Sponsoring an accountant: what accounting firms can and cannot do

Which roles are on the list

From the Home Affairs skilled occupation list, read 6 November 2026. ✓ means the occupation is listed for that visa; caveats shown are the 482 Core Skills caveats; the list sets the 186 Direct Entry caveats separately. Check the live list before you advertise.

The business-size caveat

For the three accountant occupations the list carries the same caveats for the 482 Core Skills stream and the 186 Direct Entry stream: the position is excluded if the business has annual turnover of less than A$1,000,000, if it has fewer than 5 employees, or if the role is clerical, bookkeeping or accounting clerk work. Both size tests apply, so a practice with A$2 million turnover and four staff is excluded as surely as one with ten staff and A$600,000.

The duties matter as much as the title. A role that is mostly data entry, reconciliations and BAS preparation reads as bookkeeping; a nomination for Accountant (General) needs the professional duties of the occupation, and an advertisement and position description that say so. External Auditor, Internal Auditor, Finance Manager and Company Secretary show no caveat in the table above, but the duties still have to match the occupation.

What the decision maker looks at: the caveat facts first (turnover and headcount, usually from financial statements, BAS and payroll), then whether the position description and ads describe professional accounting duties rather than bookkeeping. The caveats come from the Core Skills Occupation List instrument; the position must also be genuine under reg 2.72(10)(a) of the Migration Regulations 1994.

Routes for a small practice

The 494 in a regional area. The list does not show the accountant caveats for the 494, so a practice outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane can consider it, with Regional Certifying Body advice and labour market testing. See sponsoring on the 494.

Specialist Skills. The 482 Specialist Skills stream has no occupation list and does not exclude professional occupations, but the guaranteed earnings must be at least A$146,576. That suits a senior manager or partner-track hire, not a graduate. See the Specialist Skills stream.

A worker who does not need sponsorship. Many accountants hold a 485, a partner visa or their own skilled visa. Hiring them needs no nomination; check their work rights through VEVO.

The worker

The skills assessment for the accountant occupations is by CAANZ, CPA Australia or IPA, and for Internal Auditor, Company Secretary and Financial Investment Adviser by VETASSESS. Check it is available, or under way, before you advertise.

Costs and salary

For a 482 Core Skills nomination the salary must be at the annual market rate and at least the Core Skills Income Threshold, A$79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026; the Specialist Skills stream needs at least A$146,576; a 494 needs the market rate and at least A$79,423. The employer pays the sponsorship application (A$420), the nomination charge (A$330 for a 482) and the Skilling Australians Fund levy (A$1,200 or A$1,800 a year for a 482 depending on turnover), and none of these can be passed on to the worker. Work out the total with the calculator on the cost to sponsor a worker, and check your advertisements with the LMT ad checker.

Check the role before you advertise

The most common problem is a nomination for an accountant in a practice the caveats exclude, or a role whose duties read as bookkeeping. In an employer consultation Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536, registered since 2015) works through the occupation, the duties, the salary and the visa that fits. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes or A$550 for 60 minutes, credited in full if you engage the practice. You can also start with the free sponsor eligibility check.

Book an employer 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. No visa outcome can be promised; every nomination is decided by Home Affairs.