The 482, the 186 and the partner visa, handled by lawyers who lodge them weekly.
Employer-sponsored and partner visas turn on evidence and sequencing, not luck. We tell you what the Department will actually test, what it costs, and whether the pathway is real for you, before you spend a dollar on it.
Government visa charges, main applicant
- Subclass 482 Skills in Demandplus nomination $330 and SAF levy$4,015
- Subclass 186 Employer Nominationplus nomination $540 and SAF levy$6,140
- Partner visa 820/801 or 309/100one charge covers both stages$11,710
- Prospective Marriage 300then a partner visa after the wedding$11,710
Department of Home Affairs charges as at 1 July 2026. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted in writing after the consultation.
Three visas. Three different games.
Each one fails for a different reason. Sponsorship fails on the nomination. The 186 fails on timing and age. Partner visas fail on thin evidence. We work the failure point first.
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482
482 visa
Skills in Demand visa
Sponsorship, nomination and visa in the right order, with labour market testing that survives scrutiny. For workers checking an offer and for employers who need a role filled without a refusal on the record.
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186
186 visa
Employer Nomination Scheme
Permanent residence through your employer. Temporary Residence Transition after two years on a 482, or Direct Entry with a skills assessment and three years of experience. We map the age and English rules before you commit.
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820 · 309
Partner visa
Partner visas
Onshore 820/801, offshore 309/100 and the Prospective Marriage 300. Evidence built across the four pillars the Department assesses, with refusals, PIC 4020 and bridging visa timing managed rather than hoped away.
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All visas
Every other visa, and the events that drive them
Visitor, student, skilled, parent and bridging visas, each with its own page, charges and eligibility check. Plus the visas behind the Rugby World Cup 2027, Brisbane 2032 and the annual event calendar.
Consultation first. Then a fixed fee, in writing.
You are never asked to pay for an application before a lawyer has looked at your facts and told you whether it will work.
Fees and process in full
Consultation
A paid session with a migration lawyer. You bring your visa history, occupation or relationship details. You leave with a pathway, the risks named, and a costs breakdown.
Engagement
A professional services agreement with a fixed fee and instalments agreed up front. Government charges are listed separately so there are no surprises at lodgement.
Evidence and drafting
We send a document request built for your case, not a generic list. Statements, employer letters and relationship evidence are drafted and checked by us before anything is uploaded.
Lodgement and decision
We lodge decision-ready, respond to any Department request within the deadline, and keep you on a lawful bridging visa if you are applying onshore.
The numbers that decide employer-sponsored cases.
Thresholds move every July. These are the current figures we are working to. If your salary or occupation sits near a line, that is the first thing to test.
How the 482 thresholds apply| Item | Applies to | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) | 482 Core Skills stream, 186 | $79,423 |
| Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) | 482 Specialist Skills stream | $146,576 |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, per year | 482 nomination, turnover under $10m / over | $1,200 / $1,800 |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, one-off | 186 nomination, turnover under $10m / over | $3,000 / $5,000 |
| Core Skills Occupation List | 482 Core Skills and 186 Direct Entry | 456 occupations |
| Time on 482 before 186 TRT | Temporary Residence Transition stream | 2 years |
| Administrative Review Tribunal fee | Review of a refusal | $3,727 |
Verified against Home Affairs and the Federal Register of Legislation as at 1 July 2026. Check the current figure before relying on it.
What it is like to be a client here.
Client words, lightly trimmed for length. Every matter is different and past results do not predict yours.
My partner and I had a complicated situation with limited documents, and we were terrified about being refused. Deepika helped us prepare strong relationship evidence, explained every step clearly, and supported us through each request from the Department. Our partner visa was approved much faster than we expected.
Sam made the Skills in Demand process straightforward and stress-free. He understood my work history clearly and guided me on every document I needed. Thanks to him, my visa was approved faster than I expected.
Deepika took the time to understand my background, my work history and my goals. She planned my entire skilled migration pathway with such clarity that I finally felt confident again. My Skills in Demand application was successful and I am now working in Melbourne.
We were really stressed about our partner visa, but Deepika handled everything with care. She helped us organise our evidence properly and our visa was approved without issues.
What changed, and what it means for your application.
Written by the lawyers who lodge these visas. New articles most weekdays.
All articles-
The Tick Box That Ends More Partner Visas Than the Conviction Behind It
A conviction rarely refuses a partner visa; a wrong answer about it can. The 12 month line, the Form 1023 fix, Direction 110 and the $11,710 charge in…
Read -
Adelaide’s Tech DAMA Buys Age, Not a Salary Discount
The Adelaide City DAMA lifts the age limit to 55 and cuts experience to one year for Australian graduates. It does not cut the $79,423 income threshold.
Read -
SA DAMA: Your Postcode Picks the Agreement, Not Your Business
South Australia runs two DAMAs on different maps. Your postcode decides which agreement and which occupations you can actually nominate under.
Read
Get a straight answer on your visa this week.
A paid consultation with a migration lawyer, not a sales call. You leave with a clear pathway, the real costs, and the risks named.