Can I sponsor a nail technician, lash technician or make-up artist in Australia?

Why not

The Core Skills list starts, with few exceptions, at skill level 3; nail, lash and make-up services sit at level 4 and were not part of the beauty therapy addition in December 2024. Labour market testing only matters once an occupation is nominable, so the shortage in your salon does not open the visa. The Vietnamese-run nail industry, the largest employer of nail technicians in the country, has looked for a route for years without finding one in the standard program.

Who can work your salon now

The role does not have to wait for a visa. Three groups can work for you today without sponsorship, and nail and beauty 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.

International students in Certificate III and Diploma beauty programs are the largest pipeline, and the ones who complete the Diploma of Beauty Therapy and move into facials, body treatments and skin services can be nominated as Beauty Therapists: when a beauty therapist nomination is genuine.

The DAMA route

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 or a lash technician as a Hairdresser 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

Is nail technician on the skilled occupation list? No. Nail technician, lash and brow technician and make-up artist are on no Australian skilled list, so the 482, 186 and 494 are not available.

Can I sponsor my nail technician as a beauty therapist? Only if they hold a Diploma of Beauty Therapy and genuinely do a beauty therapist’s job (facials, body treatments, skin services) at a salary of at least A$79,423. A nail technician nominated as a beauty therapist is refused.

Who works in nail salons without sponsorship? International students (48 hours a fortnight in term), working holiday makers, and partner, graduate and bridging visa holders with full work rights, after a VEVO check.

Can a regional salon sponsor a nail technician under a DAMA? Only if the regional agreement lists the occupation; check the agreement for your area, and the business must be endorsed by the regional body.