Transport and logistics occupations you can sponsor in Australia: managers and mechanics yes, drivers and warehouse staff no

The list, role by role

List positions change with each instrument; verify by ANZSCO code on the Department’s current Core Skills list. The Department’s position on drivers has been consistent since 2018: the shortage is addressed through licensing, training and the DAMAs, not the national list.

The roles you cannot sponsor: who can drive and pick for you now

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

Heavy vehicle licences are state-issued and most overseas licences convert after a knowledge and practical test; a working holiday maker or 485 graduate with a car licence can be trained to a medium or heavy rigid licence in weeks. Warehouses run on students within 48 hours a fortnight in term and full time in breaks.

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.

For drivers the DAMA route is the real one: the Kimberley agreement lists Truck Driver and Forklift Driver with concessions, the Northern Territory agreement carries driving occupations, and several Queensland, South Australian and Victorian regional agreements do too. The full picture for trucks: sponsoring a truck driver; the hiring sequence: how to hire truck drivers.

The mistake to avoid

Do not nominate the role under an occupation it is not. A truck driver nominated as a Fleet Manager, a leading hand as a Supply and Distribution Manager or a delivery driver as a Diesel Mechanic 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 transport jobs can be sponsored on a 482 visa? Supply and distribution managers, fleet managers, diesel mechanics, automotive electricians, transport engineers, pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and ship’s engineers are on the Core Skills list. Truck, bus, delivery, courier, taxi and forklift drivers, storepersons and warehouse staff are not.

Can I sponsor a truck driver? Not on the standard 482, 186 or 494. The only sponsored route is a Designated Area Migration Agreement that lists the occupation, such as the Kimberley and Northern Territory agreements.

Can I sponsor a logistics manager? Yes, as Supply and Distribution Manager (133611) or Fleet Manager (149411), both on the Core Skills list, for a genuine management role; the supply and distribution code excludes businesses under A$1 million turnover and roles with fewer than five staff reporting.

Who drives and picks without sponsorship? Working holiday makers, international students (48 hours a fortnight in term, unlimited in breaks) and partner, graduate and bridging visa holders with full work rights, licensed through the state after conversion or training.