Written by Immigrad · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 1805710 · Last updated September 2026
Yes. There is no minimum trading period. The Department of Home Affairs requires that your business is legally established and currently operating, that there is no adverse information about it, and, for businesses in Australia, that it has a strong record of, or a demonstrated commitment to, employing local labour. Sponsorship costs AUD420 and lasts five years.
The question comes up constantly from newer companies, and the honest answer is that size and age are not themselves criteria. A two-person consultancy trading for eight months can be approved. A twenty-year-old company with unpaid superannuation findings against it may not be. What the Department examines is whether the business is real, currently operating, and suitable to hold sponsorship obligations.
What the Department actually requires
As published on the Department of Home Affairs standard business sponsor page and checked on 22 September 2026, an applicant for standard business sponsorship must:
- have a legally established and currently operating business, which can be in or outside Australia;
- have no adverse information known to the Department about the business or anyone associated with it, unless it is reasonable to disregard that information;
- if the business is in Australia, have a strong record of, or a demonstrated commitment to, employing local labour; and
- declare that it will not engage in discriminatory recruitment practices.
Evidence generally includes an ABN registration certificate for an Australian employer, or an ARBN certificate for an overseas business registered to operate in Australia, or evidence of registration in the country you operate in if you do not currently operate in Australia. Where the business has a registered business or trading name, an ASIC business name extract is provided; companies provide an ASIC company extract or an ASX listing. Trusts, joint ventures and franchises have additional document requirements.
A standard business sponsorship costs AUD420 and, once approved, lasts five years from the date of approval. It allows you to sponsor workers on the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494).
Where newer businesses are actually tested
In practice the pressure point for a young business is rarely the sponsorship application. It is the nomination that follows: showing the position is genuine and full time, that the salary meets the relevant income threshold and market rate, and that labour market testing was carried out correctly where it applies. A start-up with a thin trading history should expect closer scrutiny of its capacity to pay the nominated salary for the nominated period.
Does a new business get a shorter sponsorship approval?
The Department publishes a single figure: five years from the date of approval. Claims circulating online that newly established businesses receive a one-year approval do not appear on that page as at 22 September 2026. If your business has been trading only briefly, confirm the position that applies to you before you budget, rather than relying on secondary sources.
Can a business with no employees sponsor someone?
There is no published minimum headcount. A sole director company can apply. The practical difficulty is evidentiary: the local labour requirement and the genuineness of the nominated position are harder to demonstrate when there is no existing workforce and no recruitment history to point to.
Can an overseas business become a standard business sponsor?
Yes. The Department states the business can be in or outside Australia. An overseas business that does not currently operate in Australia provides evidence of registration in the country where it operates. The additional local labour requirements apply to businesses in Australia.
How long does sponsorship approval take?
The Department publishes indicative processing times and these change. No registered migration agent can predict or shorten a processing time, and any adviser who offers to should be treated with caution.
Related reading
- Standard Business Sponsorship: a step-by-step guide for employers
- How long does a standard business sponsorship last?
- 482 visa costs for employers
- Labour market testing: the exact rules
Thinking about sponsoring your first worker? Immigrad advises Australian employers on sponsorship, nomination and compliance. Contact Immigrad to discuss your business.
This page is general information only. It is not personal migration advice and does not take your circumstances into account. Requirements and charges change; figures were checked against the Department of Home Affairs on 22 September 2026. Complex cases should be discussed with a registered migration agent. Immigrad is operated by Oceans Consultancy Pty Ltd; Gaurav Duggal, MARN 1805710.