How to Write a Labour Market Testing Advertisement (Australia)
A step-by-step guide to the advertisement itself — the content, structure, platforms and evidence that make Labour Market Testing stand up at lodgement.
MARN 1576536 · Updated 28 May 2026 · Verifiable at mara.gov.au
This is the practical companion to our Labour Market Testing guide. If you understand what LMT is and want to get the advertisement right, start here.
Why the advertisement matters
Labour Market Testing (LMT) requires the employer to genuinely test the local labour market before nominating an overseas worker for a Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) or 494 visa (s 140GBA, Migration Act 1958). The advertisement is the heart of that test — and a defective ad is one of the most common avoidable reasons nominations are refused.
Required content
A compliant LMT advertisement must include:
- The position title and a description of the duties — consistent with the role you will nominate.
- The name of the approved sponsor (or the recruitment agency advertising on the sponsor's behalf).
- The salary or salary range — subject to the current rules on how salary may be expressed.
Verify the exact current content requirements at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you publish — they are set by instrument and change.
How to structure the advertisement
- Clear job title matching the nominated occupation (avoid creative titles that obscure the role).
- Duties that align with the ANZSCO occupation and the Genuine Position Statement.
- Location of the role.
- Salary or salary range, stated in the permitted way.
- Employer / agency identity.
- How to apply — a genuine application channel that you actually monitor.
Choosing the right platforms
Advertise on the channels permitted by the current instrument — typically prominent or professional recruitment platforms with national reach. In some cases additional channels (such as the employer's own careers page) are expected alongside. A closed group, a personal social-media post, or an unapproved job board generally will not satisfy LMT. The approved-channel rules are updated, so check what's in force when you advertise.
Documentation you must keep
Retain, for each advertisement:
- A dated screenshot or copy showing the platform and the full content.
- The dates the advertisement started and ended (to prove the minimum period and recency).
- A record of applicants received and the outcome of each.
This is compiled into the LMT evidence report that supports the nomination.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Omitting the salary or salary range.
- Running the ad for less than the required minimum period.
- Advertising on a non-approved platform.
- A job title or duties that don't match the nominated position.
- Letting the advertising go stale before lodgement.
- No applicant tracking — unable to show how local applications were considered.
Processing times and visa subclass considerations
LMT applies to most 482 (Skills in Demand) and 494 nominations; the 407 Training visa does not require it. Because LMT must be completed and evidenced before the nomination is lodged, build the advertising period into your timeline — it sits on the critical path to lodgement. Confirm current processing times and the LMT recency window on the Department's website when planning.
Key takeaways
- The advertisement must be genuine, complete, on an approved platform, and run for the required period.
- Always include the salary or salary range.
- Keep dated evidence and track applicants.
- Verify the current settings before you publish — they change.
Frequently asked questions
What must a Labour Market Testing advertisement include?
An LMT advertisement must name the position and describe the duties, identify the approved sponsor (or the recruitment agency advertising on their behalf), and state the salary or salary range — subject to the current rules on how salary may be expressed. It must be a genuine attempt to fill the role, run on an approved platform for the required minimum period, within the required window before the nomination is lodged.
Where should I advertise for Labour Market Testing?
On the channels permitted by the current legislative instrument — typically prominent or professional recruitment platforms with national reach, and in some cases the employer's own recruitment channels in addition. A closed group, a personal social-media account, or an unapproved platform generally will not satisfy LMT. Confirm the approved channels in force at the time you advertise.
How long does the advertisement need to run?
For at least the minimum period set by the current instrument — historically 28 calendar days (about four weeks) — and the advertising must be recent enough at the time the nomination is lodged. These parameters are revised from time to time; verify the current minimum period and recency window before advertising.
What evidence of the advertisement do I need to keep?
Keep dated screenshots or copies showing the platform, the full advertisement content, the dates it ran, and a record of the applicants and outcomes. This becomes the LMT evidence report supporting the nomination. Incomplete advertising evidence is a common, avoidable refusal trigger.
What are the most common mistakes in LMT advertisements?
Leaving out the salary, advertising for too short a period, using a non-approved platform, advertising a role that differs materially from the nominated position, letting the ad go stale before lodgement, and failing to track applicants. Most of these are caught by a pre-lodgement review of the advertising against the current instrument.
General information as at 28 May 2026 — not migration advice for any specific matter, and not a guarantee of any outcome (s 15, Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2022). LMT settings are set by instrument and revised from time to time; verify current requirements at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before advertising. MARN 1576536.