Employer-sponsored · Subclass 482
Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) Visa — Australia's Employer-Sponsored Work Visa
The Subclass 482 Visa enables skilled workers to fill Australia's critical labour gaps, offering opportunities to transition to permanent residency through the Subclass 186 Visa. It is the employer sponsored visa 482 holders use to work in Australia: three streams, one set of core rules, and a sponsor who has to get the nomination right before you can lodge anything.
What is the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa?
The Skills in Demand visa, or SID visa, is the subclass 482 visa Australia uses for employer-sponsored skilled work. An approved employer sponsors you into a nominated occupation. Three streams: Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement. You need a year of relevant experience and an approved nomination. After two years the Subclass 186 is the usual PR route.
Key facts
- Three streams, one visa. Core Skills needs an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List and the Core Skills Income Threshold. Specialist Skills needs ANZSCO Major Group 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold. Labour Agreement needs an occupation named in your employer's work agreement.
- The income thresholds for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 are $79,423 (CSIT) and $146,576 (SSIT). Both are indexed every 1 July.
- Twelve months of relevant experience, counted full-time equivalent, within the five years before you apply. Part-time and casual work counts toward the total. This is the rule for Core Skills and Specialist Skills; a labour agreement can set its own.
- There is no age limit for the 482. The under-45 rule belongs to the Subclass 186 permanent visa, and even there it has exemptions. Plan the age question for the PR stage, not this one.
- Your stay is the period proposed in the nomination. Up to four years in practice. Holders at grant of a BN(O) passport, or a Hong Kong passport of a specified class, receive five years.
- Condition 8607 governs your working life. You work only in the nominated occupation, and only for the sponsor or an associated entity. Exempt-list occupations are not tied to one employer. You must start within 90 days. Between sponsors you may stop working for up to 180 consecutive days, and 365 days in total.
- Onshore applicants must hold a substantive visa, a Bridging A, B or C. Anyone on a Bridging E, or with no visa, cannot lodge a valid 482 application in Australia.
- The government visa application charge changes each 1 July. We do not print the current figure here. It is on the Department's visa pricing page linked in the sources below, and we confirm it at lodgement.
Which 482 stream applies to you?
The stream is decided by the occupation, the salary and the sponsor's arrangement — not by preference. Every stream shares the same core rules: an approved nomination, a genuine intention to perform the occupation, health insurance, health and character. What differs is set out below. Each stream has its own page with the detail.
| Criterion | Core Skills | Specialist Skills | Labour Agreement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation | On the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) | Any occupation in ANZSCO Major Group 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6. Major Groups 3, 7 and 8 are excluded | An occupation the work agreement names |
| Minimum salary | Core Skills Income Threshold — $79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 — or the annual market salary rate if higher | Specialist Skills Income Threshold — $146,576 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 — or the annual market salary rate if higher | Set by the work agreement |
| Work experience | At least 12 months full-time equivalent in the occupation or a related field, within the last 5 years | At least 12 months full-time equivalent in the occupation or a related field, within the last 5 years | The 12-month rule, or the period the work agreement specifies |
| English | IELTS 5.0 in each of the four components, or the equivalent in six other approved tests. No overall band. Exemptions apply | IELTS 5.0 in each component, or the equivalent. No overall band. Exemptions apply | As the work agreement specifies; "no concessions" means the standard level |
| Sponsor | A Standard Business Sponsor | A Standard Business Sponsor | An employer party to a labour agreement with the Australian Government |
| Detail | 482 Core Skills stream | 482 Specialist Skills stream | 482 Labour Agreement stream |
What we see in practice
From our Sydney practice, the stream question is usually settled by the salary, not the job title. A senior role that pays below the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is a Core Skills nomination, and then the occupation has to be on the CSOL. Check the list before the offer letter is written, not after.
What are the 482 visa requirements?
Two sets of rules apply: the employer's, at nomination, and yours, at the visa application. Both are assessed at the time of decision. The applicant criteria below apply to every stream, with the stream rules on top.
What you must show
- An approved nomination. Your employer's nomination for you has been approved by the Department. The employer was an approved work sponsor at that time, and the approval has not ceased.
