Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Levy

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What Is SAF Levy?

Employers who nominate workers for certain temporary or permanent skilled work visas are required to pay an upfront levy to the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF). Nominations for the following visas attract the SAF levy:

The SAF is administered by the Department of Education and Training, and provides funding for apprenticeships and traineeships in occupations that are in short supply and currently rely on skilled migration, or have future growth potential, including in regional Australia.

SAF Levy Requirements

The SAF levy must be paid by the employer nominating the position at the time that the nomination is lodged. It cannot be transferred or otherwise recovered from a visa applicant or any other party.

Nominations for Subclass 457 and 482 visas

For these visas, the SAF levy varies with the employer’s annual turnover and the nominated visa period.

The SAF levy for employers with an annual turnover of LESS THAN AU$10 million is AU$1,200 for EACH year of the nominated visa applicant’s proposed period of stay in Australia.

The SAF levy for employers with an annual turnover of AT LEAST AU$10 million is AU$1,800 for EACH year of the nominated visa applicant’s proposed period of stay.

The table below sets out the current applicable SAF levy for the various subclass 457 and 482 nominated visa periods:

Skilling Australians Fund Levy Amounts: Subclass 482 & 457 Nominations
Nominated Visa Period:	Employer’s Annual Turnover: <AU$10 million	Employer’s Annual Turnover: >AU$10 million
One year	AU$1,200	AU$1,800
Two years	AU$2,400	AU$3,600
Three years	AU$3,600	AU$5,400
Four years	AU$4,800	AU$7,200

Nominations for Subclass 494, 186 and 187 visas

There is a one-off SAF levy for the provisional subclass 494 visa, and permanent subclass 186 and 187 visas, which varies with the employer’s annual turnover.

The SAF levy for employers with an annual turnover of LESS THAN AU$10 million is AU$3,000 per nomination.

The SAF levy for employers with an annual turnover of AT LEAST AU$10 million is AU$5,000 per nomination.

The table below sets out the current applicable SAF levy for subclass 494, 186 and 187 nominations:

Skilling Australians Fund Levy Amounts:

Subclass 494, 186 & 187 Nominations

Employer’s Annual Turnover:

<AU$10 million

Employer’s Annual Turnover:

>AU$10 million

AU$3,000 per nomination

(one-off payment)

AU$5,000 per nomination

(one-off payment)

NOTES: If a subclass 494 visa holder changes employer, a pro-rated SAF levy is payable by the new sponsoring employer at the nomination stage for the remaining visa period of the subclass 494 visa.

The SAF levy is indexed and adjusted annually on 1 July.

The Department of Home Affairs (the ‘DOHA’) applies a surcharge to levies paid by credit/debit card or PayPal. The surcharge is a percentage of the SAF levy, and is based on the payment method used.

The SAF levy is NOT required for the occupations of Minister of Religion or Religious Assistant when nominated under the Labour Agreement stream for ANY of these visa subclasses.

SAF Levy Refund

The SAF levy may be refunded to the employer, in certain limited circumstances. For example, the DOHA may refund the SAF levy where the nomination or sponsorship has been withdrawn; the applicant fails to commence employment, or the related visa application is refused on health or character grounds (please note that this list is not exhaustive). In ALL cases, the refund may only be paid to the payer of the SAF levy.

Please contact us should you require further details regarding specific, permissible refund arrangements.

FAQs

Does our business need to pay the SAF levy every time we nominate a position?

Yes, the nominating employer must pay the SAF levy at the time that the relevant position nomination is lodged with the DOHA.

Can our business pass this SAF levy to the visa applicant, or recoup it from their wages?

No. The SAF levy must be paid by the employer nominating the position, and cannot be recovered or otherwise transferred to the visa applicant, or any other party.

The person who paid the SAF levy, using their credit card, has left our business. Can the DOHA refund the SAF levy to another person?

No. You will need to arrange for the individual who paid the SAF levy to have the refund transferred back to your business upon his/her receipt of the monies.

What is the full process for sponsoring an overseas employee – from start to visa approval?

The process has three main stages:

Getting your business approved as a sponsor (if you’re not already)
Nominating the specific position
The actual visa application for your employee.

We handle all these steps for you – gathering documentation, preparing submissions, managing government communications, and monitoring the application through to approval. Our clients appreciate having one point of contact throughout the entire journey.

Do we need to hire a migration agent, or can we do the sponsorship ourselves?

You can certainly handle the process yourself, just like you could do your own taxes or repair your own car. But most of our clients find that working with a specialist saves significant time, reduces stress, and minimizes the risk of costly refusals or delays.

Immigration requirements change frequently, and small mistakes can lead to significant consequences. Our expertise helps ensure you get it right the first time.

Sponsoring an Overseas Worker Has Never Been This Easy and Stress-Free

Finding and retaining qualified and skilled workers is a time-consuming and daunting task. If not done correctly, it can lead to delays in filling critical positions, missed opportunities, and ultimately, a skilled labour shortage, which can be costly for
any business.

If you’re looking to increase your workforce through overseas employee sponsorship, Migration Unity can help you.

We provide you with the expertise and support you need to streamline the process and access a wider pool of skilled talent from around the world. We manage the entire sponsorship process, from the paperwork to lodgement, so you can focus
on managing your business.

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How Migration Unity Can Help Your Business

Eligibility and Risk Assessment

We'll comprehensively assess your business's eligibility to sponsor international talent and identify the optimal visa pathways. We’ll also review your business policies to identify and address immigration risks to ensure 100% compliance.

Labour Agreements

A Labour Agreement is a formal arrangement between you and the Government that allows your business to sponsor skilled overseas workers when suitable local workers can’t be found. If required, we help you navigate this complex process to ensure a faster, smoother path to filling critical positions.

Labour Market Testing

We help you navigate Labour Market Testing, which is designed to ensure Australian workers have the first opportunity at local jobs before offering them to overseas workers. We ensure correct placement across multiple platforms to properly document your recruitment efforts.

SAF Levy

The Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Levy is a mandatory government fee for businesses sponsoring skilled overseas workers. Our expert team handles all aspects of SAF compliance, ensuring your payment is correctly calculated and properly timed with your nomination.

Approved Sponsor

We’ll assess your business to ensure it meets sponsorship requirements, prepare and lodge your Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) application, and manage all correspondence with the Department of Home Affairs. Once approved, we’ll help you identify eligible occupations, gather the right evidence, and lodge strong, compliant nomination applications.

Post-Lodgment Support

We’ll continue to monitor the application post ludgement, liaise with the Department of Home Affairs on your behalf, and ensure that any necessary bridging visas are lodged and granted for your workers. We’ll also help with setting up the transition to a permanent visa or Australian citizenship down the line. In the event of an adverse migration decision, we’ll assist you with the appeals and review process.

Your Visa Options When Sponsoring an Overseas Worker

Temporary Employer-Sponsored Visas

We help you with temporary visas like the Subclass 482, Subclass 400, and Subclass 408 to ensure your business fills key vacant positions as soon as possible.
Read More

Permanent Employer-Nominated Visas

We help you with permanent visas like the Subclass 186, allowing you to retain skilled workers for future growth.
Read More

Regional Employer-Sponsored Visas

We help you with regional sponsorship visas such as the Subclass 494, allowing regional businesses to have a competitive advantage in the market.
Read More

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Our global expertise has successfully guided thousands of professionals and businesses through Australia’s complex visa processes and helped them achieve seamless transitions.

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The Migration Unity Advantage

Expert & Personalised Support

Get peace of mind with honest, expert advice tailored to you, not a one-size-fits-all checklist. We’ve helped many clients navigate this process with confidence.

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