Salary floor example
Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
Source: Home Affairs: Salary requirements to nominate a worker (retrieved 4 October 2026)
For employers hiring overseas
Hiring overseas workers: employer questions answered
These are the questions employers ask most about overseas hiring. Short version: sponsor approval, labour market testing and salary rules sit with the employer and Home Affairs, registration sits with the regulator, and CrossNation provides recruitment and shortlisting only. Each answer links to the detailed guide and the official source.
By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 4 October 2026.
Official data
Key facts from official sources
Advertising rule
Most nominations need the position advertised for at least four weeks within the four months before lodgement.
Source: Home Affairs: Labour market testing (retrieved 4 October 2026)
DAMA meaning
A formal agreement between the Australian Government and a state, territory or regional authority to access additional occupations.
Source: Home Affairs: Designated Area Migration Agreement (retrieved 4 October 2026)
Sponsorship term
Standard business sponsorship is approved for five years from the approval date.
Source: Home Affairs: Standard business sponsor (retrieved 4 October 2026)
Employer guide
What you need to know
How to use this page
Each question below links back to a guide with the source. We give no timelines or cost estimates for government processes, because those depend on Home Affairs and the regulators, and they change. For processing time indications, Home Affairs publishes a visa processing time guide tool on its site. Use this page to find the right guide, then confirm the detail on the official page or with a registered migration agent.
Which guide answers which question?
Questions about advertising the role are answered in the labour market testing guide. Questions about becoming an approved employer are in the standard business sponsor guide, and questions about ongoing duties are in the sponsor obligations guide. Salary floors and streams are in the Skills in Demand guide. Sector guides cover nurses, chefs and cooks, care and disability workers and trades. The labour agreements guide covers DAMAs, and the PALM page covers Pacific workers.
Tell us the role, location and start date
The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does hiring an overseas worker cost?
Government charges, migration agent fees and registration costs are set by those bodies and change. CrossNation's fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds.
How long does it take?
We do not give timelines for government decisions. Home Affairs publishes a visa processing time guide tool, and registration bodies publish their own information.
Do I need to advertise the job first?
For most nominations, Home Affairs requires advertising for at least four weeks within the four months before the nomination is lodged. See the labour market testing guide.
What is the minimum salary for a sponsored worker?
The nominated salary must meet the relevant income threshold and the market salary rate for the role. See the Skills in Demand guide for the current figures.
Can I hire someone who is already in Australia instead?
Yes. CrossNation recruits candidates who already live in Australia with work rights as well as sponsorship-ready overseas candidates.
Is CrossNation a migration agent?
No. Speak to a registered migration agent for visa or sponsorship advice.
Does CrossNation sponsor workers?
No. The employer is the sponsor.