The file usually arrives with the offer letter already signed. It promises the candidate full visa sponsorship and a start date six weeks out. Nobody has checked whether the company is an approved sponsor. Nobody has advertised the role. Our commercial team reads the letter and finds a promise the business cannot yet keep. The migration team then explains that the nomination needs two other things in place first. That conversation is avoidable. It comes down to order.
This note sets out the order we use with sponsoring employers, the 2026-27 charges, and the contract points that decide the nomination.
In short: Sponsorship approval costs $420, a 482 nomination costs $330 and the training levy is $1,200 or $1,800 per year of visa. Become a sponsor and advertise the role before the offer letter goes out, because the nomination is assessed on both and neither can be backdated.
What the offer letter commits you to
An offer letter is a contract once it is accepted. If it promises sponsorship without conditions, the business has taken on an obligation it does not control. The Department decides the sponsorship and the nomination, not the employer. A candidate who resigns overseas on the strength of that letter has a claim if the visa never comes.
Our commercial practice drafts sponsored offers differently. Employment starts on visa grant, not on a calendar date. The role, salary and hours match the nomination word for word. No clause asks the worker to repay any sponsorship cost, because the law forbids recovery. We set out the clauses in our guide to contracts for sponsored staff.
Four approvals, one order
| Step | Who applies | Charge | Depends on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard business sponsorship | The business | $420 | Lawful operation, training record, no adverse information. |
| Labour market testing | The business | Advertising cost only | Advertisements for at least 28 days, within the 4 months before nomination. |
| Nomination | The business | $330 plus the levy | Sponsorship, testing, a signed contract and a salary of at least $79,423. |
| Visa | The worker | $4,015 | An approved or lodged nomination, plus skills, English, health and character. |
The sponsorship and the nomination can be lodged together. So can the nomination and the visa. What cannot happen is a nomination lodged with no advertising behind it. Testing done after lodgement does not count. The steps in our sponsorship guide can run while the shortlist is still open.
Where is the business today?
Is the business an approved standard business sponsor?
Hire first or sponsor first
We see both sequences every month. The difference shows in the calendar, not in the law.
| Hire first | Sponsor first |
|---|---|
| Offer signed, then sponsorship discovered. | Sponsorship approved before the role is advertised. |
| Advertising starts after acceptance and runs 28 days. | Advertising runs during the shortlist and is saved with dates. |
| Contract redrafted to match the nomination. | Contract drafted from the nomination in the first place. |
| Candidate waits on a start date nobody can fix. | Nomination and visa lodged the week the offer is accepted. |
Advertising has a shelf life. Run it too early and it expires before the nomination. Run it too late and the candidate waits for it. We plan the advertising window around the expected offer date. Our note on testing that holds covers the format the Department expects.
The charges in 2026-27
The business pays $420 for sponsorship, $330 per nomination, and the Skilling Australians Fund levy. The levy is $1,200 per year of visa for a business with turnover under $10 million. It is $1,800 per year above that line. None of those charges can be recovered from the worker, directly or through the contract. The visa charge of $4,015 can be paid by either side. Where the plan is permanent residence later, the 186 nomination carries a $540 charge and a one off levy of $3,000 or $5,000.
What if the candidate already holds a visa with work rights?
A candidate on a graduate or working holiday visa can often start work under that visa while the sponsorship is prepared. That helps the roster. It does not change the order. The nomination still needs an approved sponsor and advertising behind it. Check the conditions on the existing visa before the start date, because some limit the employer or the length of work.
Contract checklist before the nomination
If you are planning a sponsored hire this year, contact us before the offer letter is drafted. The two practices review the sponsorship and the contract in one sitting.
Figures verified against Home Affairs visa pricing as at 1 July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can we make the employment contract conditional on the visa?
Yes, and we recommend it. The contract can state that employment starts on the grant of the visa. The role, salary and hours must still be fixed in the document, because the nomination is assessed on them.
Does the contract need to be signed before the nomination is lodged?
Yes. A 482 nomination must include a written employment contract signed by both parties. An unsigned offer or a letter of intent does not meet that requirement.
Can the worker pay the $330 nomination charge or the levy?
No. The sponsor must pay the nomination charge and the Skilling Australians Fund levy and cannot recover either from the worker. The $4,015 visa charge can be paid by either party.
Does advertising placed before sponsorship approval count?
Yes, provided it ran for at least 28 days and was placed within the 4 months before the nomination is lodged. The advertisements must also meet the format and content rules for the stream.
Can one company in our group sponsor while another employs the worker?
The nominated position must be with the sponsor or an associated entity. Group structures need to be mapped before lodgement, because the wrong entity on the contract is a refusal ground.
General information as at 2 September 2026. Not legal advice. Sponsorship criteria and charges change, and your position depends on your facts. Speak to a lawyer before relying on any of it.