482 nomination fee and the SAF levy: what employers pay (1 July 2026)

Short answer: the 482 nomination charge is A$330 per position, and the Skilling Australians Fund levy is A$1,200 per year of the visa for a business with turnover under A$10m, A$1,800 per year at A$10m and over, paid in full when the nomination is lodged.

How the levy is calculated

• One-year 482, small business: A$1,200. Two years: A$2,400. Four years: A$4,800.
• Larger business: A$1,800, A$3,600, A$7,200.
• Turnover is the business's annual turnover, including related entities where the rules group them.

Who pays, by law

The sponsor pays the nomination charge and the levy. Recovering either from the worker, directly or through a deduction, is unlawful and puts the sponsorship itself at risk. The worker may pay their own visa application charge (A$4,015).

When the levy is refunded

In limited cases: for example where the sponsorship application is refused, where the nomination is approved but the visa is refused on health or character grounds, or where the worker never starts or leaves within the first year of a multi-year visa. The rules are specific; check the current Home Affairs guidance before relying on a refund.

Timing

Sponsorship first, then the nomination with the levy, then the worker's visa application. Onshore candidates can lodge the visa the same day the nomination goes in and keep working on a bridging visa.

General information, not migration advice. Government charges are indexed each 1 July; verify current figures at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Related: How much does it cost to sponsor a worker in Australia? · Labour market testing for a 482 visa · 186 visa.