Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)

The 482 replaced the old TSS visa in December 2024. An Australian employer sponsors you for a specific skilled role. It's the main employer-sponsored temporary route.

Three streams

• Specialist Skills stream — for high-earning roles (current salary threshold on the link below — verify before relying on it). Median 7-business-day processing for decision-ready applications.
• Core Skills stream — for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List, paid at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold. Median 21-business-day processing.
• Labour Agreement stream — for employers with a Labour Agreement with the Australian government, often for industries or regions where the standard list doesn't fit.

What sponsorship actually means

• Your employer must be (or become) an approved Standard Business Sponsor.
• They nominate you for a specific position (an occupation on the relevant list).
• You apply for the visa once the nomination is in place.
• You can be granted up to 4 years on this visa.

Changing employers

• You can change to a new sponsoring employer, but the new employer must lodge a fresh nomination for the same or related occupation.
• You have a grace period to find a new sponsor if you leave your job — verify the current length (recently extended) on the Skills in Demand pages.

Common gotchas

• The salary your employer pays must meet both the threshold AND the annual market salary rate for the role. Underpayment is the most common reason 482 holders end up in trouble with Home Affairs and Fair Work.
• Your visa is tied to the occupation in your nomination, not to "any job at this company". Internal moves to a different role can require a fresh nomination.
• The pathway from 482 to PR usually runs through the 186 (ENS) visa — check eligibility well before your 482 expires. See switching from 485 to permanent residency for the practical PR-transition checklist, and the employer nomination scheme (186) overview for the 186 details.

Where to read more

• Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skills-in-demand-visa-subclass-482
• Core Skills stream: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skills-in-demand-visa-subclass-482/core-skills-stream
• Specialist Skills stream: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skills-in-demand-visa-subclass-482/specialist-skills-stream
• Skilled occupation list: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skill-occupation-list