diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.rst b/docs/CHANGELOG.rst
index 950c5ad53..8deb1c1f0 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Unreleased
 Added
 -----
 - Allow overriding docker image prefix via environment variable
+- Allow staff users to create new ``Variant`` objects through the API endpoint
 
 Changed
 -------
diff --git a/resolwe_bio/variants/serializers.py b/resolwe_bio/variants/serializers.py
index e94f97d39..c6fc1e98b 100644
--- a/resolwe_bio/variants/serializers.py
+++ b/resolwe_bio/variants/serializers.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class Meta:
         """Serializer configuration."""
 
         model = Variant
+        optional_fields = ["annotation"]
         fields = [
             "id",
             "species",
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ class Meta:
             "alternative",
             "annotation",
         ]
+        extra_kwargs = {"annotation": {"required": False}}
 
 
 class VariantTranscriptSerializer(SelectiveFieldMixin, serializers.ModelSerializer):
diff --git a/resolwe_bio/variants/tests/test_variant.py b/resolwe_bio/variants/tests/test_variant.py
index d52f5d1bc..849f731b6 100644
--- a/resolwe_bio/variants/tests/test_variant.py
+++ b/resolwe_bio/variants/tests/test_variant.py
@@ -562,9 +562,54 @@ def test_add_variant_annotations(self):
 
 class VariantTest(PrepareDataMixin, TestCase):
     def setUp(self) -> None:
-        self.view = VariantViewSet.as_view({"get": "list"})
+        self.view = VariantViewSet.as_view({"get": "list", "post": "create"})
         return super().setUp()
 
+    def test_create(self):
+        """Test the Variant creation.
+
+        Only users with staff status are allowed to create Variant objects.
+        """
+        variant_data = {
+            "species": "Homo Sapiens",
+            "genome_assembly": "test_create",
+            "chromosome": "CHR_test_create",
+            "position": 1,
+            "reference": "test_create",
+            "alternative": "alt_test_create",
+        }
+
+        # Test creation as unauthenticated user.
+        request = APIRequestFactory().post("/variant", variant_data, format="json")
+        response = self.view(request)
+        self.assertContains(
+            response,
+            "Authentication credentials were not provided.",
+            status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN,
+        )
+
+        # Test creation as non-staff user.
+        request = APIRequestFactory().post("/variant", variant_data, format="json")
+        force_authenticate(request, self.contributor)
+        response = self.view(request)
+        self.assertContains(
+            response,
+            "You do not have permission to perform this action.",
+            status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN,
+        )
+
+        # Test creation as staff user.
+        self.contributor.is_staff = True
+        self.contributor.save(update_fields=["is_staff"])
+        request = APIRequestFactory().post("/variant", variant_data, format="json")
+        force_authenticate(request, self.contributor)
+        response = self.view(request)
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, status.HTTP_201_CREATED)
+        # Check that the created object exists.
+        Variant.objects.get(**response.data)
+        self.contributor.is_staff = False
+        self.contributor.save(update_fields=["is_staff"])
+
     def test_filter(self):
         """Test the Variant filter."""
         request = APIRequestFactory().get("/variant")
diff --git a/resolwe_bio/variants/views.py b/resolwe_bio/variants/views.py
index b322120b0..dca5e0c66 100644
--- a/resolwe_bio/variants/views.py
+++ b/resolwe_bio/variants/views.py
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@
 import logging
 
 import django_filters as filters
-from rest_framework import mixins, viewsets
-
-from resolwe.flow.filters import OrderingFilter
-from resolwe.flow.views.mixins import ResolweCreateModelMixin
-
 from resolwe_bio.variants.filters import (
     VariantAnnotationFilter,
     VariantCallFilter,
@@ -26,6 +21,11 @@
     VariantExperimentSerializer,
     VariantSerializer,
 )
+from rest_framework import mixins, viewsets
+
+from resolwe.flow.filters import OrderingFilter
+from resolwe.flow.views.mixins import ResolweCreateModelMixin
+from resolwe.flow.views.utils import IsStaffOrReadOnly
 
 from .models import Variant, VariantAnnotation, VariantCall, VariantExperiment
 
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class VariantViewSet(
     queryset = Variant.objects.all()
     serializer_class = VariantSerializer
     filter_backends = [filters.rest_framework.DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter]
+    permission_classes = (IsStaffOrReadOnly,)
 
     filterset_class = VariantFilter
     ordering_fields = ("species", "genome_assembly", "position", "chromosome")