Business existence and lawful operation
Current ASIC registration, ABN, relevant industry licences, workers compensation insurance, and mandatory occupational registrations. Proof the entity exists and operates legally.
SBS Licence to Sponsor · 5 Years · Accredited Sponsor Upgrades
Standard Business Sponsorship is your licence to sponsor.
Before you can nominate a single overseas worker for a Skills in Demand visa, your business needs SBS approval. Five-year validity. Unlimited nominations during that period. Our Principal Migration Agent Sourabh Aggarwal and employer specialist Brian Park prepare SBS applications for businesses across Queensland, Northern Territory, and nationally.
What Home Affairs assesses
Four areas.
SBS applications test these core elements. Each needs specific evidence.
Financial capacity
For businesses trading 12+ months, financial statements for two most recent financial years. Newer businesses: bank statements, contracts, business plans, and director capacity evidence.
Industrial relations compliance
Clean record with Fair Work Ombudsman. Any prior underpayment findings or enforceable undertakings must be disclosed and addressed.
Skilling Australians Fund levy
Per-nomination levy under the current SID framework. Replaced the old 482 training benchmarks. We calculate exact levy for each nomination.
SBS vs Accredited Sponsor
Two levels of approval.
Most businesses start with standard SBS. Established sponsors can upgrade.
Standard SBS: 5-year validityFive-year approval. Unlimited nominations during that time. The default starting point.
Accredited Sponsor: 6-year validityAvailable to businesses holding SBS for 2+ years with 10+ sponsored workers and clean compliance. Priority processing. Reduced documentation on nominations.
Who qualifies for accreditationGovernment bodies, publicly listed companies, businesses with large Australian workforce, or those meeting alternative criteria. Brian Park assesses eligibility.
Cost-benefit analysisFor employers sponsoring more than three workers per year, accreditation pays back quickly through faster processing and reduced per-nomination workload.
Process and timing
2 to 5 months typical.
SBS processing depends on business age, complexity, and evidence completeness.
Established businesses
2-3 months for businesses with clean records and strong documentation. Fastest pathway.
Newer businesses
3-5 months where additional evidence or operational track record is needed. Business plans and director evidence matter.
Parallel nomination
Nomination can lodge alongside SBS. Nomination processing pauses until SBS is approved. Saves total timeline for urgent hires.
SBS approvals are business-specific, not role-specific.
Once your business has SBS status, you can sponsor any eligible role from the approved occupation lists without repeating the sponsorship application. You do a new nomination for each worker, but the underlying sponsorship approval stays active for five years.
Common questions
The questions we hear most.
For SBS applications and accreditation upgrades, book with Brian Park or Sourabh Aggarwal.
How much does SBS cost?
Government lodgement fee is $420. Professional fees quoted in writing at consultation based on business complexity.
Can a brand new company become an SBS?
Yes, with heavier evidence load. Business plans, director capacity, initial contracts, and realistic projections required.
Our company has an old 457 or 482 sponsorship. Do we need to apply again?
Existing 457 or 482 sponsorships remain valid to their expiry date. At expiry, renew under SBS. If already lapsed, fresh SBS application required.
What if our SBS application is refused?
21-day appeal rights to the ART. Refusals typically relate to financial capacity, compliance history, or incomplete evidence. See sponsorship appeals.
Some information on this page has been sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and has been interpreted and approved by Principal Migration Agent Sourabh Aggarwal (MARN 1462159). Last reviewed: May 2026.