If you’re a business that wants to sponsor someone for a work visa in Australia, you must show that your business is financially viable.

But what does that actually mean?

Financial viability means that your business is operating lawfully and is financially healthy enough to:

• Continue trading into the foreseeable future,
• Pay the salary of the person you want to sponsor, and
• Meet all other sponsorship obligations (like training requirements or costs if the visa holder is let go early).

What Does the Department Look At?

The Department of Home Affairs will consider several documents and indicators to assess financial viability, such as:

• Business Activity Statements (BAS) from the past 12 months,
• Profit and Loss Statements and Balance Sheets,
• Tax returns and bank statements,
• Payroll records and employee summaries,
• Contracts or invoices showing current or future work.

They want to make sure your business:

• Has enough income or cash flow to afford wages,
• Is not in significant debt or loss (unless explained with a clear recovery plan),
• Is a genuine, operating business, not a shell or setup created only for visa purposes.

What Happens If You’re a New Business?

If you’re a startup or recently opened, that doesn’t mean you’re automatically ineligible. But you may need to provide more detailed financial plans, forecasts, or investment backing to show how you’ll fund operations and pay the employee.