Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
The Skills in Demand Visa allows an approved Australian employer to sponsor a skilled overseas worker for an eligible position. The visa includes the Core Skills, Specialist Skills, and Labour Agreement streams and can allow you to work in Australia for up to 4 years. For eligible applicants, it may also form part of a future pathway to permanent residence.
What Is the Skills in Demand Visa Subclass 482?
The Skills in Demand Visa is Australia’s current Subclass 482 employer sponsored work visa. It allows Australian businesses to sponsor overseas workers when they need skilled employees for eligible positions.
The Skills in Demand Visa replaced the former Temporary Skill Shortage Visa on 7 December 2024. Both visas use Subclass 482, which is why you may still see terms such as TSS Visa, Temporary Skill Shortage Visa, and 482 Visa used when researching employer sponsored migration. New applications are now assessed under the current Skills in Demand framework.
The three current streams are:
Core Skills Stream: For eligible occupations under the Core Skills framework, including occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List.
Specialist Skills Stream: For eligible higher earning positions that meet the Specialist Skills occupation and income requirements.
Labour Agreement Stream: For workers nominated by employers that have an applicable labour agreement with the Australian Government.
Your eligibility can also depend on your occupation, skills, relevant work experience, proposed salary, English ability, health, character, and any registration or skills assessment requirements that apply to your circumstances.
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Choosing the right Subclass 482 pathway depends on more than finding an employer willing to sponsor you. Your occupation, salary, experience, proposed position, and the employer’s sponsorship arrangements all need to align with the relevant Skills in Demand requirements.
IMMagine can assess your circumstances and help identify issues before you proceed with the sponsorship, nomination, or visa application.
482 Visa Benefits
The Skills in Demand Visa can provide several advantages for eligible skilled workers and their families.
• Work in Australia in your nominated occupation
• Stay for up to four years in many cases
• Include eligible family members in your application
• Travel to and from Australia while your visa remains valid
• Potentially pursue permanent residence later if you qualify for an eligible pathway
Home Affairs describes the standard SID visa as allowing stays from one to four years, with the period depending on the nomination and visa circumstances.
How We Can Help You
- Assess your occupation, employment circumstances, work history, salary, and potential Skills in Demand stream
- Review employer sponsorship, nomination requirements, occupation eligibility, salary arrangements, and supporting evidence
- Prepare and review documents for qualifications, skills, work experience, English, health, character, and other visa requirements
- Assess how the Subclass 482 Visa may support a future permanent residence pathway, including potential Subclass 186 options
Which Skills in Demand Visa Stream Applies to You?
Subclass 482 has three current streams. The right stream depends on your occupation, salary, employer arrangements, and the type of position being nominated.
Core Skills Stream
The Core Skills Stream covers eligible occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List.
From 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD $79,423. Your salary must also meet applicable market salary requirements, and you still need to satisfy the relevant skills, experience, English, and visa criteria.
Specialist Skills Stream
The Specialist Skills Stream is for eligible higher earning positions that meet the occupation and salary requirements.
From 1 July 2026, the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD $146,576. Meeting the salary threshold alone does not guarantee eligibility.
Labour Agreement Stream
The Labour Agreement Stream applies where an employer has an approved labour agreement with the Australian Government.
Requirements can vary by agreement and may include specific occupation, salary, English, skills, and experience settings.
Step by Step
Our Process
1. Free Eligibility Check
We review your occupation, visa history, employment, English, skills, age, and employer circumstances to determine which visa pathway may apply.
Within 48 working hours, we will provide a free written assessment of Visa options.
2. Online Consultation
Book a 75–90 minute paid online consultation to explore your visa options and get answers to all your questions.
3. Visa Application
Once you decide to proceed, we will handle the preparation and processing of your visa application.
About Our Strategy Consultation
If your initial FREE assessment is evaluated as positive you will qualify for a Strategy Consultation with one of our registered migration agents.
The Strategy Consult is:
A professional assessment by a registered migration agent
A review of your most realistic visa pathways
An explanation of timelines, risks, and trade-offs
Guidance before you invest significant time or money
The Consult is NOT:
A guarantee of eligibility or visa approval
A sales call
Generalised or automated advice
People seeking guarantees
(This saves everyone time)
35 years of experience in the migration industry
Government registered/licensed migration agents with offices in Melbourne (Australia) and Auckland (New Zealand)
Success oriented fee structure with instalments paid on reaching milestones in the process.
Alternative Visas
The Skills in Demand Visa is not the only pathway available to skilled workers who want to live and work in Australia. Depending on your age, occupation, employer, points, location, qualifications, and long term goals, another skilled or employer sponsored visa may be more suitable.
The Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa is a permanent residency visa for skilled workers who are nominated by a state or territory government. It provides immediate permanent residency and does not require regional living conditions.
The Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa is also a permanent residency visa for skilled workers. It does not require state or territory nomination or employer sponsorship, but it is highly competitive and invitation-based.
The Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa differs as it is a provisional visa that requires applicants to live and work in a designated regional area and provides a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa.
Frequently Asked Questions
For applications lodged from 1 July 2026, the standard Visa Application Charge is AUD $4,015 for the primary applicant. Adult dependants are also charged AUD $4,015, while the charge for a child under 18 is AUD $1,005. Concessions can apply in limited circumstances. Other costs may include sponsorship, nomination, the SAF levy, health checks, English testing, police certificates, and skills assessments where required.
Core Skills and Specialist Skills applicants generally need at least 12 months of work experience in their nominated occupation or a related field. The experience must be relevant to the work being nominated, and the overall evidence needs to demonstrate that you have the skills required to perform the position.
Core Skills and Specialist Skills applicants generally need to meet the applicable Subclass 482 English requirement unless an exemption applies. Approved tests and required scores are prescribed under the current English language instrument. The present framework took effect on 13 September 2025, so older 482 English information may no longer reflect the current rules.
Potentially. The Subclass 482 Visa is temporary, but eligible visa holders may later qualify for permanent residence, commonly through the Employer Nomination Scheme Subclass 186. Whether you qualify depends on the relevant 186 stream and requirements applying when you lodge your permanent visa application.
Changing employers is possible in some circumstances, but you need to follow the applicable sponsorship and nomination requirements. A new employer will generally need the appropriate approval and nomination arrangements before you can continue sponsored employment with them. Your existing visa conditions and timing should be reviewed before changing employment.
The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa was replaced by the Skills in Demand Visa on 7 December 2024. Both use Subclass 482, which is why the term TSS Visa still appears in older information and search results. Current applications now use the Core Skills, Specialist Skills, or Labour Agreement streams under the Skills in Demand framework.
If your occupation is not eligible under the CSOL, the standard Core Skills Stream may not be available. That does not automatically make you eligible for the Specialist Skills Stream. Depending on your occupation, salary, employer, and circumstances, a Specialist Skills, Labour Agreement, regional, or other skilled visa pathway may need to be assessed.
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