Visa 482 Costs: Home Affairs Fees, SAF Levy and Extra Charges
Visa 482 costs are easy to misunderstand because they split into two groups: the amounts you pay when lodging the visa, and the amounts the business must pay when sponsoring. Understanding who pays what helps you budget correctly and recognise a warning sign if someone asks you to cover the employer’s share.
Your application fee
The main application fee is currently 4,015 AUD for the primary applicant. If a spouse and children are included, each dependant has an additional fee, so the total on the worker’s side rises with the number of people in the application.
The SAF levy — the business’s cost
The SAF levy (Skilling Australians Fund levy) is an amount the business pays, and it cannot be passed on to the worker. The levy depends on the size of the business: the reference amounts are 1,200 AUD for small businesses and 1,800 AUD for large businesses, charged per year of the visa. If anyone asks you to pay this, that is a sign to stop and check.
Extra charges
Beyond the two above, there are health examinations, certified translations, and sometimes English test or skills assessment fees depending on the occupation. These are smaller than the main fee but add up, so do not leave them out when budgeting.
Budgeting correctly
The safe approach is to separate clearly: your visa fees (primary plus dependants) plus the extra charges, while the SAF levy and the nomination side are for the business to handle. Fee levels change with each round of indexation, so the figures on this page are shown with a status label and source. When you need a budget tailored to your case, a registered migration agent (MARA) can help list the amounts that apply.