February 2, 2026
If skills shortages are slowing your growth, understanding how to sponsor an employee for a work visa could be the solution.
Australian employer sponsorship allows you to access qualified international professionals, fill critical roles, and scale with confidence.
In this employer-focused guide, we break down sponsorship approval, visa options, costs, and timelines—helping you make informed hiring decisions while avoiding common compliance risks.
Free Strategic Session for Employers: Get expert guidance on sponsoring international employees, choosing the right visa, and hiring without delays or compliance risks. Book your free session.
Step 1: Become an Approved Sponsor
Before you can hire from overseas, your business needs approval from the Australian Government through Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS).
This isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Most legitimate Australian businesses—whether startups, established companies, or not-for-profits—qualify by simply proving they are actively operating and financially genuine.
Once approved, your sponsorship status is usually valid for five years, giving you the flexibility to sponsor skilled workers whenever your business needs them.
Faster option: If your business is established and plans to sponsor multiple employees, you may qualify for an Accredited Status. Accredited sponsors receive priority processing, meaning your nominations can often be approved in days rather than months. At Visa Store, we help eligible businesses secure this status to drastically speed up their hiring timelines.
Step 2: Nominate the Right Role and Candidate
After finding the right person, the next step is lodging a nomination—your formal request explaining why this role and candidate are essential to your business.
This generally involves:
- Labour market testing: showing you advertised locally before looking overseas
- Genuine position requirements: demonstrating the role supports real business growth
- Salary compliance: ensuring pay meets Australian market standards
Handled correctly, this step is straightforward and forms the core of learning how to sponsor an employee for a work visa successfully.
Step 3: Choose the Best Visa Pathway
Depending on how long you need the person and where your business is located, you have three main paths:
| Your Goal | The Solution | Why Choose It? |
| Speed & Flexibility | Skills in Demand (482) | Ideal for filling urgent skill gaps quickly with flexible temporary sponsorship. |
| Regional Advantage | Regional Sponsored (494) | Designed for businesses outside major cities, with priority processing and strong retention benefits. |
| Long-Term Loyalty | Permanent Residency (186) | A long-term solution that allows key employees to settle permanently in Australia. |
Expert Insight – The “Age 45” Strategy: A common fear for employers is finding the perfect senior expert who happens to be over 45. While 45 is the standard cutoff for permanent residency, there are high-income exemptions available. If your candidate is a top-tier specialist, we can often navigate pathways that allow them to stay and transition to PR regardless of their age.
Step 4: Hiring Someone Already in Australia
Did you find a great candidate who is already in Australia on a visa with another company? You can “transfer” them to your team!
This is a common shortcut for many businesses. You don’t have to wait for them to get a brand-new visa. Instead, we simply update their paperwork to show that your business is now their sponsor.
It’s a cost-effective way to hire experienced talent that is already settled in the Australian lifestyle.
Step 5: Understand the Employer Costs
One of the biggest concerns for employers exploring how to sponsor an employee for a work visa is cost certainty.
The good news is that employer sponsorship in Australia is far more predictable than many expect. In most cases:
- The employee pays their personal visa application costs
- The employer covers the government nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy
Why the SAF Levy Exists (and Why It’s Simpler Now)
Previously, businesses had to prove they were spending a percentage of payroll on staff training—creating heavy paperwork and compliance stress.
Today, that system has been replaced by the SAF levy, a fixed government contribution that supports training for Australian workers.
For employers, this means:
- No complex training benchmarks
- No ongoing reporting burden
- Clear, upfront budgeting
Typical Employer Investment
Costs vary based on business turnover:
- Small businesses (under $10M turnover): Generally, around $1,200 per sponsored year of the visa
- Medium and large businesses: A higher annual SAF amount applies, reflecting organisational scale
Because these are set government fees, sponsorship becomes a planned investment rather than an uncertain expense—making workforce planning significantly easier.
For a line-by-line breakdown, check out our other guide – how much it costs to sponsor an employee in Australia
6. What Happens If Circumstances Change? (Termination or Health)
Smart employers don’t just ask how sponsorship works—they ask what happens if things don’t go to plan.
Australian sponsorship rules are designed to be practical and business-friendly, provided obligations are handled correctly.
If Employment Ends
If a sponsored worker resigns or employment is terminated:
- You simply notify the Department of Home Affairs within 28 days
- Your sponsorship status remains valid
- Ongoing responsibility for the visa generally stops at that point
This ensures sponsorship does not create long-term risk for your business.
If a Candidate Has a Health Condition
Medical concerns don’t automatically prevent sponsorship. In certain situations, applicants may qualify for a health waiver, particularly when:
- Their skills are in high demand
- Their role delivers clear economic value
- Supporting evidence is prepared correctly
With the right migration strategy, many strong candidates who might otherwise be declined can still become valuable long-term employees.
Ready to Sponsor the Right Talent?
Sponsoring an overseas professional doesn’t need to be complex or risky. With the right guidance, it becomes a clear, compliant pathway to solving skill shortages and accelerating growth.
Book your free 30-minute employer consultation today and discover the fastest, most cost-effective way to bring global talent into your business with confidence.
ALSO READ:
How much does visa sponsorship cost in Australia?
Australian visa sponsorship requirements
