You are here: / Overseas Business Sponsorship for Skills in Demand (482) Visas

Overseas Business Sponsorship for Skills in Demand (482) Visas

In practice, there are two types of SBS – an Australian Business Sponsor (ABS) and an Overseas Business Sponsor (OBS). This is because businesses need to meet different criteria to become an SBS, depending on whether they are operating a business inside or outside Australia.

Employers and businesses from overseas who do not have operations in Australia have the option to sponsor employees on the Skills in Demand (482) visa program.

Overseas businesses need to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the decision maker that they are legally established under the relevant laws of the country in which they operate. This means that, if there is a business registration system under the laws of the home country, it is expected that the applicant would be registered in accordance with those laws and requirements. Applicants who operate a business in their home country without registration in a situation where there is provision for this would not be considered as meeting the “lawful” component of the ‘lawfully operating a business’ criterion.

Is my business eligible to sponsor under the Skills in Demand (482) visa program?
  • If an overseas business registered in Australia (refer to Assessment of ‘lawfulness’ – Australian business in relation to ARBN and ABN) is in fact also operating a business in Australia, it would be appropriate for the Australian registered entity of that overseas business to be the applicant for SBS approval.
  • If an overseas business is registered in Australia with an ARBN and/or ABN, but there is no other evidence that they are actually operating in Australia, that is, all the supporting documentation points to the business operation being undertaken exclusively outside Australia, it is appropriate for the overseas business to be the applicant for SBS approval.
Type of sponsor Start date of new sponsorship period Cease date of new sponsorship period
Australian Business Sponsor The day on which the approval is granted, unless the person is already a SBS sponsor, in which case it starts immediately after their earlier SBS approval ends. 5 years after the day on which the approval is granted.
Overseas Business Sponsor The day on which the approval is granted. 18 months after the day on which the approval is granted.

Cons

The 482 visa holder must work directly for the sponsor, rather than an “associated entity” as for Australian business sponsors.

Overseas Business Sponsors cannot sponsor for permanent or regional employer visas such as the Employer Nomination Scheme (186) or the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (494) visa.

Operating a business outside Australia

Usually the OBS needs evidence that demonstrates that their purpose for seeking approval as a SBS is to:

  • enable the sponsoring of 482 visa holders/applicants, who will establish, or assist in establishing, on the applicant’s behalf a business operation in Australia with overseas connections; or
  • fulfil or assist in fulfilling a contractual obligation for the applicant.

Examples of types of evidence that may be considered by the decision maker include, but are not limited to:

  • a company or business expansion plan;
  • a joint venture agreement between standard business sponsorship applicant and party in Australia; or
  • a contract between standard business sponsorship applicant and a party in Australia

Fees and costs

The sponsorship application fee is $420. Overseas business sponsors must also pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy for each nomination, in the same way as Australian businesses.

Nominating a worker as an overseas business sponsor

Once approved, an overseas business sponsor nominates each worker in one of the Skills in Demand visa streams:

  • Core Skills stream: the occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List and the salary must be at least the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT), $79,423 from 1 July 2026.
  • Specialist Skills stream: the salary must be at least the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT), $146,576 from 1 July 2026. Trades workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers are not eligible for this stream.

In both streams the salary must also meet the market salary rate for the role.

Typical government costs (from 1 July 2026)

  • Standard business sponsorship application: $420
  • 482 nomination fee: $330 for each worker
  • SAF levy: $1,200 a year of the visa period if annual turnover is less than $10 million, or $1,800 a year if it is $10 million or more, paid upfront with the nomination
  • 482 visa application charge: $4,015 for the main applicant, $4,015 for each adult family member and $1,005 for each child under 18.

See 482 visa fees for more detail. Sponsors must pay the sponsorship, nomination and SAF costs themselves and cannot pass them on to the worker.

After the 18 month approval ends

Overseas business sponsorship lasts 18 months. If the business has established an Australian operation by then, it can apply for standard business sponsorship as an Australian business, which lasts 5 years and allows nominations for the 186 and 494 visas later on.

Employer sponsored visa guides