For Employers · Published 2026-08-18

How to Sponsor a Chef on a 482 Visa (Employer Guide)

To sponsor a chef on the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, your business must first become an approved Standard Business Sponsor, then nominate the chef position at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold (about $79,423 from 1 July 2026) and the market salary rate, before the chef applies for the visa — with a pathway to permanent residence through the subclass 186 visa after two years. For restaurants, hotels, pubs and catering businesses facing chronic kitchen shortages, it remains the main lawful way to bring in — and keep — qualified chefs from overseas.

This guide covers the chef-specific angles. For the full step-by-step employer process, see our pillar guide on how to sponsor an overseas worker on a 482 visa.

Chef or Cook? Why the ANZSCO code matters

Chef (ANZSCO 351311) and Cook (ANZSCO 351411) are different occupations under Australia’s classification system, and they are treated differently on the occupation lists. Chef — a role involving menu planning, kitchen management and supervising staff — has historically been the more reliably sponsorable occupation. Cook, a hands-on food-preparation role, has had patchier list treatment over the years.

The nomination stands or falls on whether the duties genuinely match the code. A “head chef” title on a job ad doesn’t make the role a Chef if the person mostly follows others’ menus; equally, an experienced sous chef running a section may genuinely qualify. If the role is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), it can be nominated under the Core Skills stream; getting the classification wrong is one of the most common — and most avoidable — reasons hospitality nominations fail.

There are three 482 streams: Core Skills (occupation on the CSOL and salary meeting the Core Skills Income Threshold), Specialist Skills (no occupation list, but a salary of roughly $146,576 or more — this Specialist Skills income threshold changes every financial year — realistic only for elite executive-chef roles), and Labour Agreement (for businesses covered by a specific agreement). Almost all chef sponsorships run through Core Skills.

What does it cost to sponsor a chef?

Employer-side costs, as at August 2026 (indexed and subject to change):

• Standard Business Sponsorship: around $420 — approved once, usually valid for around five years (not always), with unlimited nominations under it.
• Nomination: around $330 per position.
• Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy: $1,200 per year of visa sought if your annual turnover is under $10 million, or $1,800 per year otherwise — paid upfront at nomination, and it can never be recovered from the chef.

On salary, you must pay at least the threshold and the market rate — whichever is higher. If chefs at your level in your city earn above $79,423, the market rate governs. Underpaying a sponsored worker relative to market is a compliance breach, not a saving.

Do I have to advertise the job in Australia first?

Usually, yes. Labour Market Testing (LMT) applies to most Core Skills nominations: you must advertise the role in Australia, generally for at least four weeks, in the prescribed manner and within the required window before lodging the nomination. This bites hard in hospitality — ads that omit the salary range, run on the wrong platforms or run for too short a period are a routine cause of refusal. Plan the advertising before you plan the start date.

What does the chef need to qualify?

The chef must have at least one year of relevant full-time experience in the last five years, meet the relevant qualification level for the occupation, meet English language requirements, and pass health and character checks. Chefs and cooks may also need a skills assessment through Trades Recognition Australia (TRA), depending on their qualifications and passport country — overseas-trained chefs without formal Australian qualifications should factor this in early, as it can shape the whole timeline. Full applicant criteria are on our subclass 482 visa page.

How do I keep the chef long term?

The retention story is the quiet strength of this visa. After two years with you on the 482, the chef can typically be nominated for the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa under the Temporary Residence Transition stream — permanent residence. For a business that has invested in a fine-dining or specialty-cuisine chef, a credible PR pathway is often the difference between a two-year stopgap and a decade-long head chef. See our subclass 186 page for the details.

Is this general advice?

This is general information, not personal migration advice. Thresholds and fees are as at August 2026, indexed and subject to change, and the right pathway depends on your business and the candidate. Before you advertise or lodge anything, speak with our registered migration agent, Moran Shultz (MARN 1795282) — a short conversation up front is far cheaper than a refused nomination.

Sources & last checked: verified August 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) and Trades Recognition Australia (TRA). For the full employer process, see the 482 sponsorship pillar guide.

Frequently asked questions