- A genuine intention and a genuine position. Your intention to perform the nominated occupation is genuine, and so is the position.
- Skills, qualifications and experience. The 12-month rule, and the skills, qualifications and employment background the Department considers necessary for the occupation. You can be asked to demonstrate them in the way the Department specifies.
- English. For applications lodged from 13 September 2025, IELTS 5.0 in each of the four components. CELPIP, LANGUAGECERT, MET, OET, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT have equivalent component scores. There is no overall-band requirement. The test day must be within three years of when you provide the result. A test sat before 13 September 2025 is measured against the earlier rules instead — overall 5.0 and 5.0 in each component, single sitting. Exempt applicants: citizens holding a passport from the UK, Ireland, the United States, Canada or New Zealand. Five years of full-time secondary or higher study delivered in English. A licensed occupation whose licence required equivalent English. Staff of an established overseas business, nominated by that business or an associated entity, earning at least $96,400. Staff nominated to work at a diplomatic or consular mission, or a Taiwan office in Australia.
- Health insurance. Adequate arrangements for the whole of your intended stay.
- Health, character and integrity. The public interest criteria, including health, character, security, Commonwealth debt and passport checks. The integrity criterion is the one that bites. A false document or misleading information in any application can refuse the visa. It can also bar a further grant for three years.
- Substantial compliance. If you are in Australia, you have substantially complied with the conditions of your last substantive visa. The same applies to any bridging visa.
- No worker-exploitation conduct. No involvement in paying for a visa or sponsorship in the previous three years. The Department can overlook it where that is reasonable.
What your employer must show at nomination
- Approval as a Standard Business Sponsor, or a work agreement for the Labour Agreement stream.
- A genuine, full-time position and a written employment contract with the sponsor or an associated entity.
- The right occupation for the stream. Annual earnings at or above the income threshold and the annual market salary rate.
- Employment conditions no less favourable than an Australian would receive in the same role at the same location.
- Labour market testing of the position, in both the Specialist Skills and Core Skills streams. Only an international trade obligation displaces it; there is no occupation-based exemption. Some positions, including those paying $250,000 or more, meet it by written submission instead of advertising.
- Payment of the Skilling Australians Fund levy (the nomination training contribution charge) and no outstanding levy debt.
The employer side is covered in full on our visa sponsorship options and sponsor obligations pages.
How do you apply for a 482 visa?
A 482 is three applications, lodged in order. The visa application cannot succeed without an approved nomination, and a nomination cannot be lodged by a business that is not a sponsor. Most delays we see come from starting at step three.
- SponsorshipThe employer applies to become a Standard Business Sponsor, or negotiates a labour agreement. Approval lasts five years and can cover any number of nominations.
- NominationThe sponsor nominates you for a specific occupation and position. It tests the labour market, pays the Skilling Australians Fund levy and shows the salary and market-rate evidence.
- Visa applicationYou lodge with your identity, experience, English, health and character evidence. You can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance.
Applying in Australia. An onshore applicant must hold a substantive visa, a Bridging A, a Bridging B or a Bridging C at the time of application. A Bridging E holder cannot lodge a valid 482 application onshore. If your current visa is about to expire, the nomination timing matters more than the visa timing — talk to us before the sponsor lodges.
Common mistakes
- Wrong ANZSCO code — the nomination names an occupation whose tasks do not match the position, and the visa is refused on genuineness.
- Incomplete documentation — a decision-ready application needs the English, health and experience evidence at lodgement, not after a request.
- Expired test results — the English test day must be within three years of when you provide the result.
- Counting the wrong experience — the 12 months must be in the nominated occupation or a related field. It must fall within the last five years.
- Lodging the visa before the nomination exists — the visa criteria require an approved nomination at decision. A nomination refusal takes the visa with it.
How much does the 482 visa cost in Australia?
There are three cost layers: the government visa application charge, the sponsor's Skilling Australians Fund levy, and professional fees. The government charge is indexed every 1 July. We confirm it on the Department's page at lodgement rather than printing a figure that goes stale.
The sponsor cannot recover sponsorship or nomination costs from you — including the levy and agent fees . If you are being asked to pay them, get advice. Our professional fees are quoted after a consultation, in writing, and never include government charges.
