Elite Immigration Advisory · Our Services
Employer Sponsored Visas
Give The Appointment And The Future Behind It A Clear Plan
A key appointment can shape the business you are building and the future of the person you recruit. Employers need to understand whether a role can be sponsored and how the process fits the recruitment timetable. Applicants need clarity about the position, their visa and the plans they are making for themselves and their families.
At Elite Immigration Advisory, we consider those interests together. We examine the business need, the actual duties, remuneration and the applicant’s background before recommending a pathway. Our focus is to resolve the questions that can affect the appointment and coordinate the evidence across the employer’s and applicant’s applications.
Current Employer Sponsored Visa Settings
Policy reviewed 2 November 2026.
Income Thresholds From 1 July 2026
For the current nomination period, the Core Skills Income Threshold and Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold are $79,423, while the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is $146,576. The applicable nomination date, salary framework and any lawful concession require assessment. These thresholds sit alongside the market salary requirements; they do not replace them.
Processing Priorities From 19 September 2026
Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 replaced Direction 119. They prioritise specified sectors and national interests, with Specialist Skills applications also receiving a defined priority under Direction 121. A priority category concerns the order of processing and does not remove the need for a supported nomination and an eligible applicant.
Explore Employer Sponsored Pathways
Select a pathway to view eligibility, common challenges and how we assist.
Skills In Demand Visa — Subclass 482
The Skills in Demand visa allows an approved employer to sponsor a suitably skilled worker for a temporary position, generally for up to four years. The appropriate stream depends on the occupation, remuneration, experience and any applicable labour agreement. Sponsorship, nomination and visa requirements need to be addressed together. The applicant’s relevant experience, applicable English requirements and any necessary occupational registration or licensing also need assessment.
Core Skills Stream
This stream generally requires an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, remuneration meeting the applicable salary requirements and at least one year of relevant work experience. A skills assessment may also be required.
The occupation needs to reflect what the employee will actually do. A familiar job title can conceal duties that do not align with the proposed classification, while an applicant’s experience may require closer examination to establish its relevance.
We assess the role, the business operations and the worker’s experience as one case. We review the position description, employment records and proposed conditions, identify the requirements that apply and organise the evidence supporting both the nomination and visa application.
Specialist Skills Stream
The Specialist Skills stream is designed for qualifying higher-paid positions within specified ANZSCO major groups. Meeting the higher income threshold does not make every occupation eligible; the occupational classification and remaining requirements still matter.
We examine the proposed duties, classification and remuneration before recommending the stream. For a business making a senior or specialist appointment, this allows the immigration assessment to inform the offer and recruitment timetable before assumptions become contractual arrangements.
Labour Agreement Stream
This stream operates under an agreement between the employer and the Commonwealth. The occupations, concessions and any permanent residence arrangements depend on the terms of that agreement.
A concession available to one industry, employer or regional arrangement cannot simply be transferred to another business. We assess the actual agreement and the applicant’s circumstances, explain which requirements remain applicable and prepare the agreed evidence for the nomination and visa stages.
Employer Nomination Scheme Visa — Subclass 186
Subclass 186 provides permanent residence for eligible workers nominated by an Australian employer. Its main streams are Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition and Labour Agreement. The employer’s nomination and the applicant’s visa eligibility are separate assessments.
Direct Entry Stream
Direct Entry generally requires an eligible occupation, a positive skills assessment and at least three years of relevant work experience, subject to exemptions. Applicants are generally required to be under forty-five when they apply and must satisfy the other applicable criteria.
The evidence should establish the nominated role and the experience claimed for it. A positive assessment or a strong employment history does not resolve every question concerning the position, business need or application requirements.
We review the occupation, skills assessment, employment history and nomination evidence together. Where an exemption may be relevant, we examine the applicable provision and the documents required to support it before the application is prepared.
Temporary Residence Transition Stream
This stream may suit qualifying temporary sponsored workers seeking permanent residence through employer nomination. The usual requirement concerns two years of eligible sponsored employment within the preceding three years, with the applicable visa and employment rules requiring careful assessment. Applicants generally also need to be under forty-five, subject to an applicable age exemption, and have competent English.
The calculation is more precise than the length of time shown on a payslip or the date the temporary visa was granted. Changes of employer, the visas held and which periods of employment qualify can affect the assessment.
