Written by Immigrad · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 1805710 · Last updated September 2026
Check the agent is on the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority register, ask whether they will act for the sponsoring business, the visa applicant, or both, and get a written fee agreement that separates professional fees from the Department’s charges. Employer-sponsored matters run as three separate applications, so confirm which of them the quote actually covers.
Why employer-sponsored matters are different
Most visa advice is written for one person applying for themselves. An employer-sponsored matter has two parties with separate interests and, in the usual case, three separate applications: the sponsorship, the nomination of the position, and the worker’s visa. Each is decided on its own criteria and each can fail on its own. An agent quoting a single figure without saying which of the three it covers is quoting for an unknown amount of work.
The split also matters for who the agent acts for. An agent can act for the business, for the worker, or for both with informed consent. That choice decides whose interests come first if the position, the salary or the business’s financial position turns out to be a problem. Ask the question directly before you engage anyone; the answer should be in writing.
What to check before you engage anyone
Only registered migration agents and legal practitioners can lawfully charge for immigration assistance in Australia. The Department of Home Affairs directs consumers to the Register of Migration Agents, which can be searched by name, location or migration agent registration number. An agent must also give you the OMARA Consumer Guide, which sets out their role and how to complain.
The Department is blunt about one warning sign: anyone who tells you they can fast-track a visa, or guarantees one, is lying and may be attempting to scam you. No registered agent can promise an outcome or a processing time, because neither is within their control. Claimed success rates are not verified by anyone and should be treated accordingly.
Should the employer or the worker engage the agent?
Either can. In practice the sponsor often engages the agent because the sponsorship and nomination are the business’s applications, not the worker’s, and the business carries the sponsorship obligations afterwards. Where one agent acts for both, that should be disclosed and agreed in writing at the outset, with a clear position on what happens if the parties’ interests diverge.
What should a written fee agreement cover?
It should separate professional fees from the Department’s charges, and state which of the three applications it covers, what happens if the Department requests further information, and what is not included — skills assessments, English testing, health examinations, police certificates, translations, and any merits review if an application is refused. Costs that the law requires the sponsor to bear should not appear as costs to the worker.
Can sponsorship costs be passed to the worker?
No. The costs of becoming a sponsor, of nominating a position and the Skilling Australians Fund levy must be met by the sponsoring business and cannot be recovered from the visa applicant or their family. Recovering those costs breaches the sponsor’s obligations. A quote that shows the worker paying them is a reason to ask further questions.
How do I verify a MARN?
Search the Register of Migration Agents by the agent’s name or their registration number and confirm the registration is current. The register also lists agents working outside Australia. If an agent will not give you their MARN, or the number does not match the person in front of you, stop there.
Speak to a registered migration agent
Immigrad is a registered migration agency working on employer-sponsored, partner and skilled matters for clients across Australia and overseas. If you are weighing up a sponsorship, you can contact Immigrad to discuss your circumstances.
This page provides general information only and is not personal migration advice. Individual circumstances vary and complex cases should be assessed personally by a registered migration agent. Figures and departmental requirements were checked in September 2026 and change over time; processing times are those published by the Department of Home Affairs.
Related guides for employers
If you are weighing up advisers for a sponsorship matter, these Immigrad guides cover the next steps: how to check that a migration agent is registered, standard business sponsorship step by step, the sponsor cost calculator and our overview of employer-sponsored visas.