Chef & cook visa Australia
Matilda handles 482 SID and 186 ENS sponsorship for chefs and cooks in Australia - for employers who need to fill a role and candidates who need a sponsor.
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For employers
Sponsor a chef or cook from overseas
- Standard Business Sponsorship lodgement
- Labour Market Testing evidence file
- ANZSCO classification checked before lodging
- CSOL venue eligibility confirmed upfront
For chefs & cooks
Get sponsored and build toward permanent residency
- Visa pathway assessment (482 vs 186)
- Skills assessment guidance (TRA)
- Application lodgement and case management
- PR pathway planning from day one
Your chef visa options -
482 SID & 186 ENS explained
If you are searching for chef jobs in Australia that include visa sponsorship, Matilda Migration works with Australian hospitality employers to fill roles and sponsor qualified applicants. We are not a jobs board - but if you are assessing your eligibility before approaching employers, this is where to start.
Two employer-sponsored visa pathways are open to chefs: the 482 SID (temporary, up to 4 years) and the 186 ENS (permanent residency). Most chefs begin on a 482 and transition to the 186 after two or more years with the same employer.
Do chefs need a skills assessment to apply for a visa in Australia?
For the 482 SID, a skills assessment is not always mandatory for ANZSCO 351311, but it is commonly required when qualifications are from overseas and unrecognised in Australia. TRA (Trades Recognition Australia) assesses culinary qualifications. A skills assessment strengthens your application and is required for many 186 ENS applications. Matilda advises on whether you need one at the eligibility assessment stage - it adds 3–6 months to the process if left late.
How to sponsor a chef or cook in Australia
The process is more structured than many employers expect - but Matilda manages all three stages, so you are not navigating immigration law on your own.
Step 1 - Standard Business Sponsorship
Timeline: 2–4 weeks.
Your business applies to become an approved sponsor with the Department of Home Affairs. Matilda prepares the application, demonstrates your trading history and genuine need, and manages the lodgement. Approval is required before any chef can be nominated.
Step 2 - Labour Market Testing
Timeline: 28 days minimum.
You must advertise the role on at least two national job boards for 28 consecutive days and demonstrate that no suitably qualified Australian was available. Matilda drafts the ads, manages the evidence file, and ensures the advertising meets Department requirements.
Step 3 - Nomination & visa lodgement
Timeline: 2–8 months to grant.
Matilda nominates your chef under the correct ANZSCO code, confirms salary meets the CSIT ($76,515/yr from 1 July 2025), and coordinates the visa application. We check the CSOL venue caveat against your business type before lodging - wrong venue classification is one of the top refusal reasons in hospitality nominations.
From temporary to permanent -
the chef PR pathway in Australia
Chef (ANZSCO 351311) is on the Core Skills Occupation List, which means sponsored chefs have a direct pathway to permanent residency through the 186 ENS visa. This is what makes chef sponsorship one of the more attractive options in hospitality - the visa holder knows from day one where the pathway leads.
Cook (ANZSCO 351411) does not have Direct Entry access to the 186 ENS. Cooks can still apply for permanent residency but must use the TRT stream - two continuous years with the same sponsoring employer. This is one of the reasons getting the ANZSCO classification right from the start matters so much.
482 SID vs 186 ENS -
full comparison for chef sponsorship
Does your restaurant qualify? CSOL venue requirements for chef sponsorship
Both Chef (ANZSCO 351311) and Cook (ANZSCO 351411) carry venue caveats on the 482 SID and 186 ENS. The restriction applies to the type of establishment - not the applicant's skill level. This is one of the most common reasons nominations are refused or returned to employer in hospitality.
Chef (ANZSCO 351311) vs cook (ANZSCO 351411) - why the classification matters
The ANZSCO code used in the nomination determines the entire visa pathway. Chef (351311) is Skill Level 2 - it requires an AQF Diploma equivalent or three years relevant experience and involves planning and organising food preparation across the kitchen. Cook (351411) is Skill Level 3, requires less formal qualification, and does not have Direct Entry access to the 186 ENS.
Nominating a cook as a chef - or vice versa - is a compliance failure. Matilda confirms the correct ANZSCO classification before any paperwork is submitted.
Wrong ANZSCO code = refusal or request for further information
Both occupations carry identical venue caveats. The key differences are Skill Level, required qualifications, and PR pathway access. Matilda checks the classification at the free eligibility assessment.
How Matilda handles your employer sponsorship from start to finish
Here's exactly what to expect when you work with Matilda to get your overseas employees an Australian work visa.
You can also alternate between your view and what your employee will experience with us:
1. You'd like to sponsor an overseas candidate to work in your business
Your top candidate needs a visa with work rights in Australia - and the sooner you start the employer sponsorship process, the sooner they can start.
