Free tool · Employers · Labour market testing
Labour market testing ad checker
Enter your two advertisements and your planned lodgement date. The checker tests them against the Home Affairs rules for the 482 and 494 nomination, checked 4 November 2026.
Both ads include:
Labour market testing mistakes that sink nominations
General patterns from nominations we prepare and refusals we review, never any one client's case. Each one is avoidable before the ads go live.
- The window closes before lodging. The ads ran, but documents took months to gather and the nomination went in after the 4 months had passed. Fix the lodgement date first and work back.
- The ad is for a different job. The title, skill level or duties in the ad do not match the nominated occupation, often because the occupation was chosen after advertising.
- The salary is missing or lower. Below A$96,400 the ad must show the salary; an ad salary well below the nominated one also raises questions about the test itself.
- A platform that does not count. Social-media-only posts, general classifieds, or the business's own website when it is not an accredited sponsor.
- Ads cut short. A listing taken down early once a candidate was found, so it ran less than 4 weeks.
- No evidence kept. No dated screenshots or invoices showing where and when each ad ran, and no record of applicants and why they were not suitable.
- Requirements the role does not need. Unusual demands (a specific nationality, language or visa status) suggest the ad was written to exclude Australians.
The rules the checker uses
- Number of advertisements: At least two. From 11 December 2023 a sponsor needs two valid advertisements, instead of three. The instrument (s 8(3)) says "at least two advertisements".
- How long each ad runs: At least 4 weeks. Advertisements "are expected to have run for at least 4 weeks". Both the page and the instrument say 4 weeks, not 28 days.
- When: Within the 4 months before lodging. Advertised for at least four weeks "within the four month period immediately prior to lodging the nomination".
- Where: In Australia, in English. A national recruitment website or an industry-specific site; LinkedIn's online recruitment platform (not members-only posts); national print; national radio; the sponsor's own website only if the sponsor is accredited. Classified ads and social-media-only posts are not acceptable.
Labour market testing applies to the 482 and the 494 nomination. Some nominations are exempt under international trade obligations (these do not apply to labour agreements or the 494), and some have alternative evidence. See LMT exemptions, how to write the ad and the full LMT guide. Sources: Home Affairs LMT page, LIN 18/036.
Frequently asked questions
How many advertisements does labour market testing need?
At least two. Since 11 December 2023 two valid advertisements are needed instead of three, and Workforce Australia is no longer required.
How long must each advertisement run, and when?
Each is expected to run for at least 4 weeks, within the 4 months immediately before the nomination is lodged. If an ad is older than that, it does not count, and new ads are needed.
Can I advertise on Facebook, Gumtree or my own website?
Social-media-only ads and general classified sites are not acceptable. Your own website counts only if you are an accredited sponsor. LinkedIn's recruitment platform is acceptable, but not posts visible only to members.
Does the ad need to show the salary?
Only if the annual earnings for the position are lower than A$96,400. A salary range is acceptable.
What labour market testing mistakes cause nomination refusals?
The common ones: lodging after the 4-month window, ads for a different job or skill level from the nomination, a missing salary where one is required, platforms that do not count, ads taken down before 4 weeks, and no dated evidence of where and when each ad ran.
Does this checker confirm my LMT is valid?
No. It checks the dates, platforms and ad content against the published rules. It cannot check whether an exemption applies, whether the ad matches the nominated occupation and position, or how Home Affairs will assess the evidence. A decision is made by Home Affairs on the full nomination.
Before you lodge
An ad that passes these checks can still fail if it does not match the nominated occupation, salary and duties. Check the sponsor side with the free sponsor eligibility check and the cost to sponsor a worker, or have Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536, registered since 2015) review your ads and nomination in a consultation: A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes or A$550 for 60, credited in full if you engage the practice. Book →
In other currencies: A$330 is about US$225, €205 or £170; A$550 is about US$380, €340 or £285 (approximate, November 2026).
