Written by Immigrad · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 1805710 · Last updated September 2026
An accredited sponsor is a standard business sponsor that the Department of Home Affairs has also granted accredited status. There is no additional fee if you request accreditation at the time of your sponsorship application or renewal. The clearest practical benefit is that workers you nominate can rely on your written character reference instead of obtaining overseas police certificates.
Accreditation is not a separate sponsorship. The Department is explicit that to be an accredited sponsor you must be a standard business sponsor. A standard business sponsorship costs AUD 420 and is valid for five years from the date the Department approves the application, and accredited status remains in effect throughout that same period. All figures on this page were checked against the Department of Home Affairs on 14 September 2026.
Your obligations as an accredited sponsor are the same as those for a standard business sponsor. Accreditation adds an option, not a lighter compliance load — and it adds one specific responsibility, set out below.
Who is eligible for accredited sponsor status?
The Department of Home Affairs sets out six categories of accredited sponsor, and you must meet the additional characteristics of one of them at the time of application. The characteristics for each category are published on the Department’s accredited sponsor page. Establishing which category your business fits, if any, is the first step, because accreditation carries no additional fee only when you request it with your sponsorship application or renewal.
What does the accredited sponsor character reference benefit actually mean?
Applicants sponsored by an accredited sponsor are generally not required to obtain police certificates from countries other than Australia, provided they attach a written reference from the sponsor confirming they are of good character and have not been convicted of any criminal offences. The Department generally relies on that reference instead of overseas police certificates. For a worker who has lived in several countries, that removes weeks of document-chasing.
What must an accredited sponsor character reference contain?
The Department specifies the form. The reference must be on company letterhead, include the sponsor’s name and the full name of the person signing it, and include the visa applicant’s full name and date of birth. A pro-forma is published on the Department’s website. The signatory confirms they understand the character requirements and that, to the best of their knowledge, the applicant meets them.
How long does accredited sponsor status last?
A standard business sponsorship is valid for five years from the date the Department approves the application, and accreditation remains in effect throughout that period. If your current sponsorship has not ceased when you lodge for a new sponsorship agreement, you do not need to reapply for accreditation status. The sponsorship application charge is AUD 420.
Is it worth requesting accreditation?
If you are lodging or renewing a standard business sponsorship anyway, there is no additional fee to request accreditation at the same time, so the question is whether you meet one of the six categories rather than whether the cost is justified. Weigh the character reference carefully: the benefit to your workers comes with an acknowledgement that accredited status may be revoked if a nominated applicant is later found not to satisfy the character test.
Does accredited sponsor status get your applications processed faster?
Not by itself, under the current rules. Processing priority for skilled nomination and visa applications is set by Ministerial Direction 119, which took effect on 25 July 2026 and replaced Direction 105. Priority is determined by occupation — law enforcement and defence highest, then construction, healthcare and teaching — and by whether the applicant is in Australia at the time of application. Sponsor accreditation is not one of the listed priority factors.
Related reading
See our step-by-step guide to standard business sponsorship, the requirements for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa and the subclass 494 regional visa, or the full range of employer-sponsored visa pathways.
If you are lodging or renewing a standard business sponsorship and want to know whether your business fits one of the accredited sponsor categories, contact Immigrad for an assessment of your circumstances.
General information only, current as at 14 September 2026. It is not personal migration advice and does not take your circumstances into account. Charges and requirements change; always confirm current figures with the Department of Home Affairs. Complex cases should be discussed with a registered migration agent. Immigrad is operated by Oceans Consultancy Pty Ltd. Gaurav Duggal, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 1805710.