Hiring and Managing Japanese Chefs in Australia: Visa, Salary and Retention (2026)

This guide answers the questions restaurant owners in Australia ask us most often before hiring a Japanese chef from Japan. Salary ranges reflect the positions Washoku Agent has handled; visa facts come from official government pages, checked on 2026-10-08.

How much do Japanese chefs earn in Australia?

Based on the positions Washoku Agent has handled in Australia, advertised annual packages for Japanese chefs typically fall between JPY 6 and 11 million when converted, with senior head-chef and omakase roles reaching around JPY 11 million. In local terms, recent offers have been in the order of AUD 70,000 to 80,000 per year. These are offers at the time of advertising; the final package depends on city, concept and seniority.

Which roles and restaurant types hire Japanese chefs in Australia?

The demand we see in Australia is concentrated in a few role types and concepts. Head-chef and sous-chef positions dominate, and sushi and omakase concepts are the most common employers, followed by kaiseki and modern Japanese dining.

Do Japanese chefs need to speak English, and is housing provided?

Nearly all of our listings accepted beginner-level English. Employers in Australia generally prioritise cooking technique and experience; kitchen English develops on the job. Around half of our listings included housing or a housing allowance; where it is not included, employers typically help the chef find accommodation before arrival.

Which visa lets a restaurant in Australia sponsor a Japanese chef?

Which visa lets an Australian restaurant sponsor a Japanese chef?

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Core Skills stream. Both Chef (ANZSCO 351311) and Cook (351411) are on the Core Skills Occupation List. Permanent residence is available later through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Temporary Residence Transition stream.

What does the employer have to do before nominating?

Become an approved sponsor (AUD 420) and lodge a nomination (AUD 330). Labour market testing normally requires two job advertisements of at least four weeks within the previous four months, but Japanese nationals are exempt under Australia’s international trade obligations. The employer also pays the Skilling Australians Fund levy: AUD 1,200 per year of the visa for businesses with turnover under AUD 10 million, AUD 1,800 for larger businesses, and it cannot be passed on to the worker.

What is the minimum salary?

The Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 per year for nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, and the offer must also match the annual market salary rate for the role. The threshold is indexed every 1 July.

How much does the chef pay, and how long can they stay?

The 482 Core Skills visa application fee starts at AUD 4,015; the 186 permanent visa starts at AUD 6,140. The 482 visa is granted for up to four years and requires at least one year of relevant work experience. After two years of full-time work with the sponsoring employer the chef can be nominated for permanent residence under the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream.

Where do restaurants in Australia find Japanese chefs?

Australia is the easiest market in this series to recruit Japanese chefs locally, because the working-holiday population is large and two Japanese-language media carry chef ads every week. The hard part is not finding a chef for the next six months; it is keeping one for three years.

Washoku Agent sits alongside these channels as the specialist route: we hold a registered pool of Japanese chefs, screen for technique and willingness to relocate, interpret interviews and manage the paperwork. Most owners in Australia run one or two local channels in parallel and use us for the chef they cannot find locally.

Hire from Japan or from the local market in Australia?

Japanese nationals aged 18 to 30 can take a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417): twelve months, work allowed for the whole stay, but normally no more than six months with any one employer. For a permanent kitchen the employer sponsors under the Skills in Demand visa (482): Chef and Cook are both on the Core Skills Occupation List, and Japanese nationals are exempt from labour market testing under Australia’s trade obligations.

Common hiring challenges in Australia, and how to keep the chef

What owners and chefs say in public, in their own words:

How do restaurants in Australia hire a Japanese chef through Washoku Agent?

Frequently asked questions