Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)

What is the 482 visa?

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) — formerly the TSS (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa, and before that the 457 — is Australia's main employer-sponsored work visa. It lets an approved Australian business sponsor a skilled overseas worker for up to four years when no suitably skilled Australian is available, and it carries a structured pathway to permanent residency through the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme. Three linked applications are involved: the employer's sponsorship, the nomination of the role, and the worker's visa.

At a glance (figures updated 12 September 2026)

Figures are set by the Australian Government and change — most index on 1 July each year. Confirm the current charge and thresholds on the Department of Home Affairs website before lodgement.

The 482 framework in brief

Administered by the Department of Home Affairs, the subclass 482 visa operates under a strict regulatory framework designed to:

• Protect Australian wages and working conditions

• Support economic productivity

• Ensure labour market integrity

• Provide a structured pathway to permanent residency

For employers, the 482 visa is a workforce solution. For skilled professionals, it is a strategic entry pathway into Australia's labour market with long-term migration potential.

At Migration Vision, we approach every 482 visa application with a compliance-first, risk-managed strategy.

Streams under the 482 visa

The 482 visa framework includes three streams. Selecting the correct stream is a critical strategic decision.

Core Skills Stream

The most commonly used stream for employer-sponsored applications.

Key features:

• Occupation must appear on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)

• Salary at least the Core Skills Income Threshold ($79,423 from 1 July 2026) and the market rate for the role

• Visa validity up to four years

• Pathway to permanent residency via subclass 186

• Standard English requirements

This stream applies broadly to sectors such as healthcare, engineering, construction, information technology and hospitality. For most Migration Vision clients, the Core Skills stream is the primary pathway.

Specialist Skills Stream

This stream targets high-income and highly specialised professionals earning at least the Specialist Skills Income Threshold ($146,576 from 1 July 2026). Any occupation except trades, machinery operators, drivers and labourers can qualify. It is the fastest lane in the program — half of Specialist Skills applications are currently decided in about 15 days.

Labour Agreement Stream

Where standard occupation lists do not cover business needs, employers may operate under a negotiated labour agreement with the Australian Government. Industries frequently using this stream include aged care, regional hospitality, agriculture and meat processing. Labour agreements may allow concessions on age, English or salary — but require detailed government negotiation. How each type of agreement works is covered on our labour agreements page.

Subclass 482 visa eligibility criteria

Eligibility involves both employer compliance and individual qualification assessment.

Occupation list & ANZSCO alignment

The nominated position must:

• Appear on the relevant skilled occupation list

• Align precisely with ANZSCO classification

• Reflect genuine business need

Misalignment between job duties and ANZSCO codes is one of the leading causes of refusal. Migration Vision conducts detailed occupation mapping to ensure accurate classification and defensible nomination positioning.

Skills, qualifications & work experience

Applicants must generally demonstrate:

• At least one year of relevant work experience (full-time equivalent)

• Qualifications equivalent to Australian standards

• Registration or licensing (if required for the occupation)

Documentary evidence must be consistent, verifiable, and aligned with nominated duties.

English language requirements

Unless exempt, applicants must meet minimum English thresholds via IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT or OET (health occupations).

Health & character compliance

Applicants must satisfy health examinations, police clearance certificates and public interest criteria. Non-disclosure of adverse information can result in refusal or cancellation.

Sponsor obligations (employer side)

Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS)

Employers must first obtain SBS approval — lawful operation, genuine workforce need, commitment to sponsor obligations. Approval typically lasts five years. Half of sponsorship applications are currently decided within about 24 days.

Labour Market Testing (LMT)

Employers must demonstrate genuine efforts to recruit Australian workers first: advertising for the prescribed period, on approved platforms, including salary details. Improper LMT is a frequent nomination refusal trigger.

Salary threshold & market rate

Employers must pay at least the applicable income threshold (CSIT or SSIT) and the market rate for the occupation, documented through industry data and internal payroll comparison.

Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy

The SAF levy — $1,200 per year of visa for businesses turning over under $10 million, $1,800 per year otherwise — is paid by the employer at nomination, upfront for the full visa period. Passing this cost to the visa holder is unlawful.

Ongoing compliance

Sponsors must notify the Department of certain changes, maintain records, cooperate with audits and ensure equivalent terms and conditions. Failure can result in sponsorship cancellation, civil penalties and disruption for the visa holder.

How the 482 process works (three linked stages)

1. Sponsorship — the business becomes an approved sponsor

2. Nomination — the specific role is nominated (LMT, salary benchmarking, genuine position)

3. Visa — the worker's skills, English, health and character are assessed

Each stage must align consistently. Inconsistencies between nomination duties and the applicant's employment history often trigger Requests for Further Information. Migration Vision coordinates all three stages under a single strategic framework.