We establish the relevant employment and visa chronology, assess the proposed nomination and identify the records needed for the permanent stage. Holding a subclass 482 visa does not automatically secure subclass 186; we assess the pathway on the requirements applying to the actual application.
Labour Agreement Stream
A permanent residence pathway under a labour agreement depends on what the agreement permits and the requirements it sets. Temporary sponsorship under an agreement should not be treated as confirmation that every employee will later qualify for permanent residence.
We review the agreement’s permanent residence provisions, any relevant concessions and the worker’s history. The advice identifies the conditions and timing that must be established for the proposed nomination and visa application.
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa — Subclass 494
Subclass 494 is a five-year provisional visa for eligible employment in designated regional Australia. In the Employer Sponsored stream, applicants generally need to be under forty-five, have competent English, at least three years of relevant skilled employment and a suitable skills assessment, subject to the applicable exemptions. The employer, position and regional location must also meet the nomination requirements.
The proposed employment needs to fit both the business and the regional framework. Location, role classification and the evidence supporting the appointment require consideration before the application. Regional visa conditions also affect the worker’s plans after grant.
We assess the employer, position and applicant together and explain the regional commitments relevant to the visa. We also consider what records should be retained for a possible later subclass 191 application, so the provisional stage supports the longer-term plan.
Permanent Residence Through Subclass 191
Eligible subclass 494 holders may later apply for permanent residence through subclass 191 after holding an eligible visa for at least three years and satisfying the relevant requirements. This is a separate application, with attention needed to the visa conditions and supporting records.
We review the compliance history, application timing and evidence required for the permanent stage. A regional appointment should be considered against the obligations that apply during the provisional period as well as the family’s future plans.
Issues Worth Resolving Before Recruitment And Lodgement
A Genuine Position And The Correct Occupation
The role needs to be supported by the business’s operations, staffing structure and actual duties. A generic position description may leave the relationship between the proposed occupation and the work unexplained.
For subclass 482, regulation 2.72 of the Migration Regulations 1994 addresses nomination requirements, including a genuine position. Related requirements apply to subclass 494 and subclass 186. We review the operational need and occupation evidence before preparing the nomination.
Salary And The Market Rate
The income threshold is one part of the salary assessment. Where the annual market salary rate requirements apply, the employer must establish the relevant market rate and remunerate the worker accordingly. Non-monetary benefits and other components of a package require separate treatment.
We review the employment contract, proposed earnings and relevant comparison evidence together. This helps identify a package that needs adjustment or better substantiation before the nomination is lodged.
Labour Market Testing And Recruitment Records
Where labour market testing is required, the timing, advertisements and evidence must satisfy the prescribed rules. For most standard nominations, the advertising must run for at least four weeks within the four months before lodgement, with evidence of two qualifying advertisements generally required.
An earlier recruitment effort may be commercially genuine but fail the relevant immigration requirements. Section 140GBA of the Migration Act 1958 and the applicable labour market testing instrument provide the framework. We assess the requirements before advertising where possible and examine whether existing recruitment records can support the proposed nomination.
Continuing Sponsorship Obligations And Changes
Approval brings continuing obligations concerning matters such as records, employment conditions and notification of relevant changes. Restrictions also apply to recovering specified sponsorship and nomination costs from the worker.
Changes to duties, employment arrangements or the business may require notification or further applications. For workers changing employment, the actual visa conditions and proposed appointment need assessment before the next step is recommended.
We explain the obligations relevant to the agreed engagement and help identify when a change requires migration advice. The aim is to keep the employment and immigration arrangements aligned as the business and worker’s circumstances develop.
Why Choose Elite Immigration Advisory
Our work connects the commercial purpose of an appointment with the evidence required for the migration process. We identify the questions that concern the business, the position and the applicant, then coordinate the preparation across those separate assessments.
You receive registered migration agent involvement, a focused evidence plan and clear advice on material issues. Depending on the engagement, our work can include sponsorship and nomination preparation, salary and recruitment evidence review, visa preparation, lodgement and management of relevant departmental correspondence.
We explain the proposed approach, scope and professional fees clearly. The appointment receives the considered attention it deserves, with workforce and personal plans assessed against the pathway actually available.
Discuss Your Recruitment Or Sponsorship Plans With Us
A consultation allows us to examine the proposed position, the applicant’s background and the business’s plans, identify the issues requiring closer attention and explain the professional work proposed.
45-minute consultation · $150. The consultation fee is credited towards our professional fees if you engage us for further services.