482 visa processing time — how long does it take?
The Department publishes processing times monthly and they move with demand, so we do not print a figure here. The number that matters is the one on the day you lodge. It is linked in the sources block below. Processing order follows a Ministerial Direction that ranks cases by occupation and by whether the applicant is in Australia. The stream itself does not set priority. How complete the file is also matters.
What we see in practice
Decision-ready files move fastest. That means the English result, the police certificates, the health examination and the employment references are all in the application on day one. A single request for further information can add weeks, because the case leaves the queue and re-enters it.
What conditions apply to a 482 visa?
Condition 8607 is imposed on every primary 482 holder, and condition 8501 on every holder. Condition 8303 may be imposed. These are the conditions as they stand in the Migration Regulations on 16 September 2026.
- Occupation and employer. You work only in the nominated occupation, and only for your sponsor. An associated entity of an Australian sponsor also counts. Occupations on the exempt list are not tied to one employer. Labour Agreement holders work only for the nominating employer.
- Start within 90 days. Ninety days after arrival if you were offshore at grant, or ninety days after grant if you were onshore.
- The gap allowance. You may stop working in accordance with the condition for up to 180 consecutive days. The total across the visa period must not exceed 365 days. This is the window to find a new sponsor if your employment ends.
- Licensing. If the occupation needs a licence, registration or membership where you work, you hold it within the same 90 days. You must keep it, and tell the Department if it is refused, revoked or cancelled.
- 8501: health insurance. You must maintain adequate health insurance for the whole stay.
Changing employers. A new employer must lodge and have approved a new nomination for you before you start with them. The 180-day allowance is the time you have to make that happen. Working for the new employer before the nomination is approved is a breach, and breaches are assessed against every later visa.
482 visa to PR — how does the Skills in Demand visa lead to permanent residency?
Yes, and for most holders the route is the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme in the Temporary Residence Transition stream. The rule is two years of full-time employment in Australia with an approved work sponsor, in the nominated occupation. Those two years must fall within the three years before you apply, and unpaid leave does not count. The employment does not have to be with a single sponsor.
- Temporary Residence Transition (TRT). Two years on the 482 in the occupation, then the 186. At that stage you must be under 45 and have Competent English, with exemption categories for some applicants.
- Direct Entry. Available without the two years. You need a positive skills assessment and three years of full-time experience in the occupation.
- Regional alternatives. A regional employer may use the Subclass 494, which leads to the Subclass 191 after three years, or a DAMA with concessions on age, English and salary.
The full comparison is on our employer-sponsored PR pathway page.
Can my family be included?
Yes. Members of your family unit apply as secondary applicants. They must be listed on the nomination, or the sponsor must agree in writing to sponsor them. Their visa ends when yours does. A child's visa ends earlier, the day before they turn 23, unless they are dependent through incapacity.
- Spouse or de facto partner.
- Children and step-children who have not turned 23 and are not engaged, married or in a de facto relationship. Older children qualify only if dependent on you because of incapacity.
- Dependent children of those children.
Every family member meets health, character and health-insurance requirements in their own right. Secondary holders have unrestricted work rights — condition 8607 is imposed on the primary applicant only.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)?
It is Australia's main temporary employer-sponsored work visa. An approved sponsor nominates you for a genuine, full-time position in an eligible occupation. You then apply for the visa against that nomination. It replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa for applications from 7 December 2024 and keeps the same subclass number. It provides full work rights in the nominated occupation and a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 186.
How long can I stay on the Subclass 482 Visa?
For the period of stay proposed in your sponsor's nomination. That is up to four years in practice, depending on the occupation and the position. Holders at grant of a BN(O) passport, or a Hong Kong passport of a specified class, receive five years. There is no "extension": when the visa ends, a further 482 needs a new nomination and a new application.
Do I need to have a job offer to apply for this visa?
Yes — more than an offer. You must be nominated by an approved sponsor for a genuine, full-time position. That nomination must be approved before your visa can be granted. The occupation must be eligible for the stream. That means the Core Skills Occupation List, ANZSCO Major Group 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6, or the labour agreement.
Can my family join me on this visa?
