482 Nomination Documents & LMT

Do I need all four nomination documents?

Most 482 (Skills in Demand) nominations need a Genuine Position Statement, a Market Salary Rate analysis, an employment contract, and Labour Market Testing evidence — they address different criteria. Some matters need only a subset (for example, where an LMT exemption applies, or where a contract is already in place). We confirm what your specific nomination requires before quoting.

What is Labour Market Testing (LMT)?

LMT is the legal requirement that an employer genuinely test the local labour market — by advertising the position in Australia — before nominating an overseas worker. It sits in section 140GBA of the Migration Act 1958, with the detail set by legislative instrument. It demonstrates the role could not be readily filled by an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Is LMT mandatory for all sponsorship nominations?

No. LMT applies to most Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) and 494 nominations, but there are limited exemptions — for example where an international trade obligation applies. It does not apply to the 407 Training visa, which has a genuine-training requirement instead. Confirm whether an exemption applies to a specific nomination before relying on it.

What if a suitable Australian applicant responds to the LMT advertising?

Then LMT has done its job — it is a genuine test of the local market, not a formality. If a suitable Australian citizen or permanent resident is available for the role, that is a genuine recruitment outcome the employer must consider. We do not advise running tokenistic advertising designed to avoid local applicants; doing so would undermine the integrity of the test and the nomination.

How recently must the LMT advertising have run?

The advertising must fall within the recency window before the nomination is lodged, and run for the required minimum period, on approved channels, with the prescribed content. These parameters are set by the current legislative instrument and revised from time to time — we check the advertising against the settings in force at the time of lodgement.

Who pays for the nomination documents and LMT?

The sponsorship and nomination are the employer's obligations and those costs sit with the employer. Migration Regulation 2.87 prohibits a sponsor from recovering certain nomination costs from the sponsored worker. Our professional fees are separate from any Department application charges, which are paid directly to the Department.

Can migration agents use this service for their clients?

Yes. We provide 482 nomination documentation — including LMT evidence compilation, Genuine Position Statements and Market Salary Rate analysis — to fellow MARA-registered migration agents on a documents-only, white-label basis under a written service agreement. The instructing agent retains carriage of the matter. See our For Migration Agents page for the agent-to-agent terms.

How do you manage conflict of interest on LMT?

LMT is the employer's genuine obligation, and a migration agent has an interest in the nomination succeeding. We keep the roles separate: the employer conducts the genuine advertising and recruitment decision; our role is limited to advising on the legal requirements and compiling the evidence. We do not fabricate advertising, facilitate tokenistic testing, or guarantee outcomes — consistent with sections 15 and 25 of the Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2022.