Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Expected To Be Released In The Next Four Weeks
Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Expected To Be Released In The Next Four Weeks
If you are eligible or would like to ascertain whether you are, kindly notify your Registered Migration Agent ASAP so that they can get this lodged on your behalf. Additionally, a reminder to our Temporary Skills Shortage (subclass 482) nomination applicants that all advertisements as part of your Labour Market Testing efforts should be undertaken (if not already) urgently. For all information on how to complete Labour Market Testing correctly, please ask your Registered Migration Agent for further advice.
Don’t know what the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) is, or just need a refresher? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered.
What is the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF)?
The Migration Amendment (Skilling Australians Fund) Act 2018 gained Royal Assent on 22 May 2018 and abolished the training obligations previously required of employers sponsoring a visa applicant on the subclass 482, subclass 186 or subclass 187 stream. The Act also clarified and introduced a number of provisions surrounding Labour Market Testing requirements for subclass 482 nomination applications.
What is the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy?
In replacement of the previous training obligations, the Act will implement what is called the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy. The SAF levy is payable by all employers sponsoring a nominee on the subclass 482, subclass 186 and subclass 187 visa stream and is chargeable at time of lodgement of the nomination.
How much will the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy cost my business?
The levy amount is determined by your business’s annual turnover figure and the number of years you’re sponsoring a visa applicant.
The fees attached to the Temporary Skills Shortage (subclass 482) visa will be $1,200.00AUD per year for businesses with an annual turnover of under $10 million and $1,800.00AUD per year for those over $10 million.
The levy amount for employer-sponsored migration (i.e. subclass 186/187 visas), however, will be a set amount of $3,000.00AUD for employers with a turnover of under $10 million, and $5,000.00AUD for employers with a turnover of over $10 million.
Is it possible to receive a refund of the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy?
Refunds are available under certain circumstances for Temporary Skills Shortage (subclass 482) applications only.
You are eligible for a refund of the SAF levy under the following circumstances:
- When the employer’s business sponsorship application is refused;
- When the employer’s sponsorship is approved, but the subsequent visa application is refused on health or character grounds;
- When the approved visa holder does not actually commence work for the sponsor; and
- When the approved visa holder ceases employment with their sponsoring employer within the first 12 months of employment. However, in this case, the refund will only be for the balance of the years remaining on the visa.
If you have not yet instructed our services to lodge your Temporary Skills Shortage (subclass 482), Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) or Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) nomination application, please do so at the earliest opportunity and we’ll action this as soon as possible.
Any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
