What the Department tests
| Question | What passes | What is refused |
|---|---|---|
| Is there a store to manage? | A trading store with turnover, stock, opening hours and a roster that needs full-time management | A kiosk, a market stall, a new business with no trading history, an online shop run from home |
| Are there staff to manage? | Several employees reporting to the manager, shown on payroll | The nominee plus one casual; the owner is the only other person |
| Are the duties a manager’s? | Budgets, stock control and ordering, rosters, recruitment, compliance, supplier relations, reporting to an owner or area manager | Serving customers, operating the register and stacking shelves with a manager’s title |
| Is the salary real? | At least A$79,423 or the market rate, paid in full through payroll, consistent with the store’s turnover and the General Retail Award’s managerial classifications | The floor on paper, award rates in practice, or a salary the store’s turnover cannot support |
| Is the nominee qualified? | A Diploma-level retail or business qualification or equivalent experience (skill level 2); VETASSESS assessment for permanent visas | No management experience, or experience only as a sales assistant |
A single-site owner-operator business nominating its only employee as the manager, at the floor, is the pattern the Department refuses and the one that leads to sponsor bars. A multi-site group nominating an experienced manager at A$85,000 to run a store with ten staff is routine.
Franchise and fast food outlet managers
ANZSCO excludes fast food and quick-service restaurant managers from Café or Restaurant Manager and places them in Retail Manager (General), so a franchise outlet manager is nominated under 142111, which is listed, and not under 141111, which is not. The same genuineness test applies, and the store’s staff cannot be sponsored as chefs or cooks: fast food and takeaway are limited-service venues excluded from those occupations. The café and restaurant side of the question: café or restaurant manager; the kitchen: cook or chef.
The nomination
- Labour market testing: two advertisements of at least 28 days on platforms with national reach within four months of nominating, unless the worker is a UK citizen or another exemption applies.
- Standard Business Sponsorship (A$420), nomination (A$330 plus the Skilling Australians Fund levy of A$1,200 a year for a business under A$10 million turnover), visa (A$4,015 for a 482).
- Evidence of the store, the staff, the organisation chart, the position description, the salary and the business’s financial capacity; this file decides retail nominations.
- VETASSESS assessment for the 186 Direct Entry; optional for the 482.
Costs and the decision: is sponsoring worth it; the timeline: how long sponsorship takes.
Managers already here
The floor does not have to wait for a visa. Three groups can work for you today without sponsorship, and retail already runs on them:
- International students: 48 hours a fortnight in term, unlimited in breaks, which fall over Christmas trading for most courses. Employing international students.
- Working holiday makers (417 and 462): any role, six months per employer; register with the ATO for the 15 per cent rate. Employing working holiday makers.
- Partner, graduate (485) and bridging visa holders: full work rights, a VEVO check and nothing else. Who can work for you now.
SponsorTalent lists retail candidates by 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.
Retail managers on 485 graduate visas (business and retail management graduates), partner visas and bridging visas are the usual source in cities, with Australian retail experience already on the CV.
Do not nominate the role under an occupation it is not. A sales assistant nominated as a Retail Manager, a shop supervisor as a Retail Buyer or a counter hand as a Butcher is tested against the duties, the qualification, the size of the business 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, nominate that job at its rate; if not, use the routes above.
Frequently asked questions
Is retail manager on the skilled occupation list? Yes. Retail Manager (General) (142111) is on the Core Skills list for the 482, 186 and 494.
Can a small shop sponsor its manager? Only if there is genuinely a store to manage, staff reporting to the manager, managerial duties and a salary of at least A$79,423 the business can support. A single-site shop nominating its only employee as the manager is refused.
Can a fast food franchise sponsor its store manager? Yes. ANZSCO classifies fast food and quick-service outlet managers under Retail Manager (General), which is listed. The genuineness test applies, and the outlet’s kitchen staff cannot be sponsored as chefs or cooks.
What salary does a sponsored retail manager need? At least A$79,423 or the market rate for the role, whichever is higher, as full-time annual earnings paid through payroll and consistent with the store’s turnover.
Does a retail manager need a skills assessment? Not for the 482, unless the Department requests one; VETASSESS assesses the qualification and experience for the 186 Direct Entry and the points-tested visas.
Search retail managers by visa and city
Experienced store managers already in Australia on graduate, partner and bridging visas, and overseas candidates with VETASSESS assessments, with experience and visa status visible before you unlock a contact.
Want the paperwork done? WIDEN (Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536) lodges sponsorship, nomination and visa applications on fixed fees; start with a 30-minute consultation, $330 inc. GST, credited if you engage.
Candidates: a retail manager looking for a sponsor? Start here.
General information only, not migration advice. SponsorTalent is a marketplace; migration advice is provided by WIDEN (Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536) under a service agreement. Occupation list status is read from the Department of Home Affairs lists as published; lists, caveats and labour-agreement terms change, and the Department's current page is the only authority. Figures: Department of Home Affairs price list and salary page, 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027; processing times published 29 September 2026. No outcome can be guaranteed.