Employer sponsorship cost
An employer who nominates a worker pays the government a nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy. The levy depends on the business's turnover and, for the 482, on how long the stay is.
Your result
Fill in the details above and your result appears here.
General information only, not legal advice.
How this is worked out
The nomination fee for a 482 or 186 nomination is set out on the Department of Home Affairs: cost of sponsoring. The 494 nomination fee is nil: Federal Register of Legislation: LIN 19/215 (F2019L01451); the 186 fee can vary with the stream and location.
The Skilling Australians Fund levy is set by Federal Register of Legislation: SAF Charges Regulations 2018 (F2018L01092). It is a lower rate for a business with annual turnover under $10 million and a higher rate otherwise. For a 482 it is charged for each year of the stay nominated, a part year counting as a full year, and paid in full when the nomination is lodged; for a 186 or 494 it is one payment.
Not included: the sponsorship application, the worker's own visa charges (see the visa cost estimator), salary and market rate obligations, and professional fees. There is no card surcharge: Home Affairs stopped charging card surcharges from 1 October 2026.
Checked on 22-10-2026. General information only, not legal advice.