In this guide
- Is the business able to sponsor?
- Is there a genuine skilled position?
- Does the salary meet the relevant requirements?
- Has the business tested the local labour market?
- Is the candidate suitable?
- What are the two most common barriers?
- What if the standard program does not fit?
- Start with the role, not the visa label
- Assess your sponsorship position
Many Australian employers start with the same question: can our business sponsor an overseas worker for a role we cannot fill locally?
The answer depends on more than the candidate. The business, the position, the employment conditions and the worker all need to fit an available pathway. A strong candidate does not fix a position that does not meet the program requirements. Equally, an eligible role does not mean every candidate will qualify.
Is the business able to sponsor?
The employer may need to hold or obtain the appropriate sponsorship status for the visa pathway. The business will generally need to be lawfully operating and able to provide evidence about its activities, financial position, workforce and employment arrangements.
The evidence required depends on the program and the business. A newer or smaller business is not automatically excluded, but it may need to explain its operations and the genuine need for the position carefully.
Is there a genuine skilled position?
The role should reflect the business’s real operations and workforce needs. The title alone is not enough. The actual duties, level of responsibility, work location, hours, salary and reporting structure all need to align.
Before advertising internationally or making an offer, check whether the role can be matched to an occupation used by the relevant visa program.
Does the salary meet the relevant requirements?
Sponsored roles are subject to salary and employment requirements. Employers may need to show that the proposed salary is consistent with the Australian market rate and meets any applicable income threshold.
Thresholds change, and a salary that was sufficient in an earlier year may not be sufficient for a later nomination. Check the position against the current settings before an employment contract is finalised. Salary is also one of the biggest drivers of the overall budget, covered in what it actually costs to sponsor an overseas worker.
Has the business tested the local labour market?
Labour market testing may be required for a nomination. This usually means advertising the position in the required way and keeping evidence that the employer genuinely tested the Australian labour market.
Common problems include using the wrong advertising channels, leaving out required information, running advertisements for the wrong period, or letting the evidence become out of date before lodgement. The safest approach is to plan labour market testing as part of the migration process, not as an afterthought.
Is the candidate suitable?
The candidate may need to demonstrate relevant skills, work experience, English language ability, registration or licensing, and meet health and character requirements. The exact criteria depend on the occupation and the visa pathway.
Avoid assuming that previous work in the business, or an existing temporary visa, automatically establishes eligibility.
What are the two most common barriers?
The first is occupation fit. A business may have a genuine vacancy, but the duties do not align closely enough with an occupation available under the standard program.
The second is evidence. The role may be viable, but the business has not prepared the advertising, salary, organisational and financial evidence needed to support the nomination.
Both are easier to address before recruitment commitments are made.
What if the standard program does not fit?
An occupation being unavailable under a standard pathway does not always end the discussion. Labour Agreements and DAMAs can provide access to additional occupations or agreed concessions in defined circumstances.
They are not shortcuts. The employer may need to show a genuine and ongoing shortage, local recruitment efforts, workforce planning, and why the standard program does not meet the business need.
Start with the role, not the visa label
Employers often approach sponsorship by asking for a particular visa. A better starting point is the business need:
- What role must be filled?
- Where will the worker be based?
- What duties will they perform?
- What salary will be offered?
- Is there already a candidate?
- Is the requirement temporary, permanent, or part of a larger workforce plan?
Those facts determine which pathways, such as the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa or the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), are worth assessing.
Assess your sponsorship position
Stratton Migration Australia helps employers review the business, the proposed role and the candidate together before deciding how to proceed. Do it before making recruitment promises or committing to a pathway.
Employer Sponsorship Assessment – $550 + GST
This is specifically for employers considering sponsoring an existing worker or recruiting an overseas candidate.
Submit an initial enquiry so we can understand the assistance you require and advise which service may be appropriate. Tailored migration advice and eligibility assessments are provided through a paid consultation or assessment under a formal engagement.
Frequently asked questions
Does a business need to be a certain size to sponsor a worker?
There is no simple size cut-off. A business generally needs to be lawfully operating and able to evidence its activities, financial position and genuine need for the role. Smaller businesses can sponsor, but they may need to explain their operations and the need for the position more carefully.
Can a new business become a sponsor?
A newer business is not automatically excluded, but it will usually have less trading history to rely on. It may need to show how it operates, how the role fits the business and how it will meet its sponsorship obligations. The evidence required depends on the program.
Can we sponsor someone who already works for us?
Potentially. An existing employee can be a strong candidate, but current employment does not by itself establish eligibility. The role, occupation, salary, labour market testing, their current visa conditions and the requirements of the proposed pathway all need to be checked before any promise is made.
What happens if the occupation is not available under the standard program?
It does not always end the discussion. Labour Agreements and Designated Area Migration Agreements can provide access to additional occupations or agreed concessions in defined circumstances. They are not shortcuts, and the business will need to show a genuine, ongoing shortage and why the standard program does not meet its need.
This article is general information about how Australian migration programs work, current as at 25 September 2026. It is not advice about your circumstances. Government fees, income thresholds, occupation lists and processing settings change regularly; check the current position with the Department of Home Affairs or a Registered Migration Agent before relying on it.
