Obligations of a visa 482 sponsoring business
When an Australian business becomes a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) and sponsors a foreign worker on a visa 482, it does not simply sign the file and finish. Australian migration law sets out a clear list of obligations the sponsor must maintain throughout the sponsorship period — and breaching them can lead to losing sponsor status, fines, or both.
The SAF levy — a federal training fund
One of the most important charges a sponsoring business must pay is the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy — a mandatory training charge payable when lodging the nomination, not when applying for the visa.
The SAF levy is calculated by the number of years of the visa:
- Small business (turnover under AUD 10 million per year): 1,200 AUD per year of the visa
- Large business (turnover of AUD 10 million or more): 1,800 AUD per year of the visa
This charge is non-refundable even if the visa is later refused, and cannot be passed to the worker in any form — including a private contract.
Costs cannot be passed to the worker
This is a rule that many small businesses easily overlook: certain costs may not be recovered from the worker at all, even if both parties agree in a contract:
- The SBS application charge (Standard Business Sponsor application)
- The SAF levy
- The nomination charge
The individual visa application charge and the costs of health examinations and police checks — the worker may pay these themselves or be helped by the business, but the business cannot force a deduction from wages.
Ensuring working conditions match the commitment
The sponsor must ensure:
The right occupation per the nomination: The worker is only permitted to perform the occupation set out in the nomination. If the position changes significantly — for example from Software Engineer to Project Manager — a new nomination is needed.
Market salary rate: The business must pay the visa 482 worker a salary no lower than the market salary rate for the same position at the same location. It cannot pay less simply because the worker is a visa holder.
No discrimination: A visa 482 worker is entitled to working terms (leave entitlements, superannuation, and so on) similar to a local worker in the same position.
Reporting obligations — 28 days
When one of the following events occurs, the sponsor must notify the Department of Home Affairs within 28 days:
- The worker resigns or is dismissed
- The business ceases operating or becomes insolvent
- The position changes significantly in nature
- The worker changes work location or conditions that do not match the nomination
Failing to report on time is a breach of sponsor obligations and can affect current SBS status and the ability to sponsor in the future.
Costs for a departing worker
If the worker’s visa ends (for example because the company dismisses them or the company is no longer an approved sponsor), the business has an obligation to pay a reasonable share of the costs for the worker and their family to leave Australia — if they request it.
This is a legal obligation, not at the business’s discretion.
Cooperating with compliance monitoring
The Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force (ABF) have the power to carry out compliance monitoring of a sponsor at any time. The business must cooperate, provide documents, and keep related records for at least 2 years after the sponsorship relationship ends.
Understanding these obligations from the start helps the business avoid unnecessary risk — and helps the worker know that their entitlements are protected throughout their time working in Australia.