Historically it was common for Australian employers to pay for all of the costs associated with sponsoring overseas candidates to move to Australia to fill open job opportunities that were difficult to fill locally.

Indeed, It is a common practice in a lot of countries around the world for employers to pay for costs associated with the local equivalent of the 482 work visa.

Unfortunately, in more recent times, the Government’s fees and levy’s have increased for employers and it is becoming less common, especially in certain industries for all these costs to be covered.

There are still certain costs that the employer must pay and these costs cannot be passed onto you. Passing these costs onto the employee would be breaching their obligations as a Business Sponsor, and is considered against the law in Australia.

What 482 Visa costs must the employer pay?

There are three stages when applying for a TSS visa

Stage 1: Standard Business Sponsorship

Stage 2: Nomination Application

Stage 3: 482 TSS Visa Application

The costs associated with stages 1 and 2 are the sponsoring employer’s responsibility and no costs involved in either of these stages are to be paid by you. These costs include:

• The cost of becoming a sponsor (Standard Business Sponsorship).
• Nomination application charges
• Any professional fees from Migration Agents associated with Standard Business Sponsorship and nomination application process.

In addition, the employer cannot pass on any costs involved when recruiting you; this may include advertising costs or recruitment or agency fees.

What 482 visa costs might the job candidate be expected to pay?

Stage 3 and the costs involved in preparing for, and lodging, your 482 TSS visa application are generally going to be your responsibility. These fees have to be paid at the time the visa is lodged.

The amount you will be expected to pay will depend on which occupation stream your occupation belongs to. Some employers may be willing to pay some of these fees, but they are not obligated to.

Consider your worth!

You may wish to consider these costs as a cost you might be willing to negotiate as part of your job offer. If the employer is extremely keen on securing your services, they may be willing to cover these costs for you if you make it a condition of accepting a job offer.

How much will a 482 Visa cost?

Current fees are available on the Australian department of immigration website – you can view the current pricing page here. (Opens on a new page).