What Standard Business Sponsorship Is and When a Business Needs It

Before a business can sponsor any overseas employee on a 482 visa, the first step is to become a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS). This is a prerequisite — without an SBS, there can be no nomination.

What is an SBS?

Standard Business Sponsorship is a status recognised by the Department that allows an Australian business to sponsor overseas workers under the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa 482 program.

An SBS is not permanent — it has a term and conditions that must be maintained.

When does a business need an SBS?

A business needs an SBS when it wants to:

• Hire an overseas worker on a 482 (Skills in Demand) visa
• Nominate an employee for a new or extended 482 visa
• Take over sponsorship of a worker transferring from a previous employer

An SBS is not needed if the business only hires Australian citizens or permanent residents, or uses visas other than the 482.

The three-step process

To sponsor an employee on a 482 visa, a business goes through three separate steps:

Step 1 — Sponsorship: The business applies for and is approved as an SBS.

Step 2 — Nomination: The business nominates a specific position and nominee (the person being sponsored).

Step 3 — Visa application: The nominee lodges the 482 visa application.

Each step has its own fee and its own requirements.

Who lodges the SBS application?

A person with authority in the business (a director, sole trader, or authorised HR manager) lodges the SBS application through the business’s ImmiAccount (a business ImmiAccount — different from an individual account).

How long does an SBS last?

An SBS is usually granted for five years. During those five years, the business can nominate as many employees as it needs (each nomination has its own fee).

After five years the SBS can be renewed, provided the original requirements are still met.

SBS and long-term obligations

When approved as an SBS, a business commits to a range of compliance obligations. Sponsor compliance obligations are covered in their own article.

A breach of these obligations can lead to a warning, a fine, or cancellation of the SBS — which affects every employee currently being sponsored.