Visa processing 101 for employers: A simple guide to hiring overseas workers

Hiring skilled workers from overseas can be one of the best decisions your business makes, but for many employers, the visa process feels like a wall of red tape.

The good news? It doesn’t have to be complex. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key visa options and what’s involved at each step, so you can hire confidently and compliantly.

The most common visas for overseas workers

Before you do anything else, you’ll need to choose the right visa. Here are three key options in 2025:

1. Skills in Demand (SID) visa – formerly TSS 482

This is the primary visa for sponsoring skilled workers in high-demand roles.

• Valid for up to 4 years.
• Covers over 450 occupations.
• Most streams offer a path to permanent residency.
• Requires employer sponsorship and salary of at least AUD $73,150.

2. DAMA – Designated Area Migration Agreements

DAMA is ideal for regional and hard-to-fill roles.

• Offers concessions on salary, English and experience.
• Allows sponsorship of semi-skilled workers.
• Customised to your region’s needs.

3. ENS 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme

This is a permanent visa, either used after a 482 visa or for direct entry.

• Best suited for senior or high-demand positions.
• Helps retain top performers long-term.

Step-by-step: the skilled migration process

Here’s how the full visa sponsorship process works and how we simplify it for you.

Step 1: Become an approved sponsor

To start, your business must become a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS).

• Valid for 5 years.
• Requires proof of financial viability and legal compliance.
• Application fee: approx. AUD $420.

💡 We recommend applying for sponsorship early, even if you haven’t chosen a candidate yet. 

Step 2: Nominate the position

Next, you lodge a nomination for the job role you want to fill. This must include:

• Job description and duties.
• Market salary (above the TSMIT threshold).
• Labour Market Testing (LMT) – showing you tried to hire locally.
• Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy payment.

LMT is a legal requirement for most roles and must follow strict rules. We manage this for you to ensure it’s audit-ready.

Step 3: Lodge the visa application

Your chosen candidate submits their application, including:

• Passport and ID.
• Qualifications and work history.
• Police and health checks.
• Proof of English language ability (if required).

💰 Visa costs vary based on role and family size, with fees for the main applicant ranging from $1,455 to $3,115. 

Step 4: Wait for processing

Visa decisions typically take:

• 482/SID visas: 3–5 months.
• ENS 186 visas: 8–13 months.

We prepare every application to be “decision-ready” to minimise delays.

Step 5: Relocate and onboard

Once approved, we support your new hire with:

• Flights and temporary accommodation
• Banking and phone setup.
• Cultural orientation
• Community and family integration

A good onboarding experience means your worker arrives motivated and ready to contribute.

Step 6: Stay compliant

Sponsoring a worker comes with legal obligations. You must:

• Pay the agreed salary
• Not recover any visa or recruitment costs
• Notify Home Affairs of any employment changes
• Keep clear records and cooperate with audits

We provide ongoing support to ensure you meet every requirement — stress-free.

Typical costs to sponsor a worker

Here’s a ballpark budget (for a small business, 4-year sponsorship):

While this may seem significant upfront, the cost of vacancies, turnover, and project delays is often far higher.