Written by Immigrad · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 1805710 · Last updated September 2026
If a Skills in Demand (subclass 482) worker resigns or is dismissed, the sponsoring employer must notify the Department of Home Affairs in writing within 28 days. The worker then has up to 180 days to find a new approved sponsor, be granted a different visa, or leave Australia, and the employer’s sponsorship obligations continue during that period.
What the employer must do
The notification is made through the Notification of sponsor changes form in ImmiAccount, or by email to the address the Department publishes for sponsor notifications. It must be in writing and within 28 days of the employment ending. The same 28-day rule applies if the worker never started work or their duties change.
The sponsor must also keep records: any written request for travel costs, how and when those costs were paid, and the date and method of each notification to the Department. Until the worker finds a new sponsor, is granted another visa or leaves Australia, the employer’s sponsorship obligations continue to apply to the worker and their dependants.
What the worker must do
The worker has up to 180 days from the date they finish working for the sponsor to take one of three steps: be nominated by another approved sponsor, be granted a different visa, or leave Australia. Workers looking for a new sponsor can start with our guide on how to find an employer sponsor.
Do I get the SAF levy back if my sponsored worker leaves early?
Only in limited cases. The Department may refund unused full years of the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy where a Skills in Demand visa holder leaves the sponsoring employer within the first 12 months of employment and the visa period was more than 12 months. Once a nomination is approved, the nomination fee itself is not refunded, and this refund does not apply to ENS or RSMS holders.
Can a sponsored 482 worker move to another employer?
Yes. The worker can change employers, but only if a new approved sponsor lodges a new nomination for them. From the date they stop working for the original employer, the worker has up to 180 days to have a new sponsor nominate them, be granted a different visa, or leave Australia. The original employer still has obligations to notify and to keep records.
Do I have to pay a sponsored worker’s flight home?
If the worker, or the Department on their behalf, makes a written request, the sponsor must pay reasonable and necessary travel costs for the worker and their sponsored family members to leave Australia. That covers travel to the departure point and economy-class air travel to the country of their passport. Payment is due within 30 days of the request and is required only once.
Can I recover sponsorship costs from a worker who leaves?
No. The Department states that employers cannot transfer sponsorship and nomination costs to the visa holder or their family members, and the SAF levy must not be passed on to the visa applicant. Clawback clauses that try to recover these costs from a departing worker put the sponsor at risk of breaching its obligations and facing sanctions.
For how the levy is calculated, see the SAF levy explained with worked examples, and for the full cost picture, the 482 visa cost for employers. On cost recovery, see can an employer make a worker pay sponsorship costs.
This page is general information only, verified against Department of Home Affairs sources on 28 September 2026. It is not legal advice. Every sponsorship is different, and complex cases need personal advice from a registered migration agent.
If a sponsored worker has resigned or you need to end a sponsored employment, book a consultation with Immigrad.