an inclusive and safe workplace is non-negotiable. Under federal and state laws you must:

• Enforce zero-tolerance policies on discrimination, harassment or bullying based on race, nationality, gender or visa status
• Provide and maintain a healthy work environment, including appropriate training, protective equipment and safe work procedures
• Offer equal opportunity in promotion, training and professional development
• Respond promptly to any complaints or incidents, carrying out fair investigations and taking corrective action where necessary

These measures protect your sponsored employee and minimise risk to your business reputation and legal standing.

Audit-Ready Record-Keeping

Should the Department of Home Affairs audit your sponsorship, having well-organised records will smooth the process. You should maintain:

• Copies of signed employment contracts, payslips and payroll summaries showing TSMIT compliance
• Evidence of six-monthly sponsorship reports and any ad-hoc notifications lodged via ImmiAccount
• Training benchmark records: industry training fund receipts and direct training invoices with logs of participants
• Labour market testing documents: job ads, applicant tables and rejection justifications
• Workplace policies on discrimination, WHS procedures and records of toolbox talks or safety drills

We recommend using a central document register—and retaining all records for at least five years—to demonstrate your adherence to both sponsorship and workplace obligations.

Step 10: Maintain Sponsorship, Reporting, and Manage Changes

Securing your approved sponsor status and successfully nominating a worker is a milestone—and the real work starts once your overseas hire begins. Ongoing compliance isn’t optional: you must continuously fulfil sponsorship obligations, keep the Department of Home Affairs updated on any changes, and respond promptly to audit requests. A proactive approach and organised records will help you avoid penalties and demonstrate your commitment to fair, lawful employment.

This final step explains how to update your sponsorship details, submit periodic reports, navigate compliance audits, and manage changes affecting your sponsored employees—from promotions and extended leave to visa extensions, transfers, or a business takeover.

Updating Sponsor Details

Whenever your business undergoes key changes—such as relocating premises, altering its legal structure or appointing a new contact officer—you must notify the Department of Home Affairs within 28 days. Log into ImmiAccount, select your sponsorship record and click “Manage business details.” You’ll need to provide:

• New business address or trading name
• Updated ABN/ACN or company structure details
• Revised contact officer information (name, email, phone)

Failing to update these details on time can lead to compliance concerns or delays in future nominations.

Reporting and Audit Triggers

All approved sponsors must lodge six-monthly reports via ImmiAccount under “Sponsorship Reporting.” Each report should cover:

• Number of current sponsored employees by visa subclass and their visa expiry dates
• Any salary changes or role variations
• Evidence of training benchmark compliance for the period

The Department may audit your records randomly or if it spots red flags—late reports, frequent transfers or inconsistencies in labour market testing. Keeping accurate, date-stamped documentation will smooth any audit process.

Managing Employee Status Changes

You must inform Home Affairs when a sponsored worker experiences significant changes, including:

• Moving to a different position or ANZSCO code
• Receiving a major salary increase above the nominated rate
• Taking extended leave (over six months) or changing work location
• Shifting from part-time to full-time (or vice versa)

Some modifications require a new nomination application; others only need a notification. Always check the worker’s visa conditions for deadlines and the correct procedure.

Extensions, Transfers, and Cancellations

Handling extensions, sponsorship transfers or cessations requires careful timing:

• For visa extensions, lodge the nomination and encourage your employee to apply at least three months before their current visa expires.
• When taking over a business with existing sponsored staff, apply to become the new sponsor and re-nominate each visa holder—your employees can work under bridging arrangements until their new grants issue.
• To cease sponsorship (e.g., upon employee departure), notify the Department within 28 days of their last day and fulfil any return-airfare obligations.

By diligently maintaining sponsorship, lodging timely reports and managing changes effectively, you protect your business from compliance risk and reinforce your reputation as a trusted employer of overseas talent.

Next Steps for Your Sponsorship Journey

Navigating sponsorship in Australia by employer is a marathon, not a sprint. From confirming eligibility to lodging six-monthly reports, each phase demands attention to detail and strict adherence to Home Affairs requirements. Keep your documents organised, set up calendar reminders for key lodgment dates, and review your training and labour market testing evidence well before you submit.

Proactive management also means anticipating changes—whether that’s a restructuring of your company, an employee promotion or an unexpected leave of absence. A delayed notification to the Department of Home Affairs can lead to compliance breaches or audits. Whenever you’re unsure, pause and seek clarity; it’s far easier to correct course before an application is assessed than to address issues after a refusal or penalty.

Action checklist:

• Regularly audit your sponsorship records against the latest Home Affairs guidelines
• Delegate clear roles within your team for tracking visa milestones and reporting obligations
• Communicate openly with sponsored staff about visa conditions and upcoming renewals
• Establish relationships with industry training funds and authorised medical panel clinics
• Schedule an annual internal compliance review to catch gaps before an external audit

Complex cases—such as DAMA concessions, multi-location work arrangements or labour agreement sponsorships—require specialised expertise. Simon Mander Consulting P/L combines 22+ years in migration law with thousands of successful grants to guide you through every twist and turn. For tailored advice and hands-on support, visit Simon Mander Consulting P/L and take the next step towards securing your global talent.

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