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ARTICLE · 31 MARCH 2025

Australian employer sponsored visa costs – who pays?

Holding Redlich
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Rules surrounding employer sponsored visa costs to help employers remain compliant with immigration laws.

AustraliaImmigration
Rebecca Macmillan
Rebecca Macmillan
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The Australian Government has clear regulations regarding visa sponsorship costs and failure to comply can result in penalties, including visa refusals, cancellations, fines or imprisonment. Employers looking to sponsor skilled workers in Australia should understand who can legally pay for visa-related costs to ensure compliance.

This article explains the rules surrounding employer sponsored visa costs to help employers remain compliant with Australian immigration law. We focus on the following visas:

  • Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa (SID) (formerly the Temporary Skills Shortage visa)
  • Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) (Provisional) visa
  • Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa (ENS).

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This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.

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