The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) is Australia's primary employer-sponsored temporary work visa, allowing approved employers to sponsor overseas workers to fill positions where suitably skilled Australian workers cannot be sourced. The visa operates across three streams — Core Skills, Specialist Skills, and Labour Agreement — each designed for different skill levels and employment contexts. The visa replaced the earlier Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa, which itself replaced the subclass 457 visa.

For current eligible occupations, income thresholds, English requirements, processing times, and fees for each stream, refer to the DHA Skills in Demand 482 page.

• Migration Act 1958, s 140GB — standard business sponsor approval
• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) — visa criteria for all streams
• DHA: Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/sid-482
• DHA: Core Skills stream — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/core-skills-stream
• DHA: Specialist Skills stream — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/specialist-skills-stream
• DHA: Labour Agreement stream — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/la-stream

The three-party structure: sponsor, nominee, applicant

The subclass 482 process involves three steps and three parties:

1. Sponsorship — the employer applies to become (or already is) an approved standard business sponsor
2. Nomination — the sponsor nominates the specific overseas worker for a specific position in Australia
3. Visa application — the nominee applies for the subclass 482 visa

Each step has its own criteria and can be lodged concurrently or sequentially. The employer pays the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy as part of the nomination step — the levy amount depends on the stream, business turnover, and visa period. For current SAF levy amounts, refer to the DHA Skills in Demand 482 page.

Core Skills stream

The Core Skills stream is the most commonly used stream. Key requirements:

• The nominated occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) — refer to the CSOL page for how this list is structured
• The position must pay at or above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) and no less than market salary rate for the occupation in Australia — refer to the TSMIT page for current amounts
• The employer must demonstrate that they have genuinely tried to recruit Australian workers first (labour market testing) — refer to the LMT page
• The applicant must have at least 2 years of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation
• The applicant must demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency — refer to the DHA page for current thresholds by occupation
• Visa period: up to 4 years

Specialist Skills stream

The Specialist Skills stream is designed for highly skilled workers in positions that are not tied to a specific occupation list. Key features:

• No occupation list restriction — the position does not need to appear on the CSOL
• A higher income threshold applies — refer to the DHA Specialist Skills stream page for the current threshold
• The high salary threshold effectively substitutes for the occupation list restriction — the stream targets genuinely senior or highly specialised workers
• Visa period: up to 4 years
• For more detail, see the Specialist Skills stream page

Labour Agreement stream

The Labour Agreement stream is for positions where the employer holds a labour agreement with the Australian Government. Labour agreements are negotiated for specific industries or employers that cannot be filled through standard visa programs. Key features:

• The employer must hold a labour agreement — the agreement sets out the specific terms, including eligible occupations, salary thresholds, and English requirements, which may differ from the standard stream requirements
• Company-specific, industry-specific, and designated area migration agreements (DAMAs) all operate through the Labour Agreement stream
• For more detail on labour agreements, see the Labour Agreement framework page

English language requirements

Most subclass 482 applicants must demonstrate sufficient English proficiency. The required test and score depend on the stream and occupation. Some occupations and situations are exempt. For current English requirements by stream and occupation, refer to the DHA English proficiency page for subclass 482.

Pathway to permanent residence — subclass 186

The subclass 482 is a significant pathway to permanent residence in Australia. Holders of a subclass 482 in the Core Skills or Specialist Skills stream can apply for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) permanent visa — typically after working for the sponsoring employer for the required period. The pathway requires the employer to nominate the person for permanent residence. For details on the 186 TRT (Temporary Residence Transition) pathway, see the ENS 186 page.

Sponsor obligations

Standard business sponsors who sponsor workers on the subclass 482 have ongoing obligations — including paying the sponsored worker at the same rate as an equivalent Australian worker, not passing on sponsorship costs to the worker, and notifying DHA of changes in the worker's circumstances. For details, see the sponsor obligations page.

Change in situation

If a 482 holder's situation changes — for example, they change employers, their position changes, or they want to take secondary employment — specific rules apply. For the framework covering changes in situation for 482 holders, see the change in situation page.

The subclass 482 was substantially restructured when the Skills in Demand visa framework was introduced, replacing the older short-term (1–2 year) and medium-term (4-year) TSS stream structure. The new structure uses the Core Skills Occupation List and income thresholds as the primary eligibility filters, with the Specialist Skills stream catering to highly paid workers outside the occupation list. The SAF levy — paid by employers, not workers — funds vocational training for Australians. For current processing times, fees, and SAF levy rates for each stream, refer to the DHA Skills in Demand 482 page.