482 visa processing times

Home Affairs processing-times tool, read 12 September 2026:

• Core Skills stream: 50% decided in 4 months, 90% in 9 months
• Specialist Skills stream: 50% in 15 days, 90% in 45 days

• Nominations: 50% in 57 days, 90% in 9 months; sponsorships: 50% in 24 days, 90% in 4 months

Where your case lands depends on documentation completeness, occupation complexity, and health/character clearances. Decision-ready applications significantly reduce delays.

Where a 482 sits in the order (Ministerial Direction 121)

Since 19 September 2026, Ministerial Direction 121 has set the order in which the Department deals with 482 applications. It revoked Direction 119 and covers only the 482: Skills in Demand, plus the older Temporary Skill Shortage applications still on hand. It applies to applications already lodged, not only new ones. There are five levels, highest first:

Family members included in the same application share the primary applicant's place. The top level does not ask whether you are in Australia or overseas, so an offshore nurse or electrician now sits there alongside onshore applicants. Under Direction 119, offshore applicants outside law enforcement and defence roles were in the last group. The Direction defines which occupations count for each sector, so check yours against it rather than assuming. A priority level is an order of work, not a timeframe. It does not tell you how long your case will take, and it does not change who is eligible.

Figures current as at 23 September 2026; confirm with the Department of Home Affairs before lodgement.

482 visa PR pathway

A major strategic advantage of the 482 visa is its pathway to permanent residency. After two years with the sponsoring employer in the nominated role, eligible visa holders may transition via the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Temporary Residence Transition stream — permanent residency, Medicare, and long-term settlement security. Forward planning during the temporary stage ensures smooth PR eligibility; see our subclass 186 guide. The two-year rule in detail — what counts, and what happens if you change employers — is in from 482 to permanent residency: the 186 TRT pathway.

Where 482 applications go wrong (and how to avoid it)

1. Incorrect ANZSCO code — duties don't match the classification

2. Insufficient employment evidence for the one-year experience requirement

3. Inadequate labour market testing — wrong platforms, wrong period, missing salary details

4. Salary below the threshold or below documented market rate

5. Non-genuine position concerns — the role looks created for the visa

6. Inconsistencies across the three stages triggering RFIs and delays

If a nomination or visa is refused, review rights at the Administrative Review Tribunal are strictly time-limited. Our visa refusals and appeals page explains the process and deadlines.

482 sponsorship for employers Australia-wide

Migration Vision works with sponsoring employers across Australia — construction, healthcare, hospitality and transport businesses, metro and regional — and with overseas workers being sponsored. We run the whole chain under one roof: sponsorship approval, LMT design, salary benchmarking against CSIT and market rate, the nomination, the worker's visa, and the two-year runway to the 186. One adviser, three applications, no hand-off gaps. For a role in a designated regional area, the subclass 494 is the regional sponsored alternative.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the 482 visa cost in 2026?

The visa application charge is $4,015 for the primary applicant for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026. Employers also pay the sponsorship application fee ($420, approval lasting five years), the nomination fee ($330) and the SAF levy ($1,200–$1,800 per year of visa, upfront) — employer costs cannot lawfully be passed to the worker.

What is the minimum salary for a 482 visa in 2026?

The Core Skills stream requires at least the Core Skills Income Threshold — $79,423 from 1 July 2026 — while the Specialist Skills stream requires at least $146,576. Pay must also match the market rate for the role.

How long does the 482 visa take to process?

The Home Affairs processing-times tool, read on 12 September 2026, shows the Core Skills stream at 50% in 4 months and 90% in 9 months, while the Specialist Skills stream runs much faster at 50% in 15 days and 90% in 45 days. The Core Skills stream has lengthened sharply since August, when the median sat at 69 days.

Is the 482 the same as the TSS visa?

Yes. The Skills in Demand visa is the current name for the subclass 482, which was called the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa until December 2024, and replaced the subclass 457 before that. The subclass number never changed — older TSS guidance generally still refers to this visa.

Can I get permanent residency from a 482 visa?

Yes. The Skills in Demand visa provides a structured pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, typically after two years working with your sponsoring employer under the Temporary Residence Transition stream.

Can a 482 visa holder change employers?

Yes, but the new employer must be an approved sponsor and lodge a fresh nomination before the move. Time already served with the previous sponsor may still count toward the 186 pathway in some circumstances — get advice before resigning.

Does my employer need to be an approved sponsor?

Yes. Your employer must hold an approved Standard Business Sponsorship with the Department of Home Affairs before nominating you, demonstrating lawful operation and a genuine need for the position.

Why engage Migration Vision for your 482 visa

• Corporate-level migration advisory

• Employer compliance audits

• Occupation classification analysis

• End-to-end sponsorship management

• Strategic PR transition planning

We do not simply lodge applications — we build defensible migration strategies.

Reviewed by Dr Asad Muhammad Khan, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 2619525. Processing-priority section updated 23 September 2026 (Ministerial Directions 121 and 122). Updated 12 September 2026 — fee, threshold and processing figures current as at that date; confirm current figures with the Department of Home Affairs before lodgement. This page is general information, not migration advice for your circumstances.