Employers · Automotive
Sponsoring Mechanics and Automotive Workers — Occupations, Assessment and Process
Workshops, dealerships and fleet operators can sponsor motor mechanics, diesel mechanics, auto electricians, panelbeaters and vehicle painters: all are on the lists. The step that decides most automotive nominations is the Trades Recognition Australia assessment, which needs a trade qualification, and the salary floor against award rates.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Salary floor (Core Skills)
- A$79,423 + super
- Nomination charge
- A$330 + SAF levy
- Visa
- 482 Skills in Demand, then 186
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 →MARN 1576536
Employers: get the automotive nomination right the first time.
In the extended consultation I check the role against the occupation, the salary against the floor and market rate, and the candidate against the assessment and the visa, then give you a fixed quote in writing for the sponsorship, nomination and visa.
What it costs. $550 inc. GST for 60 minutes by video with Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536), credited in full against our professional fee if you engage WIDEN. Advice confirmed in writing after the call. There is no free consultation or free assessment.
Which occupations can be sponsored
| Occupation | List | Employer and skilled visas | Assessed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Mechanic (General) 321211 | Long-term, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 189, 190, 491 | TRA |
| Diesel Motor Mechanic 321212 | Long-term, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 189, 190, 491 | TRA |
| Small Engine Mechanic 321214 | Long-term, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 189, 190, 491 | TRA |
| Automotive Electrician 321111 | Long-term, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 189, 190, 491 | TRA |
| Panelbeater 324111 | Long-term, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 189, 190, 491 | TRA |
| Vehicle Painter 324311 | Regional, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 491 | TRA |
List status from the Department of Home Affairs occupation lists as recorded on this site; check the searchable Core Skills list for any occupation not shown.
What the automotive-specific checks are
- Skills assessment: Trades Recognition Australia; experienced mechanics without a formal qualification usually need recognition of prior learning first.
- Occupation: diesel, light vehicle and small engine are separate occupations; the nomination must match the work the workshop does.
- Salary: the A$79,423 floor applies; check it against what the workshop actually pays before advertising.
The process for the employer
- Standard Business Sponsorship: approval of the business as a sponsor, valid five years. A business already approved skips this.
- Labour market testing: the role advertised in Australia for at least 28 days within the four months before the nomination, including on Workforce Australia, unless an exemption applies.
- Nomination: the position, its duties, the occupation code and the salary, which must be at least A$79,423 a year plus superannuation (the Core Skills Income Threshold) and the market rate for the role.
- The visa: the worker applies for the 482, with the skills assessment where the occupation or their nationality requires it, English, health and character.
- After two years in the role, the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream to permanent residence.
Cost and timing
Government charges to the employer: the sponsorship application A$420, the nomination A$330, and the Skilling Australians Fund levy of A$1,200 a year of nomination for a business with turnover under A$10m, A$1,800 a year above it. The visa application charge is A$4,015 for the main applicant. None of the employer charges may be passed on to the worker. Processing runs in months, not weeks; current processing times are tracked monthly, and since 19 September 2026 nominations in priority sectors are processed first.
General information only, current at October 2026; not advice on your own case. Outcomes depend on the Department’s assessment of each application; no registered migration agent can guarantee a result (Code of Conduct, Migration Agents Regulations). Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536.
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Check your case
Tell Keshab your situation. He reads it personally and replies within a business day with which route fits you and whether a consultation is worth your money. Not an assessment of your file, no advice on it, no obligation.
How this works: Keshab reads every case check himself and replies personally, usually within a business day: which route fits, what it turns on, and whether a consultation is worth your money. If it is, he offers you a time; if it is not, he says so.
Ready now? Skip the form. Pick a time and talk to Keshab directly — your documents on the table, a straight answer, and a written summary afterwards. $330 inc. GST, credited toward your fee if you engage.
Pick a time — no enquiry needed →Questions we get asked first
Can a workshop sponsor an overseas mechanic?
Yes. Motor Mechanic, Diesel Motor Mechanic and Small Engine Mechanic are on the long-term list. The mechanic needs a TRA assessment and the salary must meet the floor.
Can a vehicle painter be sponsored?
Yes, on the 482 (Core Skills) and the regional 494, with a TRA assessment.
My mechanic has years of experience but no certificate. Is that a problem?
Usually, for the assessment. Recognition of prior learning can turn documented experience into the qualification first.
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