The Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) is a levy imposed upon employers looking to sponsor skilled overseas workers. The purpose of the levy is to enable business sponsors to contribute to the training and skills development of Australians. The SAF levy is applicable to the following visa types:
- Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) (subclass 482) visa
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (subclass 186) visa
- Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (subclass 187) visa
482 Visa | 186 Visa | 187 Visa | |
| For small business with an annual turnover of less than $10 million | $1,200.00 per year | $3,000.00 one-off | $3,000.00 one-off |
| For other business with an annual turnover above $10 million | $1,800.00 per year | $5,000.00 one-off | $5,000.00 one-off |
For 482 visa nominations, the full amount for the total number of years of the proposed visa period will be due. For example, a 2-year visa will require 2 x the SAF Training Levy and a 4-year visa will require 4 x the SAF Training Levy.
The training levy payment is required upon the time of nomination lodgement. The contribution must be paid in full.
A limit has been also been set for SAF contributions. The capped limit is set at $8,000 for 482 visa nominations and $5,500 for 186 or 187 visa nominations for the 2018 financial year.
The Department will also consider a refund of the SAF levy should any of the following scenarios take place:
- Sponsorship and visa applications are approved but the sponsored employee does not arrive or start work with the employer
- The sponsorship and nomination application is approved, but the visa application of the sponsored employee is refused based on character or health grounds
- A 482 visa holder (with a visa period of over 12 months) leaves the employer within the first 12 months
- A nomination fee is refunded due to a concurrent sponsorship application refusal
The SAF levy commenced on the 12th of August 2018 and only applies to nomination applications lodged on or after the said commencement date.
If you require professional assistance with your visa application, please email us at solutions@old.visaone.com.au or for any urgent matters, please call us on 1300 61 99 77.
*Legal Disclaimer: Please note that this article is for general information only. Always seek professional legal advice in regards to your situation as every situation is different. Immigration legislation changes regularly and thus always, get up-to-date advice on your situation. Lodging a visa application is a judicial process and is based on the quality of legal advice and legal representation you receive. It is illegal for any Migration Agent or Lawyer to guarantee 100% of a positive result as it is a judicial process.
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