Beauty and hair occupations you can sponsor in Australia: hairdressers, barbers, beauty therapists, and the roles you cannot

The list, role by role

List positions change with each instrument; verify by ANZSCO code on the Department’s current Core Skills list. The salary floor of A$79,423 (or the market rate) applies to every sponsored role, which is the practical limit for most salons: a senior stylist or therapist on commission can reach it, a junior cannot.

The roles you cannot sponsor: who can work for you now

The role does not have to wait for a visa. Three groups can work for you today without sponsorship, and salons already run on them:

• Working holiday makers (417 and 462): any role, six months per employer; register with the ATO for the 15 per cent rate and pay super. Employing working holiday makers.
• International students: 48 hours a fortnight in term, unlimited in breaks. Employing international students.
• Partner, graduate (485) and bridging visa holders: full work rights, a VEVO check and nothing else. Who can work for you now.

SponsorTalent lists candidates by occupation, visa and city, so you can see who can start on Monday before you make contact; search is free and a contact unlocks for A$30.

The DAMA exception

Designated Area Migration Agreements are the exception to the lists. Regional agreements carry occupations the national lists omit; the Kimberley list (October 2025 version), for example, includes forklift drivers, truck drivers, retail and hospitality roles, and other regional agreements carry some of the same. The business must be in the region, endorsed by the regional body, and the worker must meet the agreement’s concessions on English, salary and age. Which agreement covers your area: sponsor workers in your state; how DAMAs compare with the other routes: PALM, labour agreement or DAMA.

The mistake to avoid

Do not nominate the role under an occupation it is not. A nail technician nominated as a Beauty Therapist, a lash technician as a Hairdresser or a receptionist as a Salon Manager is tested against the duties, the qualification, the award classification and the pay, and a mismatch is refused, can bar the business from sponsoring for years, and exposes the worker to cancellation. If the person genuinely does the listed job and holds its qualification, nominate that job at its rate; if not, use the routes above.

Frequently asked questions

Which salon jobs can be sponsored on a 482 visa? Hairdressers (including barbers, as a specialisation of the same occupation), beauty therapists and, in therapeutic settings only, massage therapists are on the Core Skills list. Nail technicians, lash and brow technicians, make-up artists, salon managers, fitness instructors and personal trainers are not.

Can I sponsor a barber? Yes, nominated as Hairdresser (391111), of which barbering is a specialisation, with a Certificate III in Barbering or Hairdressing or equivalent and a TRA assessment where required.

Is beauty therapist on the skilled occupation list? Yes. Beauty Therapist (451111) was added to the Core Skills list in December 2024 for the 482 and 186, with a VETASSESS assessment and a Diploma of Beauty Therapy standard.

Can a salon sponsor its manager? Not as Hair or Beauty Salon Manager, which is on the regional list only (494). A manager who is a qualified hairdresser and still works on clients can be nominated as a Hairdresser.

What salary does a sponsored hairdresser need? At least A$79,423 or the market rate, whichever is higher, as full-time annual earnings, which sits well above the Hair and Beauty Award and limits sponsorship to senior stylists and therapists.