Written by Immigrad · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 1805710 · Last updated September 2026
Sponsoring a chef or cook is one of the most common employer-sponsored visa applications lodged in Australia, and hospitality nominations are refused more often than almost any other occupation group. Restaurants, hotels, cafes and catering businesses that want to sponsor a chef or cook on the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa need to get three things right: the occupation classification, the type of venue, and the salary. This guide sets out the current 2026 costs, thresholds and rules for employers, and the one mistake that causes most hospitality refusals. It is general information current as at September 2026 — every kitchen and role is different, so a specific nomination should always be checked with a registered migration agent before you advertise or lodge. For the full end-to-end process, see our complete guide to sponsoring an employee in Australia.
Can an Australian hospitality business sponsor a chef or cook?
Yes, in principle. Chef is an occupation employers can nominate under the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, with a pathway to permanent residency further down the track. Cook nominations are also made regularly, but tend to face closer scrutiny from the Department of Home Affairs, because the two roles are frequently confused on paper — more on that below. Both occupations require a genuine, full-time position that a business has been unable to fill locally, evidenced through labour market testing. Occupation list settings are reviewed periodically by the Department, so employers should confirm current inclusion for the specific occupation before advertising or lodging.
Chef or cook? Why the classification decides your nomination
The most common reason hospitality nominations are refused is not cost or paperwork — it is classifying a Cook role as a Chef, or vice versa. A Chef plans menus, develops recipes, and trains, supervises and rosters kitchen staff; a Cook prepares food to an existing recipe or menu under someone else’s direction. Case officers look closely at the size and type of kitchen a business actually operates: a small cafe or single-outlet venue with one or two kitchen staff will struggle to support a genuine Chef-level position, whatever the job title on the nomination says. Before nominating, map the day-to-day duties of the role against the occupation you intend to nominate, and be ready to show rosters, an organisation chart, and evidence of the kitchen’s scale and menu.
Which hospitality businesses cannot sponsor under the 482 visa
Even where the occupation itself is on the list, some venue types are excluded from sponsoring a chef or cook, because the Department treats certain business models as unable to support a genuine skilled cooking role. As at September 2026, this generally rules out:
- Fast food and takeaway outlets
- Businesses using mass-production or assembly-line food preparation
- Cafes and casual dining venues with a limited, largely pre-prepared menu and no table service
- Pizza outlets and similar operations without a full commercial kitchen or table service
A full-service restaurant, hotel or function kitchen, catering business, or an a la carte cafe with a genuine kitchen brigade is generally the kind of business the Department expects to see behind a Chef or Cook nomination. If you are unsure whether your venue qualifies, get this checked before spending on advertising and nomination fees — our Employer Sponsorship Readiness Checklist is a useful first pass.
What it costs to sponsor a chef or cook in 2026
Costs are indexed on 1 July each year; the figures below are current as at September 2026, following the 1 July 2026 increase.
| Cost component | Amount (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Standard Business Sponsorship (one-off, valid 5 years) | $420 |
| Nomination application (per nominee) | $330 |
| SAF levy — small business (turnover under $10 million), per year of nomination | $1,200 |
| SAF levy — other business, per year of nomination | $1,800 |
| Visa application charge — primary applicant | $4,015 |
| Visa application charge — additional applicant 18 or over | $4,015 |
| Visa application charge — additional applicant under 18 | $1,005 |
The SAF levy is paid upfront for the whole nomination period (1 to 4 years), not annually — a 2-year nomination for a small business costs $2,400 in levy, for example. It cannot legally be passed on to the sponsored worker. For a total based on your own nomination length and business size, use our sponsor cost calculator, and see our SAF levy guide for worked examples.
Salary requirements for a sponsored chef or cook
A sponsored chef or cook must be paid at least the Core Skills Income Threshold, which rose to $79,423 a year from 1 July 2026 (up from $76,515). That threshold is a floor, not a target: the salary offered also has to meet the Annual Market Salary Rate for that role in that location, and cannot fall below the applicable modern award — typically the Hospitality Industry (General) Award or the Restaurant Industry Award — whichever of the three figures is highest. Offering only the threshold amount when the genuine market rate for an experienced chef in that city is higher is a common reason nominations are queried by the Department.
Labour market testing for hospitality roles
Before nominating, employers generally must advertise the position for a continuous period of at least four weeks, completed within the four months before the nomination is lodged. At least two advertisements need to run on platforms with genuine national reach — recruitment websites, national print or radio, or the sponsor’s own website for accredited sponsors — and advertising on Workforce Australia is no longer compulsory. Each advertisement needs to state the position, the required skills or experience, and the sponsoring business’s name, and must disclose the salary if the role pays under $96,400 a year. Keep screenshots or tear sheets and, where available, the invoice for each advertisement — this is exactly the evidence the Department asks for. See our labour market testing guide for the full rules and exemptions.
The pathway to permanent residency: 482 to 186
A chef sponsored on the 482 visa can generally move to permanent residency through the Temporary Residence Transition stream of the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa after working for the same sponsor for the required period, subject to the criteria current at that time — this is not guaranteed and depends on the visa holder and the role continuing to meet the rules when the 186 nomination is made. It is a strong incentive for hospitality employers: get the classification and the initial nomination right, and the same sponsorship investment can support a genuine long-term retention strategy rather than a temporary fix. See our 482 to PR roadmap and subclass 186 visa page for what that pathway involves. Hospitality employers in regional Australia also have the option of the subclass 494 visa or a Designated Area Migration Agreement, which can offer more flexible occupation and salary settings — see our 494 visa employer guide and DAMA guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can a small cafe sponsor a chef on the 482 visa?
It depends on the kitchen and the menu, not the size of the business alone. A small cafe with a limited, largely pre-prepared menu and no table service is generally excluded, but a small, genuinely a la carte restaurant or cafe with a real kitchen brigade can sponsor if the role and salary meet the requirements. Get the specific venue assessed before lodging.
What is the difference between sponsoring a chef and a cook?
A chef plans menus, develops recipes and supervises kitchen staff; a cook prepares food to an existing menu or recipe under direction. The Department checks the actual duties and the kitchen’s scale against whichever occupation is nominated, and a mismatch between the job title and the real role is the most common reason hospitality nominations are refused.
How much does it cost to sponsor a chef in Australia in 2026?
Government charges alone run to roughly $5,965 for a small business sponsoring one adult on a single-year nomination — sponsorship, nomination, one year of SAF levy and the visa application charge — before migration agent fees, advertising costs and any dependant applications. Use our sponsor cost calculator for a figure based on your own nomination period and business size.
Does a sponsored chef need a formal qualification?
Generally yes — a relevant trade qualification and a period of full-time work experience in the occupation are expected, and the exact combination and any skills assessment required depends on the occupation and stream. This is worth confirming for the specific candidate before lodging.
Can a chef sponsored on a 482 visa bring their family to Australia?
A sponsored worker’s partner and dependent children can generally be included in the same visa application, and each additional adult applicant attracts their own visa application charge. Specific eligibility depends on the family member’s individual circumstances.
How long does it take to sponsor a chef?
Processing times vary with case load and how complete the application is at lodgement; Home Affairs publishes indicative processing times, but no timeframe is guaranteed. Employers who prepare labour market testing evidence, a clear duty statement and salary documentation upfront generally avoid the delays that come from requests for more information.
Thinking about sponsoring a chef or cook for your restaurant, cafe or hotel? Book a consultation with Immigrad’s registered migration agent to get the classification, costs and paperwork right the first time.