A job offer is an important step towards an employer-sponsored visa, but it is not a visa approval. For the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), the business and the worker have different responsibilities. Understanding those responsibilities early can prevent gaps in the application and unrealistic expectations about when work can begin.
Three stages, with different purposes
The usual pathway involves sponsorship, nomination and a visa application. Sponsorship concerns the business’s permission to sponsor workers. Nomination concerns the particular position. The visa application concerns the person who will fill it. These stages are connected, but approval of one does not establish that every requirement of the others has been met.
An employer may already hold an appropriate sponsorship approval. In that situation, the starting point is to check whether it remains valid and suitable for the proposed arrangement, rather than assume a fresh sponsorship application is always required.
Stage 1: the business’s sponsorship arrangements
The business generally needs to be an approved standard business sponsor, or use the relevant labour agreement arrangements. This is a business responsibility. Employers should understand both the approval requirements and their ongoing sponsorship obligations before committing to the process.
Useful preparation includes gathering consistent business records and identifying who will manage the sponsorship. A worker’s qualifications cannot substitute for missing business evidence. Equally, a strong business history does not resolve an applicant’s English or character requirements.
Stage 2: nomination of the position
The employer nominates a specific role. Relevant issues include the occupation, the duties actually performed, a genuine position, remuneration and any applicable labour market testing. The nomination should accurately reflect the employment arrangement, rather than simply repeat an occupation title.
Labour market testing requirements and exceptions need to be checked for the particular case. Keep recruitment evidence organised from the outset. Do not assume that advertising undertaken for ordinary recruitment will automatically satisfy the migration requirements.
Stage 3: the worker’s visa application
The worker makes a separate visa application. Skills, work experience, English, health and character requirements may be relevant, along with requirements for any accompanying family members. The employer must lodge the nomination before the visa application, and the nomination must be approved before the visa can be granted.
The Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement streams have different requirements. Choosing a stream should follow an assessment of the occupation, proposed salary and available sponsorship arrangements. See our subclass 482 visa guide for an overview.
What should employers and workers check before lodging?
Compare the job description, employment contract, nomination details and applicant’s work history. If they tell different stories, identify the reason before submission. Establish a shared timetable and make clear who is collecting each document.
Existing work rights must be checked separately. A job offer or a lodged nomination does not itself authorise someone to start working. Workers changing employers should obtain advice about their current visa conditions and the steps needed for the new arrangement.
Plan the whole application, not just the next form
A coordinated assessment helps the business and worker understand the evidence, sequencing and potential difficulties before lodging. It also makes it easier to identify whether a different employer-sponsored pathway needs consideration.
Regal Migration Services can assist with the business and applicant stages. Book a consultation with an immigration lawyer to discuss your proposed role and current visa position.
Official sources and further reading
Home Affairs: Skills in Demand visa
Home Affairs: nominating a position
Home Affairs: labour market testing
Information checked on 5 October 2026. This article provides general information. Your visa history, circumstances and the current law need to be considered before you act.