If you run or support an Australian brokerage, you already feel the pressure of rising mortgage broker staff costs Australia wide. Salaries are climbing. Superannuation obligations are increasing. Compliance is tighter than ever under ASIC and NCCP rules.
Yet volumes remain unpredictable.
This guide explains exactly what drives staffing costs in Australian mortgage broking, and how structured offshore teams reduce costs without sacrificing compliance, client experience, or growth.
We will break down numbers, legislation, and risk controls. Then we will show you how leading brokerages redesign their cost base.
Mortgage broker staff costs Australia are not just about salary. They include:
Under the Fair Work Act 2009 and National Employment Standards, brokers must comply with leave entitlements and minimum wage protections. Superannuation is governed by the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992.
These statutory obligations make local hiring structurally expensive.
According to industry salary benchmarks and SEEK data, the average:
That is base salary only.
Add the following:
| Cost Component | % of Salary | Example on $80,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Superannuation | 11% | $8,800 |
| Payroll Tax | 4.75%–6.85% | ~$4,000 |
| Workers Comp | 1–3% | ~$1,600 |
| Leave Loading & Entitlements | 8–10% | ~$7,000 |
| Recruitment & Training | ~10% | ~$8,000 |
| True Employment Cost | 30–40% uplift | $104,000–$112,000 |
An $80,000 employee typically costs over $105,000 annually.
Now multiply that across a five-person support team.
This is why mortgage broker staff costs Australia can exceed $500,000 per year for mid-sized firms.
Several structural forces are driving cost inflation:
Under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (NCCP), brokers must document suitability and responsible lending assessments. ASIC’s RG 209 increases documentation requirements.
More compliance means more staff hours.
Aggregator clawbacks and lender policy changes reduce revenue stability.
Interest rate cycles impact application volumes. Staff salaries remain fixed.
Legislation confirms super will rise to 12% by July 2025.
Costs are locked in. Revenue is not.
Onshore teams create three financial challenges:
When volumes surge, turnaround times increase. When volumes fall, payroll remains unchanged.
This imbalance reduces profit margins.
Offshoring is not about cheap labour. It is about role segmentation.
High-value client-facing tasks remain onshore.
Process-driven tasks move offshore.
This includes:
By reallocating operational work, brokers reduce cost per file.
| Role | Onshore Cost (Annual) | Offshore Cost (Annual) | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loan Processor | $105,000 | $28,000–35,000 | 65–75% |
| Broker Assistant | $95,000 | $25,000–32,000 | 60–70% |
| Credit Analyst Support | $120,000 | $35,000–45,000 | 55–65% |
Typical blended savings: 50–70%.
This significantly reduces mortgage broker staff costs Australia wide.
Not all offshore solutions succeed. Structured models include:
Offshore staff are trained in:
Every brokerage function is mapped:
Not shared BPO pools.
Dedicated embedded teams aligned to one brokerage.
Without structure, offshoring fails. With structure, it scales.
Let us consider a mid-sized brokerage:
If support costs reduce by $250,000 annually through offshore restructuring:
That capital can be reinvested in:
Profit margin expansion typically increases by 10–20%.
This transforms enterprise valuation.
Foreign companies evaluating offshore staffing must assess:
Well-structured offshore hubs operate under:
Risk mitigation must be proactive, not reactive.
Here is a simplified transition plan:
Most brokerages reach operational stability within three months.
Not when trained properly. Error rates often drop due to process discipline.
Clients care about speed and accuracy, not geography.
Only if governance is weak. Strong SOPs reduce risk.
A brokerage with:
Switched to:
Result:
Revenue increased without expanding fixed overhead.
Total employment costs typically exceed base salary by 30–40% due to super, payroll tax, and leave entitlements.
Yes. Brokers must still comply with NCCP and Privacy Act requirements, but offshore staffing is permitted when governance controls are in place.
Most firms reduce support payroll costs by 50–70%, depending on structure and scale.
ASIC regulates the license holder, not geography. Compliance responsibility remains with the Australian entity.
Operational stabilisation usually takes 60–90 days with structured onboarding.
Mortgage broker staff costs Australia will continue to rise. Super increases are legislated. Compliance demands will grow.
Brokerages that redesign workforce structure now gain:
This is not a temporary tactic. It is a structural advantage.