For employers · DAMA · Labour agreements · Costs
DAMA and labour agreement visa cost for employers
A DAMA or labour agreement changes who you can sponsor, not what Home Affairs charges. The nomination fees, the Skilling Australians Fund levy and the visa charges are the same as in the standard streams, and labour agreement sponsors pay the levy too. Here is the bill, from the Home Affairs cost of sponsoring page (checked 11 November 2026).
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed on 11 November 2026 · Check the OMARA register
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - 482 nomination
- A$330
- 494 nomination
- Nil
- 186 nomination
- A$540 or nil (regional)
- SAF levy
- Payable (labour agreements too)
The migration agent that other migration agents learn from. WIDEN is an OMARA-approved CPD provider — our training is rated ★4.8 by 40+ registered migration agents.
About the CPD →The employer's government charges, by visa
| Charge | 482 (LA stream) | 494 (LA stream) | 186 (LA stream) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nomination | A$330 | Nil | A$540; nil if the position is in regional Australia |
| SAF levy, turnover under A$10m | A$1,200 per year | A$3,000 one-off | A$3,000 one-off |
| SAF levy, other | A$1,800 per year | A$5,000 one-off | A$5,000 one-off |
| Visa charge (main applicant), either side | A$4,015 | A$6,140 | A$6,140 |
Sources: Home Affairs cost of sponsoring page (checked 11 November 2026); Migration Regulations reg 5.37 (186 nil in regional Australia for the Temporary Residence Transition and Labour Agreement streams); LIN 19/215 (494 nomination nil); Home Affairs visa pricing. Most DAMA areas are regional for migration purposes, but check the postcode: is my city regional?
The SAF levy under a labour agreement
Home Affairs is explicit: sponsors who are party to a labour agreement must also pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy, and the only exemption is for ministers of religion and religious assistants nominated under the labour agreement streams. The levy is calculated in the nomination form from the business's turnover and, for the 482, the nominated period, and is paid in full when the nomination is lodged. It is tax deductible, and it cannot be passed on to the worker.
When the levy comes back
Refunds are limited. The cases most relevant to labour agreement sponsors, as Home Affairs lists them:
- You withdraw a labour agreement stream nomination before you have entered into the labour agreement.
- You withdraw a labour agreement stream nomination because you have reached the agreement's yearly ceiling or named the wrong occupation.
- The nomination and visa are approved but the worker does not arrive or start with you.
- The visa is refused on health or character grounds after the nomination was approved.
- A 482 or 494 holder leaves within the first 12 months of a visa longer than 12 months (unused full years only).
The nomination fee is not refunded if the application fails. More: SAF levy refunds.
The rule: the Skilling Australians Fund levy applies to labour agreement nominations as to any other (its amounts are set under the Migration (Skilling Australians Fund) Charges Regulations 2018); the nil levy is only for minister of religion and religious assistant positions. The 186 nomination charge is set by reg 5.37 of the Migration Regulations 1994, and is nil for a Labour Agreement position in regional Australia.
The trap: assuming a DAMA or industry agreement waives the levy because it relaxes salary, English or age. Concessions change who can be nominated, not what the employer pays.
Worked example (illustrative only): a regional aged care provider with turnover over A$10 million nominates a worker under its labour agreement for a 4-year 482: the levy is A$7,200 plus the A$330 nomination charge, the same as outside the agreement.
What the worker can pay
Only the visa application charge, which either side can pay. The sponsor must pay all costs of becoming a sponsor and of nominating, and Home Affairs says these cannot be transferred to the visa holder or their family. Skills assessments, English tests and health checks are the worker's own costs unless you agree otherwise.
Budget the whole case before you commit
In a labour agreement consultation Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536, registered since 2015) confirms which agreement and stream fit your business, what the government charges will be for each worker, and what the request and nominations need, and gives you a written fee quote if you want WIDEN to handle it. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes or A$550 for 60 minutes, credited in full if you engage the practice. No outcome can be promised.
Book a labour agreement consultation →
In other currencies: A$330 is about US$225, €205 or £170; A$550 is about US$380, €340 or £285 (approximate, November 2026).
General information, not migration advice. Government charges only; professional fees are separate.
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Book 30 minutes with Keshab.
Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536), reads your situation with you and tells you which route fits, what it costs and what happens next.
Video consultation. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes, credited in full if you go ahead. Advice on your own case is given in the consultation, and you leave it with a clear plan in writing.
What you get
- 30 minutes (A$330) or 60 minutes (A$550) by video with a registered migration agent, Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536.
- A written summary of your options and next steps after the session.
- What to bring: ABN, what the business does, the role and salary, the candidate’s CV and current visa.
- Prefer no call? The sponsorship readiness check is done in writing, A$550.
Book an employer sponsorship consultation — A$330 inc. GST, credited In writing, no call — A$550
Need 60 minutes, or bringing a partner, employer or documents to go through? Extended consultation, A$550 inc. GST.
MARN 1576536 · practising since 2015 · contact details
Questions we get asked first
How much does a DAMA visa cost the employer?
The same government charges as a standard nomination, under the labour agreement stream: A$330 for a 482 nomination plus the SAF levy of A$1,200 or A$1,800 per year; nil for a 494 nomination plus a one-off SAF levy of A$3,000 or A$5,000; and for a 186, A$540 or nil where the position is in regional Australia, plus the one-off levy. Ask the region's representative whether it charges for endorsement.
Do labour agreement sponsors pay the SAF levy?
Yes. Home Affairs says sponsors who are party to a labour agreement must also pay the levy; only ministers of religion and religious assistants nominated under the labour agreement streams are exempt.
Is there a fee for the labour agreement request?
The Home Affairs cost of sponsoring page lists no charge for the labour agreement request itself. The charges arise at nomination (the nomination fee and the SAF levy) and at the visa application.
Can the worker pay any of these costs?
Only the visa application charge. Home Affairs says the sponsor must pay all costs of sponsoring and nominating and cannot transfer them to the visa holder or their family.
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