Written by Immigrad · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 1805710 · Last updated September 2026
No. Under regulation 2.87 of the Migration Regulations 1994, a sponsoring employer must not recover, transfer or pass on the costs of becoming a sponsor or of nominating a worker. That includes the Skilling Australians Fund levy. The worker normally pays only their own visa application charge and personal costs such as health examinations.
How the costs are split
Australian employer sponsorship has three stages, and the law is specific about who pays for each. The sponsorship and nomination stages belong to the business. The visa application stage belongs to the worker. The table below sets out the position for the main employer-sponsored subclasses, using charges verified against the Department of Home Affairs on 6 September 2026.
| Cost | Amount (AUD) | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Business Sponsorship application | 420 | Employer – cannot be recovered |
| Nomination, subclass 482 | 330 | Employer – cannot be recovered |
| Nomination, subclass 186 | 540 | Employer – cannot be recovered |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, subclass 482 | 1,200 or 1,800 per year | Employer – cannot be recovered |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, subclass 186 or 494 | 3,000 or 5,000 one-off | Employer – cannot be recovered |
| Visa application charge, subclass 482 | 4,015 base | Usually the applicant |
| Visa application charge, subclass 186 or 494 | 6,140 base | Usually the applicant |
The levy amount depends on the sponsoring business annual turnover: the lower figure applies where turnover is under AUD 10 million and the higher figure where it is AUD 10 million or more. The Department of Home Affairs confirms that the levy is tax deductible and that it must not be passed on to the visa applicant. An employer is free to pay the worker’s visa application charge as a benefit, and many do, but the reverse is not permitted.
Common questions
Which sponsorship costs must the employer pay?
The employer must pay the Standard Business Sponsorship application charge of AUD 420, the nomination charge of AUD 330 for a subclass 482 or AUD 540 for a subclass 186, the Skilling Australians Fund levy, and any migration agent fees for the sponsorship and nomination stages. None of these can be recovered from the worker or their family members.
Which costs can a sponsored worker be asked to pay?
The worker normally pays their own visa application charge, currently AUD 4,015 for a subclass 482 and AUD 6,140 for a subclass 186 or 494, plus charges for any family members included. The worker also pays personal costs such as health examinations, police certificates, English tests, skills assessments and document translations.
What happens if an employer passes on sponsorship costs?
Recovering sponsorship or nomination costs from a worker breaches a sponsorship obligation. Consequences can include a formal warning, a bar on sponsoring further workers, cancellation of sponsorship approval, or civil penalty proceedings. The employer may also be required to repay the amount to the worker. Sponsorship obligations are monitored by the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force.
Can an employer ask a worker to repay costs if they resign early?
No. Regulation 2.87 prohibits recovering these costs and also prohibits taking actions that would result in someone else paying them. A clause requiring a worker to repay sponsorship or nomination costs on resignation would therefore still breach the obligation. Genuine training bonds for training the employer actually provides are a separate matter and should be reviewed carefully.
Where to check the current position
Government charges and income thresholds are reviewed regularly, so confirm current figures with the Department of Home Affairs before budgeting. You can also read our detailed guides on the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa, the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa, and our sponsor a worker cost calculator.
If you are an employer unsure whether a proposed arrangement complies with your sponsorship obligations, or a worker who has been asked to pay costs you think belong to the business, it is worth getting the position checked before anything is signed. Speak to Immigrad about your situation.
This article is general information only and does not take your circumstances into account. Complex cases need personal advice from a registered migration agent. Immigrad is operated by Oceans Consultancy Pty Ltd; Gaurav Duggal, MARN 1805710.