Yes. Your spouse or de facto partner and children under 23 can be included as secondary applicants. So can older children who are dependent because of incapacity. They must be listed on the nomination or accepted by the sponsor in writing. Each meets health, character and insurance requirements in their own right. Their visas usually run for the same period as yours. A child's visa ends the day before they turn 23, if that is earlier.
Can I apply for permanent residency on this visa?
Yes. The usual route is the Subclass 186 in the Temporary Residence Transition stream. It needs two years of full-time employment in Australia with an approved work sponsor in the nominated occupation. Those years fall within the three before you apply. The Direct Entry stream, the Subclass 494 and a DAMA are the alternatives. Age, English and skills-assessment rules apply at the permanent stage.
Is there an age limit for the 482 visa?
No. The 482 has no age limit. The under-45 rule applies to the Subclass 186 permanent visa. There it has exemption categories that we check case by case. If you are over 45, plan the PR stage now rather than assuming the 482 is the problem.
Can I change employers on a 482 visa?
Yes, but only after the new employer's nomination for you is approved. Condition 8607 lets you stop working for up to 180 consecutive days while that happens. The total across the visa is 365 days. Starting with the new employer before approval breaches the condition. The new employer must be an approved sponsor. The occupation must stay the same unless a new visa is applied for.
What is the minimum salary for a 482 visa?
For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold is $79,423. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold is $146,576. Your earnings must also be at least the annual market salary rate for the position, which is often higher. Both thresholds are indexed every 1 July. The figure that applies is the one in force on the day the nomination is lodged.
Can I apply for the 482 visa from inside Australia?
Yes, if you hold a substantive visa, a Bridging A, a Bridging B or a Bridging C when you apply. A Bridging E holder cannot make a valid application onshore and must apply from outside Australia. If your visa expires while the nomination is being decided, you can usually lodge the visa application before expiry. A bridging visa then follows.
How much work experience do I need for a 482 visa?
At least 12 months of full-time-equivalent work in the nominated occupation or a related field. It must be carried out in the five years before you apply. Part-time and casual work counts toward the 12 months. This is the rule for the Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams; a labour agreement can set a different period.
What English score do I need for a 482 visa?
IELTS 5.0 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking, for an application lodged from 13 September 2025. There is no overall-band requirement. The same instrument sets equivalent component scores for six other tests. PTE Academic, for example, is 33, 36, 29 and 24. You may re-sit a single component on a later day. Citizens holding a passport from the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or New Zealand are exempt. So are applicants with five years of full-time study in English.
The 482 is decided at the nomination. Get that stage right.
A free eligibility check tells you which stream fits your occupation and salary, and what your employer needs to have in place first.
Visa Advisor is a MARA-registered visa agent in Sydney, NSW, working with 482 applicants and sponsoring employers across Australia and offshore.
Sources and last checked dates
- Migration Regulations 1994 — Schedule 2 Part 482 (Skills in Demand), Schedule 1 item 1240, regulation 2.72 and Schedule 8 conditions 8607 and 8501, Compilation No. 288, 1 July 2026 (F2026C00667) confirmed current 16 September 2026 open ↗
- Migration Regulations 1994 — Schedule 2 clause 186.227 (Temporary Residence Transition employment period), Compilation No. 288 read 8 September 2026 open ↗
- Migration (English Language Test Requirements for Subclass 482 Visas) Instrument 2025 — LIN 25/082, F2025L01066, commenced 13 September 2025 confirmed in force 16 September 2026 open ↗
- Migration (LIN 18/036: Period, manner and evidence of labour market testing) Instrument 2018 — Compilation No. 5 (F2024C01268) confirmed in force 16 September 2026 open ↗
- Ministerial Direction 119 — processing order for skilled visas, including the 482 checked 16 September 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) checked 8 September 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — salary requirements to nominate a worker: Core Skills Income Threshold $79,423 and Specialist Skills Income Threshold $146,576 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 verified 19 August 2026 · page last updated 1 July 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — visa fees and charges (current visa pricing table and estimator) checked 8 September 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — visa processing times checked 8 September 2026 open ↗
Income thresholds, the visa application charge, occupation lists and processing times change during a programme year. Confirm the current figure with the source before acting on anything on this page.