2. Understand which employer-sponsored visa is the right fit for your business
We will guide you on which employer-sponsored visa pathway is the right fit for you and the candidate, making it easier to plan staffing levels, budget, and processing timelines.
3. Ensure that you have the right to Sponsor them
Where necessary, we will help you obtain Government approval to become an approved employer sponsor - including preparing your Standard Business Sponsorship application. Where possible, we'll also help you achieve Accredited Sponsor status, which gives your applications priority processing and makes the process quicker every time you hire from overseas.
4. Check the candidate's eligibility for an employer-sponsored visa
We will assess your candidate's experience and skills to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements, and provide guidance on the minimum qualifications, work experience and English language ability needed for each position you wish to nominate under your sponsorship.
5. We’ll build the Standard Business Sponsorship, Nomination and Visa applications for you
We'll create the Sponsorship, Nomination and Visa applications so they meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements for employer sponsorship. We'll also do the hard work for you - including the Genuine Position Statement, Labour Market Testing, Skills Assessment and Police Checks.
6. Final review and lodgement
Our Registered Migration Agent will complete the final review before lodgement, submit your employer sponsorship applications, and liaise directly with the Department of Home Affairs until the grant of the visa.
7. Receive post-lodgement support and compliance guidance
We will work with the Department of Home Affairs to respond immediately to any requests for further information, and work with you to ensure your business remains compliant with all approved sponsor obligations - so you avoid any issues with departmental monitoring or audits.
Get your visa!
Take your career to new places
“The Matilda team did an incredible job guiding us through this sponsorship, nomination and visa application process. All three applications were granted within 2 weeks of submission. Thank you Niamh and the team.”
Tom
Frequently asked questions about chef visa sponsorship in Australia
What are the 482 visa requirements for a chef in Australia?
To nominate a chef on a 482 SID, the employer must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, have completed Labour Market Testing, and pay a salary at or above the CSIT ($76,515/yr from 1 July 2025). The chef must hold qualifications or experience consistent with ANZSCO 351311 (Skill Level 2: AQF Diploma or 3 years experience), meet English requirements (IELTS 5.0), and the business must not be an excluded venue type under the CSOL.
Can a cook (ANZSCO 351411) be sponsored on a 482 visa?
Yes - Cook (ANZSCO 351411) is on the Core Skills Occupation List and can be sponsored on a 482 SID. The same venue restrictions apply as for Chef. The key difference is that Cook is Skill Level 3 (lower qualification threshold) and does not have Direct Entry access to the 186 ENS permanent visa - only the TRT stream after 2 years with the same employer.
Do chefs need a skills assessment to apply for a visa in Australia?
Not always, but often yes. TRA (Trades Recognition Australia) assesses culinary qualifications for ANZSCO 351311. A skills assessment is typically required when qualifications are from overseas and unrecognised in Australia, and is commonly required for the 186 ENS. Matilda advises on whether you need one at the eligibility assessment stage - it should not be left to the last minute as it adds 3–6 months to the process.
What types of restaurants are excluded from chef sponsorship?
Both Chef and Cook nominations are excluded if the business is a fast food restaurant or takeaway chain, a fast casual concept, a coffee shop or mall cafe, a limited service pizza or burger restaurant, or a factory mass production food operation. Full-service restaurants, hotels, aged care venues, private clubs, and events catering are all eligible. If your venue is borderline, Matilda confirms against the CSOL before any fees are paid.
How does a chef get permanent residency in Australia?
Chef (ANZSCO 351311) has two routes: the TRT stream (after 2 years with the same 482 employer, apply for 186 ENS) or Direct Entry (if you have 3+ years of relevant overseas experience and a nominating employer, apply for 186 ENS directly without first holding a 482). Cook (ANZSCO 351411) can only use the TRT stream. In regional areas, the 494 visa followed by the 191 is an alternative permanent pathway.
Can I sponsor a sous chef, head chef, pastry chef, or chef de partie?
Yes - these are all specialisations under ANZSCO 351311 (Chef), provided the role involves planning and organising food preparation across the kitchen. Note: role title synonyms such as "sous chef" or "head chef" have no measurable search volume in Australia. The immigration system uses the ANZSCO classification, not the job title. Matilda maps the role to the correct code before any work begins.
My restaurant is in a regional area - do different rules apply?
Possibly - and usually more favourably. If you are in a DAMA region (Far North Queensland, NT, regional WA, SA, or NSW Orana), you may access DAMA-specific concessions including no venue caveats, salary concessions at 90% TSMIT, relaxed English and age requirements, and Skill Level 4–5 occupations not available on the standard CSOL. Matilda checks your postcode at the eligibility assessment.
Ready to start? Speak to a MARA-registered agent
Free eligibility assessment. We confirm ANZSCO, venue type, and pathway before any fees are quoted.
