The Accredited Sponsor designation is a higher tier within Australia's employer-sponsored visa framework, above the standard Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) status. Accredited sponsors must first hold SBS status and then meet additional requirements — including a minimum period of approved SBS status, a track record of sponsoring workers, and an absence of adverse compliance history. The primary benefit of accredited status is priority processing: nominations and visa applications lodged by accredited sponsors receive priority queue placement, reducing processing times for sponsored worker applications. Accredited sponsors also carry additional obligations commensurate with their status. DHA monitors accredited sponsors and can suspend or cancel accredited status for non-compliance. This page explains the requirements, benefits, and obligations of Accredited Sponsor status, and how it differs from Standard Business Sponsor status.

For current accredited sponsor requirements and application details, refer to the DHA Accredited Sponsor page.

• Migration Act 1958, s 140E — the power to approve a person as a sponsor; the Minister may approve a person as a standard business sponsor or an accredited sponsor under the terms and conditions prescribed by regulation
• Migration Regulations 1994, reg 2.59 and reg 2.67 — the criteria for approval as a standard business sponsor and as an accredited sponsor; the regulations set the requirements for each tier including activity thresholds and compliance history requirements
• Migration Regulations 1994, reg 2.79 and reg 2.80 — sponsor obligations; accredited sponsors share the core sponsor obligations of standard business sponsors and may have additional obligations
• Migration Regulations 1994, reg 2.83–2.85 — the framework for suspension and cancellation of sponsorship approval, applicable to both standard business sponsors and accredited sponsors
• DHA: Accredited Sponsor — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/accredited-sponsor

The two-tier sponsorship structure

Australian employer-sponsored visas operate within a two-tier sponsorship structure:

• Standard Business Sponsor (SBS): the baseline tier; most employers who sponsor workers under the Skills in Demand (482) or Employer Nomination Scheme (186) hold SBS status; SBS approval is required before an employer can nominate a worker for a sponsored visa
• Accredited Sponsor: a higher tier available to employers who have demonstrated a track record of compliant sponsorship activity; accredited sponsors receive priority processing and are considered lower-risk by DHA

An employer must first become a Standard Business Sponsor before applying for Accredited Sponsor status — the accredited tier is built on top of SBS approval, not a separate pathway.

Eligibility requirements for accredited sponsor status

To be eligible for Accredited Sponsor status, an employer must generally meet the following requirements (subject to current DHA policy):

• Existing SBS approval: the employer must already hold an approved Standard Business Sponsor status — typically for at least 12 months before applying for accreditation
• Sponsorship activity: the employer must have nominated a minimum number of workers under the employer-sponsored visa programs in a recent period — the specific threshold reflects that accredited status is intended for active sponsors rather than employers who rarely use the program
• No adverse compliance status: the employer must not have had their sponsorship approval suspended or cancelled, and must not have been found to have breached their sponsor obligations; a clean compliance history is essential
• Lawfully operating business: the business must be actively and lawfully operating in Australia — dormant entities or businesses that are not actively trading do not qualify
• Meeting all sponsor obligation standards: the employer must have met all their sponsor obligations during the period of SBS approval — including paying sponsored workers market salary rates, not recovering sponsorship costs from workers, and notifying DHA of required changes

For the current specific thresholds and requirements, refer to the DHA Accredited Sponsor page — thresholds may be updated periodically.

Benefits of accredited sponsor status

The main benefits of Accredited Sponsor status are:

• Priority processing for nominations: nomination applications lodged by accredited sponsors receive priority queue placement in DHA's processing — this reduces the time between lodging a nomination and receiving a decision, which in turn enables the sponsored visa application to progress more quickly
• Priority processing for visa applications: visa applications lodged in connection with an accredited sponsor's nomination also receive priority processing treatment, reducing overall end-to-end processing time for the sponsored worker
• Reduced processing scrutiny: accredited sponsors are assessed as lower risk by DHA, reflecting their demonstrated compliance history; while all nominations are still subject to DHA assessment, the accredited sponsor's track record informs the risk-based approach to processing
• Up to 5 years approval period: accredited sponsors may receive a longer approval period than standard business sponsors, reducing the frequency of sponsor re-approval applications

Accredited sponsor obligations

Accredited sponsors retain all the obligations that apply to Standard Business Sponsors, including:

• Paying sponsored workers at least the equivalent terms and conditions as Australian workers in the same position
• Not recovering certain costs from sponsored workers (visa application charges, sponsorship approval costs)
• Notifying DHA of changes in circumstances (worker's employment status, role changes, worker departure)
• Cooperating with DHA monitoring and compliance activities

Additional obligations may apply to accredited sponsors commensurate with their higher status. For the current full obligation list, refer to the DHA sponsor obligations page.

Suspension and cancellation of accredited status

Accredited status is not permanent — DHA monitors accredited sponsors and can take action if requirements are not met:

• Suspension: DHA may suspend accredited status if the sponsor is being investigated for potential obligations breaches or has failed to maintain the requirements for accreditation; during suspension, the sponsor may lose priority processing benefits
• Cancellation: if the sponsor no longer meets the accreditation requirements or has breached their obligations, DHA may cancel accredited status; cancellation of accredited status does not automatically cancel the underlying SBS approval — the employer may continue as a Standard Business Sponsor
• Consequences of cancellation: loss of accredited status means the employer reverts to standard business sponsor processing (without priority queue), and may face adverse effects on existing nominations and visa applications

How to apply for accredited sponsor status

Employers who are eligible and wish to apply for Accredited Sponsor status do so through the standard sponsorship application process via ImmiAccount. For current application requirements, documentation, and any application charges, refer to the DHA Accredited Sponsor page.

Accredited sponsor status is most valuable for large, high-volume employers that regularly sponsor workers under the 482 and 186 programs — for these employers, the priority processing benefit can significantly reduce the time and cost of bringing sponsored workers to Australia. Small employers who sponsor workers infrequently may not meet the activity thresholds for accreditation and will typically operate as Standard Business Sponsors. The compliance history requirement means that employers who have had sponsorship issues (even minor ones) may need to clean up their compliance record before applying for accreditation. The distinction between SBS and accredited sponsor is primarily about processing speed and risk assessment — the substantive eligibility requirements for the underlying visas (skill level, salary, occupation list) are the same regardless of sponsor tier. For current accredited sponsor requirements, application procedures, and the sponsorship activity thresholds, refer to the DHA Accredited Sponsor page.