Employer Sponsored Visa

Eligibility Criteria

The Employer Sponsored program covers the Skills in Demand (subclass 482), the regional 494 and the permanent 186. Broadly, you may be eligible if you:

• Have a job offer from an approved Australian sponsor for an eligible occupation.
• Meet the salary threshold — for the 482 Core Skills stream this is the Core Skills Income Threshold (around AUD $76,515, indexed), or the higher Specialist Skills threshold (around AUD $141,210) for senior roles.
• Have relevant skills and experience — generally at least one year, with a skills assessment for some occupations.
• Meet English — usually IELTS 5.0 overall (higher for the permanent streams).
• Meet health and character requirements; permanent streams generally require you to be under 45.

The 482 and 494 are temporary; both open a pathway to permanent residency. Speak to our agent about the right stream for your role.

Required Documents

Employer-sponsored applications involve both the sponsor and you. Your documents typically include:

Identity & qualifications

• Valid passport
• Qualifications and (where required) a skills assessment
• Detailed CV and employment references

Role & supporting evidence

• Nomination and employment contract from the sponsoring employer
• Evidence of skilled work experience (payslips, references)
• English test results
• Police clearances and health examinations

Your employer must hold (or obtain) sponsorship approval and lodge a matching nomination — we coordinate both sides.

Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Eligibility & stream check — confirm the occupation, salary and the right subclass (482/494/186).
2. Sponsorship — the employer obtains or confirms business sponsorship.
3. Nomination — the employer lodges a nomination for your specific role.
4. Visa application — we prepare and lodge your application with supporting evidence.
5. Health & character — complete medicals, biometrics and clearances.
6. Grant & PR pathway — after a qualifying period you can transition to PR via the 186.

Processing varies by stream and whether accredited sponsorship applies.