An employer-sponsored matter has at least two clients, three applications and a set of obligations that continue after the visa is granted. Keeping the sponsor's side and the worker's side in step is most of the work. This guide sets out the current pathway on the Home Affairs website, what a practice tracks for the sponsor and the applicant, the deadlines that matter, and how to set it up in AgentDS.
It describes how a practice organises its work, not what any client should do. Every matter needs a registered migration agent's own assessment. This is general information, not legal advice.
The current pathway, as Home Affairs describes it
The temporary employer-sponsored visa is now the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa. On 28 September 2026 its page listed the Core Skills stream, Specialist Skills stream, Labour Agreement stream and a Subsequent Entrant option for family members.
The 482 step-by-step runs in three parts:
- Sponsorship. The employer becomes an approved sponsor (the page also refers to having applied to become a Standard Business Sponsor).
- Nomination. The employer nominates the worker for the position.
- Visa application. The worker applies for the visa.
The page lists applicant requirements including skills for the job, at least one year of relevant work experience, English unless exempt, and a skills assessment where one is mandatory for the occupation. It also says that a visa holder who has been laid off has up to 180 days to find a new employer or make arrangements to leave Australia.
The permanent pathway is the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), with Direct Entry, Labour Agreement and Temporary Residence Transition streams. The employer lodges a nomination first, then the worker applies. The 186 page says the visa must be applied for within 6 months of the nomination being approved.
Check the 482 page and the 186 page for current fees, processing times and occupation lists before advising a client. Streams and settings change, so re-check them at the start of each matter.
What the practice tracks for the sponsor
- Sponsorship status and approval date. Home Affairs states a Standard Business Sponsorship lasts 5 years from approval; record the expiry so renewal isn't a surprise.
- Labour market testing. Home Affairs says sponsors must provide a copy of the advertising used when they nominate. Record where and when each advertisement ran.
- Nomination details for each worker: position, occupation, salary evidence and the nomination approval date.
- Notifications after grant. Home Affairs lists changes a sponsor must notify within 28 days, such as a sponsored worker's employment ending. Keep the date of each event and each notification.
- Your agreement with the sponsor, including who pays which fees and disbursements. OMARA's guidance discusses agreements that cover a sponsor and a visa applicant, and says each client must sign and each client's details must be included. See our client service agreement guide.
What the practice tracks for the applicant
- Current visa and its expiry, if the worker is already in Australia.
- Passport expiry.
- Skills assessment, including the date it was undertaken or started, since the 482 page sets a time window for mandatory assessments.
- English test results and their dates.
- Work experience evidence, employment references and qualifications.
- Health and character documents as requested.
- Family members included in the application.
- The 186 transition point, for workers who may later be nominated for permanent residence.
Deadlines worth recording
Nomination approval date and the 6-month window for a 186 visa application. Sponsorship expiry. The 28-day notification window after a change for the sponsor. The 180-day period for a laid-off worker. Visa and passport expiries. Due dates on every request for further information. The decision date, which starts the 28-day statement of services period under the Migration Agents Regulations 2026.
Setting it up in AgentDS
Two clients, linked by notes. Create a client record for the employer and one for each worker. Record the link in each file's notes, and let duplicate checks stop the same employer being entered twice as new workers arrive.
Three applications per matter. Add the sponsorship, nomination and visa application as separate applications, each with its own service stages, recorded deadlines and private notes. See visa application tracking. For a 186, add the nomination and the visa application the same way.
Reusable templates. Build task and document-checklist templates for "Sponsorship", "482 nomination", "482 visa", "186 nomination" and "186 visa". Assign the right one, review the dates, and each matter starts with the same checklist. See document checklists.
Deadline reminders. Record the sponsorship expiry, the 6-month application window, visa and passport expiries, and response due dates. Each morning, AgentDS emails the owner and the responsible person when a recorded visa, passport, document, application or task date reaches 90, 60, 30 or 7 days, or falls due. Reminders go to staff. More in visa expiry tracking.
Tasks with owners. Give the labour market testing review, nomination drafting and post-grant notifications an owner and a due date. The owner's daily brief shows follow-ups due and applications with no activity for 14 days.
Documents. Record each requested document, attach files to document records, and keep checklist status current for both parties.
Fees. Record invoice records against the right client (employer or worker), record money received and reconcile balances. See invoices and recorded payments.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa?
Home Affairs says the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) replaced it. Check the 482 page for the current streams.
Should the sponsor and the worker have separate records?
Yes, in practice. They are different clients with different documents, obligations and fees, even when one agreement covers both.
How long does a worker have to apply after a 186 nomination is approved?
The 186 page says within 6 months of the nomination being approved. Record the approval date so the window is visible.
Can AgentDS remind us before a sponsorship expires?
Yes, if you record the date. Reminder emails go to the owner and the responsible person at 90, 60, 30 and 7 days, and on the day.
How does AgentDS fit around nomination and labour market testing work?
Keep your drafting process as it is. Use AgentDS to track the stages, documents, dates and fees around it.