Labour market testing for a subclass 482 nomination requires advertising for at least 28 days. The advertising must fall within the four months before the nomination is lodged. For a Melbourne hotel that wants sponsored chefs in place by the opening match on 1 October 2027, that rule sets the calendar. Advertising in August 2027 is too late.
Here is a fictional but typical file. A hospitality group with venues in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane expects its busiest six weeks in a decade between 1 October and 13 November 2027. It needs a mix of sponsored chefs, short-term supervisors and casual bar staff. Three groups, three visa answers, and one deadline.
Short answer: Sponsor skilled roles on the subclass 482 at $4,015 per visa. The salary must reach $79,423 and the Skilling Australians Fund levy is $1,200 or $1,800 per year. Fill casual roles with working holiday makers on the 417 or 462, whose first visa costs $840. Start labour market testing no later than early 2027.
The three staffing groups and where each one fits
Chefs, cooks, restaurant managers and hotel managers can be sponsored on the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa. The occupation must appear on the Core Skills Occupation List of 456 occupations. Otherwise the role must pay at least the Specialist Skills threshold of $146,576. The business becomes a standard business sponsor at $420, lodges a nomination at $330, and the worker pays $4,015 for the visa. These are ongoing employees, not tournament casuals.
Working holiday makers on the subclass 417 and 462 visas are the backbone of event hospitality. The first visa costs $840. Holders can work for any employer without sponsorship, subject to a limit on how long they work for one employer. Because they are already in the country or arrive independently, the employer’s job is recruitment and compliance, not sponsorship. See the working holiday visa page.
A head of catering flown in from an overseas venue, or a specialist installing a ticketing platform, may fit the subclass 400 at $535. The Short Stay Specialist visa suits highly specialised work for a short period, without a sponsorship. It does not suit ordinary hospitality roles, and using it for line staff invites refusal.
The 482 numbers an employer must clear
| Item | Who pays | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Standard business sponsorship | Employer, once | $420 |
| Nomination charge | Employer, per nomination | $330 |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, per year of the visa | Employer | $1,200 (annual turnover under ten million dollars) or $1,800 |
| Visa application charge, main applicant | Worker | $4,015 |
| Core Skills Income Threshold | Minimum salary for the role | $79,423 |
| Labour market testing | Advertising period | 28 days, within the 4 months before nomination |
Charges are Department of Home Affairs figures as at 1 July 2026. The employer cannot pass the sponsorship charge, the nomination charge or the levy on to the worker. The salary must also match what an Australian would earn in the same role. A chef paid exactly $79,423 in a market that pays more will fail the market rate test.
Labour market testing: the rule that sets the calendar
Before nominating, the employer must advertise the role in Australia for at least 28 days. It must run on the Workforce Australia site and on at least two other national platforms. It must fall within the four months before the nomination is lodged, and it must state the salary range and the skills required.
Because the window is four months, employers cannot advertise a year ahead and rely on it. Equally, they cannot skip it because the tournament is close. Some exemptions exist under international trade obligations for certain nationalities, but hospitality roles rarely qualify. Plan the advertising as the first step in the sequence, not a formality at the end.
Employer timeline to 1 October 2027
The Department publishes processing times each month and they change with demand. The timeline below is therefore built on lead time and on the labour market testing window.
- Now to December 2026Confirm the sponsorship is in place, or lodge it. Audit rosters and decide which roles are genuinely ongoing and skilled.
- January to February 2027Run labour market testing for each nominated role. Draft position descriptions that match the ANZSCO occupation.
- March to April 2027Lodge nominations and 482 applications. Pay the levy at nomination. Brief overseas candidates on health and English evidence.
- May to July 2027Open recruitment for working holiday makers already in Australia. Set up right-to-work checks using VEVO for every casual hire.
- August to September 2027Onboard sponsored staff as visas are granted. Lodge any subclass 400 applications for short specialists.
Working holiday makers: the compliance side
Working holiday makers are attractive because they need no sponsorship. However, the employer still carries obligations. Each person must hold a valid visa on the day they start, which VEVO confirms in minutes. Their work rights are conditional, and most holders may only work for one employer for a limited period unless an exemption applies. A group running several venues under separate entities needs advice on how that limit is counted.
Age limits also apply to the working holiday programs and vary by passport, with the upper limit reaching 35 for some countries. Those limits are the worker’s problem at application time, not the employer’s at hiring time. The employer’s exposure is in employing someone without work rights, or beyond the conditions of their visa. Penalties apply to the business and to individual officers.
Sponsorship cost calculator
The levy is shown per visa year and the calculator assumes a two-year visa.
Larger businesses replace the $1,200 levy line with $1,800 per year. Our employers page sets out the sponsorship obligations that continue after grant.
What the 482 gives you after the tournament
A sponsored chef does not leave when the final whistle blows on 13 November 2027. The 482 is an ongoing employment visa. After two years with the sponsor, the worker may be eligible for permanent residence through the subclass 186. For a hospitality group that struggles to retain skilled kitchen staff, that pathway is often the real reason to sponsor. The tournament is simply the deadline that forces the decision.
If you need a staffing plan that separates sponsorship from casual recruitment, contact us before the labour market testing window opens.
Frequently asked questions
Can we sponsor bar staff and waiters on the 482 for the tournament?
Generally no. The 482 needs an occupation on the relevant list and a genuine ongoing position at or above $79,423. Bar and wait roles are usually filled by working holiday makers, students with work rights and local staff.
Does the 28-day advertising have to be finished before we lodge?
Yes. The advertising must have run for at least 28 days and must fall within the four months before the nomination is lodged. Lodging before the period ends leads to refusal of the nomination.
Can a working holiday maker work for us across all six weeks of the tournament?
Usually, yes. The tournament period is shorter than the limit on work with one employer. Check each person’s visa conditions in VEVO, because some holders are on a second or third visa with different conditions.
Who pays the Skilling Australians Fund levy and can we recover it?
The employer pays the levy at nomination and cannot recover it from the worker. It is $1,200 per year for businesses with annual turnover under ten million dollars and $1,800 per year for larger businesses.
Is the subclass 400 an option for a temporary head chef?
Possibly, if the person has highly specialised skills that are not available locally and the work is short. It costs $535 and requires no sponsorship. It is not suitable for ordinary kitchen roles or for staff the business wants to keep.
Figures verified against Home Affairs visa pricing as at 1 July 2026.
This article is general information about Australian migration law as at 2 September 2026. It is not legal advice. Figures change each July and eligibility turns on your own facts, so obtain advice before acting.