For Australian employers, sponsoring an overseas worker is more than the visa application charge. The real cost can include sponsorship and nomination charges, the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, professional fees, recruitment, compliance, salary requirements and relocation support. This guide explains the major cost components for the 2026–27 financial year so businesses can budget more realistically.

 

1. Government fees: what employers need to budget for

From 1 July 2026, several visa application charges increased. The Department of Home Affairs lists the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa from AUD 4,015 and the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) visas from AUD 6,140 for the main applicant. The visa application charge is generally an applicant-side cost, although an employer may choose to pay it.

Pathway SBS Nomination SAF levy Main applicant VAC
482 Skills in Demand AUD 420* AUD 330 AUD 1,200/yr (<$10m turnover) or AUD 1,800/yr (≥$10m) AUD 4,015
186 Employer Nomination Scheme AUD 420* if sponsorship approval is required AUD 540 AUD 3,000 (<$10m turnover) or AUD 5,000 (≥$10m) AUD 6,140
494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional AUD 420* if sponsorship approval is required AUD 330 AUD 3,000 (<$10m turnover) or AUD 5,000 (≥$10m) AUD 6,140

*The Standard Business Sponsorship fee is relevant where a new sponsorship approval is required; it is not a per-worker fee and an existing valid approval may avoid a new SBS charge. Labour agreement/DAMA pathways can have different government charges or endorsement costs.

 

2. Professional services and recruitment costs

Government charges are only one layer of the budget. Employers may also incur professional service fees for sponsorship, nomination and visa work, as well as compliance advice or responses to Department requests. Professional fees vary by provider, matter complexity, visa stream and whether the work is fixed-fee or hourly, so businesses should obtain a written quote rather than assume a standard amount.

  • Migration agent or immigration lawyer fees – sponsorship, nomination and visa preparation.
  • Skills assessment costs – where the nominated occupation and applicant pathway require an assessment.
  • Recruitment fees – domestic or international recruitment, sourcing and candidate placement.
  • Advertising and labour-market testing costs – where required for the nominated pathway.
  • Translation, certification, police checks, health examinations and other applicant-side documentation costs.

 

3. SAF levy: the cost employers often underestimate

The SAF levy is paid by the sponsoring employer and is calculated differently depending on the visa pathway. For a 482 nomination, the levy is charged for each year of the proposed visa period: AUD 1,200 per year for businesses with annual turnover below AUD 10 million, or AUD 1,800 per year for businesses with turnover of AUD 10 million or more. For the 186 and 494 pathways, the levy is generally a one-off amount of AUD 3,000 or AUD 5,000 depending on turnover.

Example: a four-year 482 nomination creates a SAF levy of AUD 4,800 for a business under the AUD 10 million turnover threshold, or AUD 7,200 for a larger business. The levy is separate from the nomination fee.

 

4. Salary requirements are a workforce cost, not just a visa cost

From 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) increased to AUD 79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) increased to AUD 146,576, subject to the applicable stream and requirements. The employer must also consider the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR), meaning the required salary may be higher than the relevant threshold.

This means the immigration budget should not be separated from the employment budget. If a proposed salary does not satisfy the applicable threshold or market salary requirements, the employer may need to increase the remuneration package before the nomination can proceed.

 

5. Hidden and indirect costs

  • Onboarding support – time spent by HR, managers and payroll teams preparing the new employee.
  • Relocation assistance – flights, temporary accommodation, transport and settlement support.
  • Accommodation bridging – short-term housing while the employee secures permanent accommodation.
  • Training and induction – role-specific training, workplace systems and compliance programs.
  • Internal administration – document collection, approvals, payroll setup and sponsor compliance.
  • Potential replacement costs – if the recruitment does not succeed or the worker leaves earlier than expected.
  • Family relocation – where the business chooses to assist with dependent travel, accommodation or settlement.

 

6. Indicative cost-per-hire comparison

The following examples illustrate government costs only. They exclude professional fees, recruitment, skills assessments, health checks, police checks, translations, relocation and other business costs.

Example Employer government costs Worker VAC Indicative combined government costs Typical use
482 – 4 years, < $10m turnover AUD 5,550* AUD 4,015 AUD 9,565 IT, engineering, professional roles
482 – 4 years, ≥ $10m turnover AUD 7,950* AUD 4,015 AUD 11,965 Larger employers / high-volume hiring
186 – < $10m turnover AUD 3,960* AUD 6,140 AUD 10,100 Permanent skilled workforce
186 – ≥ $10m turnover AUD 5,960* AUD 6,140 AUD 12,100 Permanent skilled workforce
494 – < $10m turnover AUD 3,750* AUD 6,140 AUD 9,890 Regional skilled roles
494 – ≥ $10m turnover AUD 5,750* AUD 6,140 AUD 11,890 Regional skilled roles

*Assumes a new SBS approval is required. For 482, the employer cost includes SBS AUD 420 + nomination AUD 330 + four years of SAF. For 186/494 it includes SBS where required + nomination + the applicable one-off SAF levy. These are budgeting examples, not quotes or final application costs.

 

7. What this means across industries

The government fee structure is driven mainly by the visa pathway, not the industry itself. However, the total cost of hiring can differ significantly by sector because of salary levels, skills assessment requirements, recruitment difficulty and relocation needs.

  • Technology and professional services: often use 482 pathways for skilled roles; salary requirements and recruitment costs can be significant.
  • Engineering and construction: may involve skills assessments, professional recruitment and regional pathways depending on the role and location.
  • Healthcare and care sectors: may involve occupation-specific eligibility, registration or assessment requirements and substantial relocation support.
  • Regional hospitality and other regional businesses: a 494 pathway may be relevant where eligibility requirements are met, with regional relocation costs potentially becoming a major part of the budget.
  • Trades and technical roles: skills assessment, licensing or registration and candidate relocation can materially increase the cost beyond government charges.

 

8. A better way to budget for an overseas hire

Employers should build an end-to-end cost model before committing to sponsorship. A useful budget should include five categories: government charges, professional services, recruitment and assessment, employment costs, and relocation/onboarding. This provides a more realistic cost-per-hire figure than looking only at the visa fee.

  1. Confirm the appropriate visa and sponsorship pathway.
  2. Check the applicable salary threshold and market salary requirements.
  3. Calculate the SAF levy based on visa duration and business turnover.
  4. Obtain written professional and recruitment fee estimates.
  5. Budget for assessments, checks, translations and documentation.
  6. Estimate relocation, accommodation and onboarding support.
  7. Allow for contingencies and potential Department requests.

 

9. How RSG can help

For employers, immigration is most effective when it is treated as part of workforce planning rather than a standalone visa transaction. RSG’s workforce solutions approach can help businesses connect immigration and sponsorship requirements with recruitment, workforce planning and end-to-end support.

If your business is considering sponsoring overseas talent, the next step is to assess the role, candidate, visa pathway and total workforce cost before making a commitment.

Book a consult with RSG to discuss your workforce and sponsorship requirements.

This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Government fees, visa criteria, salary thresholds and sponsorship requirements can change. Employers should obtain advice specific to their circumstances before taking action.