Employer Sponsorship for Childcare Centres in Australia
Struggling to find qualified Early Childhood Educators? Employer
Sponsorship could be the answer!
Childcare centres across Australia are facing ongoing staff shortages, making it difficult to meet staffing ratios and maintain operations. If you are struggling to recruit suitable local educators, employer sponsorship will enable you to hire and retain skilled international educators already in Australia, as well as recruit qualified educators from overseas, helping you build a more stable, long- term workforce.
A guide for cHILDCARE CENTRE business owners
Why Childcare Centres Are Struggling to Hire Educators
THE STAFFING CHALLENGE
Across Australia, childcare providers are facing an escalating workforce
crisis.
The Challenges Your Centre is Facing
Childcare centres across Australia are dealing with:
Ongoing shortage of qualified educators
Increasing competition for quality staff
High staff turnover
Growing demand for childcare services
The Impact On Your Centre
This isn't just a hiring issue. It directly impacts:
Difficulty maintaining staff-to-child ratio compliance
Reduced centre capacity and enrolments
Increased workload for existing educators
Staff fatigue and burnout
Expand your hiring pool through employer sponsorship
Stop competing for educators who simply are not available in the local labour market. Employer sponsorship expands your hiring pool to skilled international educators, both in Australia and overseas, who are ready to relocate and commit to a long-term opportunity with your centre.
What Is Employer Sponsorship?
The Fundamentals
Employer sponsorship enables childcare providers to hire or retain qualified international educators when suitable workers cannot be found within the local labour market. This may include retaining an educator already at your centre, recruiting an international educator currently in Australia or, where necessary, recruiting from overseas.
Childcare centres
Hire or retain qualified Early Childhood Educators and Child Care Centre Managers
Early learning centres
Build a more stable workforce by sponsoring foreign workers already in Australia or overseas.
Kindergarten providers
Recruit and retain qualified Early Childhood Teachers in difficult- to-fill positions.
Long day care services
Keep rooms staffed, maintain required ratios and support long-term workforce stability.
The role must be on Australia's Skilled Occupation Lists.
Which Childcare Professionals Can Be Sponsored?
ELIGIBLE WORKERS FOR SPONSORSHIP
Several in-demand early childhood roles are eligible for employer sponsorship, including:
In-demand early childhood roles
Early Childhood Educators
One of the most in demand occupations, offering long term retainment options.
ANZSCO 421111, Child Care Worker.
Early Childhood Teachers
Hire or retain qualified Early Childhood Teachers to support the delivery of high-quality early learning programs.
ANZSCO 241111, Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher.
Childcare Centre Managers
Also eligible depending on qualifications and experience.
ANZSCO 134111, Child Care Centre Manager
Who cannot be sponsored
Sponsorship requires formal qualifications plus experience.
Unqualified childcare workers
Assistants without qualifications
Main Visa Options for Childcare Employers
Visa Options
Skills in Demand
SUBCLASS 482
A flexible temporary or medium-term solution
Ideal for urgent staffing needs regardless of location in Australia
Temporary · fast
Employer Nomination Scheme
SUBCLASS 186 DE
Suitable for existing or newly recruited talent
An attractive option for highly skilled candidates
Ideal for retaining long-term staff
Permanent
Regional Employers
SUBCLASS 494
Ideal for centres in regional areas
Access a wider pool of skilled workers
Suitable for longer-term retainment
Regional · PR pathway
DAMA
LABOUR AGREEMENT
Access additional care-related occupations and salary concessions unavailable under standard pathways
Useful when standard sponsorship programs do not accommodate a flexible role or candidate Ideal for hard-to-staff regional and remote areas
Available only to centres operating in designated DAMA regions. Access to candidate age, English, qualification, experience and salary concessions; as well as additional care-related occupations and greater role flexibility depends on the relevant DAMA and is not guaranteed.
Framework
What It Costs to Sponsor an Employee
Salary and Costs
Minimum salary (important)
subject to annual indexation
$79K+
Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)
Market salary rate
| Typical Employer Paid-costs | Indicative Government Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard Business Sponsorship | ~$420 AUD |
| Nomination fee | From $330 AUD |
| SAF levy (small business) or | ~$1,200/year AUD |
| SAF levy (larger business) | ~$1,800/year AUD |
| Visa costs often paid by applicant | Varies |
How Employer Sponsorship Works (Simple Breakdown)
Step by Step
Become an Approved Sponsor
Apply to become a Standard Business Sponsor.
Nominate the Position
Demonstrate that the position and need is genuine, meets the applicable salary requirements, and cannot be filled within the local labour market.
Visa Application
The nominated worker applies for the employer sponsored visa
| Processing time | |
|---|---|
| 482 VISA | approx. ~2–6 months |
| 186 VISA | approx. 8-15 months (PR visa) |
| 494 Visa | approx. 7-11 months |
*Processing times are indicative, change regularly, and may vary by stream and immi processing priorities.
Common Sponsorship Mistakes Childcare Centre Employers Make
Common Mistakes
- Failing to demonstrate a genuine need for the position
- Failing to properly evidence the candidate’s skills and experience
- Offering a salary below market rate or minimum threshold
- Incorrect job advertising (LMT issues)
- Selecting the wrong occupation or visa pathway
These mistakes can lead to costly delays or refusals.
Regional Advantage
Benefits for Regional Childcare Centre Businesses
Operating in regional Australia can provide access to sponsorship pathways and concessions unavailable to metropolitan childcare centres.
Access to 494 SESR visa
Sponsor eligible candidates through designated DAMA arrangements
Access additional occupations, salary and other concessions, and more flexible eligibility requirements
Offer candidates a clear pathway to permanent residency
Build workforce stability in hard-to-staff regional and remote locations
Regional centres can offer visa pathways and concessions that metropolitan employers cannot, making difficult-to-fill positions more attractive.
Why Childcare Centres Work With Registered Migration Agents
Why Use a Migration Agent
Employer sponsorship involves more than lodging forms. Your business, position, salary, recruitment process, and proposed candidate must all meet the requirements of the selected visa pathway. A Registered Migration Agent at PTA can assist your centre to:
- Ensure eligibility of candidates
- Avoid costly delays
- Meet immigration requirements
- Choose the best visa pathway
Pathway to Aus works with childcare businesses across Australia to manage the full sponsorship process.
See Employer Sponsorship in Practice
In this video, Nick sits down with the owner of a company that Pathway to Aus has assisted with over 60+ employer sponsorship applications.GET IN TOUCH
In case of questions, feel free to reach out to one of our experienced Registered Migration Agents.
Contact details
Give us a call
Australia: +61 7 5526 5900
Fiji: +679 922 3842
United Kingdom: +44 20 3948 3865
Send an email
info@pathwaytoaus.com
Gold Coast Office
2242 Gold Coast Highway,
Mermaid Beach, QLD, 4218
UK Office
5 Merchant Square
London, W2 1AY, United Kingdom
(By Appointment Only)