For Employers · Published 2026-10-05 · Updated 2026-10-05
How to Sponsor a Carpenter on a 482 Visa (Employer Guide)
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
To sponsor a carpenter on the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, your business must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, then nominate the role at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold (A$79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026) and the market salary rate. Carpenter (ANZSCO 331212) and Carpenter and Joiner (ANZSCO 331211) are both on the Core Skills Occupation List with no caveats, which makes carpentry one of the most straightforward trades to sponsor. A Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) skills assessment is mandatory for some passports, and there is a pathway to permanent residence through the subclass 186 visa.
This guide covers the carpentry-specific points. For the full employer process, see our pillar guide on how to sponsor an overseas worker on a 482 visa. If you hire across several trades, our guide to the construction trades pathway to PR is also worth reading.
Carpenter or Carpenter and Joiner?
| Carpenter | Carpenter and Joiner | |
|---|---|---|
| ANZSCO code | 331212 | 331211 |
| Typical work | Framing, formwork, fit-out and finishing on site | Carpentry plus joinery; includes shopfitting |
| 482 Core Skills (CSOL) | Yes, no caveats | Yes, no caveats |
| 186 Direct Entry | Yes (TRA) | Yes (TRA) |
| Skilled visas (189 / 190 / 491) | MLTSSL | MLTSSL |
| Regional 494 | Yes | Yes |
The nomination must match what the person actually does. A site carpenter doing framing and fit-out is 331212; a tradesperson who also makes joinery or works as a shopfitter may fit 331211. Pick the code from the duties, not the job ad title.
What does it cost to sponsor a carpenter?
Employer-side government costs (indexed and subject to change):
- Standard Business Sponsorship: around $420, usually valid for around five years, with unlimited nominations.
- Nomination: around $330 per position.
- Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy: $1,200 per year of the visa if your annual turnover is under $10 million, or $1,800 per year otherwise, paid upfront at nomination. It can never be recovered from the worker.
On salary, you must pay at least A$79,423 and the annual market salary rate for a carpenter in your location, whichever is higher. Both the market rate and the worker’s actual pay (excluding non-monetary benefits) must reach the threshold. For reference, the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 sets a weekly minimum of $1,119.10 for a carpenter (CW/ECW 3) before allowances, and Jobs and Skills Australia reports median full-time earnings for carpenters and joiners of $1,760 a week. Use our 482 sponsorship cost calculator for your total.
Does the carpenter need a TRA skills assessment?
For the 482, a skills assessment is mandatory if the carpenter holds a passport from Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe (for Carpenter and Joiner, the same list without Papua New Guinea), unless an exemption applies. Exemptions include a worker who already holds a 457 or 482 visa and works in the nominated occupation, an intra-company transfer, a qualification gained in Australia or in a country not on the list, or meeting TRA’s Offshore Skills Assessment Program standards. Where it is mandatory, the assessment must be commenced before the visa is lodged.
TRA runs the assessment. Its guidelines put Pathway 1 (documents, interview and, if required, a practical) at up to A$5,320 and processing at around nine weeks, so start early: it often sets the timeline. For the 186 Direct Entry stream, a positive TRA skills assessment is required.
Does a sponsored carpenter need a licence?
Building licensing is set by each state and usually applies to whoever contracts for or supervises the work, not to employees. In NSW, a contractor licence is needed to do residential building or trade work, including carpentry, valued over $5,000 (labour and materials, including GST). In Queensland, a QBCC licence is needed for building work over $3,300, but QBCC says that in most cases you do not need one if you are carrying out building work as an employee of a licensed contractor (supervisors are the exception). If your sponsored carpenter will supervise, quote or contract, check your state’s rules before you nominate.
Do I have to advertise the job in Australia first?
Usually, yes. Labour market testing generally requires two advertisements, running for at least four weeks, within the four months before you lodge the nomination. If the salary is below A$96,400, the ad must show it. Some nationals are exempt under international trade obligations. Get the advertising right before you plan a start date: defective ads are a common reason nominations fail.
Keeping the carpenter long term
After at least two years of sponsored employment in the three years before applying, you can generally nominate the carpenter for the subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream (permanent residence), in the same occupation as the most recent 482 nomination. Carpenter is also on the MLTSSL, so some carpenters can apply for points-tested visas such as the 189 or 190, and it is listed for the regional subclass 494 visa.
Is this general advice?
This is general information, not personal migration advice. Thresholds, fees, passport lists and licensing rules change, and the right pathway depends on your business and the candidate. Before you advertise or lodge anything, speak with a registered migration agent (LifeinAus, MARN 1795282).
Sources & last checked: verified 5 October 2026 against the Migration (Specification of Occupations—Subclass 482 Visa) Instrument 2024 (Carpenter 331212 and Carpenter and Joiner 331211, Core Skills Occupation List, no applicable circumstances), the Subclass 186 occupations instrument (assessing authority TRA), IMMI 18/039 (mandatory skills assessment passports), the Department of Home Affairs salary requirements and labour market testing pages, Trades Recognition Australia’s TSS guidelines, NSW Government and QBCC licensing pages, the Fair Work Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 and Jobs and Skills Australia.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sponsor a carpenter on a 482 visa?
Yes. Carpenter (ANZSCO 331212) and Carpenter and Joiner (ANZSCO 331211) are both on the Core Skills Occupation List with no caveats. An approved Standard Business Sponsor can nominate either occupation under the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) Core Skills stream, provided the salary meets the Core Skills Income Threshold (A$79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026) and the market rate, and the duties genuinely match the occupation.
Does a sponsored carpenter need a skills assessment?
It depends on the passport. A Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) skills assessment is mandatory for a 482 carpenter who holds a passport from Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe, unless an exemption applies (for example, they already hold a 482 in the same occupation, or gained their qualification in Australia). For Carpenter and Joiner the same list applies without Papua New Guinea. Home Affairs can also ask for an assessment in other cases.
Does a sponsored carpenter need a builder's licence?
Not usually, if they work as an employee. Licensing is state-based. In NSW a contractor licence is needed to do residential building or trade work, including carpentry, valued over $5,000; in Queensland a QBCC licence is generally not needed by an employee of a licensed contractor, unless they supervise. If the role involves supervising or contracting, check the licensing rules in your state before you nominate.
How much does it cost to sponsor a carpenter?
Budget for Standard Business Sponsorship (around $420), the nomination fee (around $330 per role) and the Skilling Australians Fund levy ($1,200 per year of the visa if your turnover is under $10 million, $1,800 per year otherwise, paid upfront and never recoverable from the worker). On top of that is the salary, which must be at least A$79,423 and the market rate, plus any skills assessment and professional fees.
Can a sponsored carpenter get permanent residence?
Yes. After at least two years of sponsored employment in the three years before applying, the employer can generally nominate the carpenter for the subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream, in the same occupation. Carpenter is also on the MLTSSL, which opens skilled visas such as the 189 and 190, and on the list for the regional 494 visa.
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