Subclass 482
The main temporary employer-sponsored visa for Australian businesses. Renamed from TSS to Skills in Demand on 7 December 2024. Three streams, all requiring sponsor approval and nomination. Permanent residency is available through the 186 visa after a qualifying period.
At a glance
Streams
3
Core Skills, Specialist Skills, Labour Agreement
Visa duration
Visa durationStream-dependent
Path to PR
Yes
Via 186 TRT stream
Family included
Yes
Partner and dependent children
Cost
Costs split into three categories: government fees, the SAF levy, and our professional fees. Final quote confirmed at consultation.
Government application fees
Visa application charge, paid to Home Affairs at lodgement.
Visa application chargeSkilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy
Paid at nomination. Depends on business turnover and visa length.
SAF levyProfessional fees (ICS)
Fixed quote covering SBS, nomination, and visa application drafting and lodgement.
Professional feesIndicative total — at consultation
Indicative total — at consultationStreams
The three streams are not interchangeable. The right stream depends on the worker's occupation, the salary you'll pay, and whether your business has a labour agreement in place.
Stream 1
The largest stream. Occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), which replaced MLTSSL and STSOL in December 2024. Salary threshold applies.
Salary thresholdVisa durationStream 2
For highly-paid specialised roles. No specific occupation list — eligibility is salary-driven rather than list-driven.
Specialist salary thresholdVisa durationStream 3
Used when a business or industry has a Labour Agreement (or DAMA) with the Department, opening access to occupations or concessions not available in the standard streams. Rebranding to Essential Skills during 2026.
Eligibility
Sponsor approval and nomination handle the business side. These are the requirements that fall on the worker:
These are necessary but not sufficient. Final eligibility is confirmed at consultation against the worker's full profile.
Timeline
End-to-end 482 timelines, with the caveat that Home Affairs processing times vary by stream and workload.
SBS approvalSBS approval
Nomination decisionNomination decision
Visa decisionVisa decision
Total end-to-endTotal end-to-end
Occupations
Filtered from the Core Skills Occupation List (LIN 24/089). Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement don't use a published list — see the explainers below.
Honest failure
We've seen each of these on enough files to call them out:
Problem
Lodging Core Skills when the occupation isn't on the CSOL. Or lodging Specialist Skills when the salary doesn't meet the threshold. Refusable on lodgement.
How we mitigate
We map the role to a stream before any fee is charged. If no stream fits, we tell you up front rather than running a doomed application.
Problem
Wrong advertising platforms, too short a period, or missing required information. LMT issues are the most common single cause of nomination refusal.
How we mitigate
We draft compliant ads and brief you on where to place them. We keep evidence on file for every ad run.
Problem
The salary doesn't match what an Australian would be paid for that occupation in that location. The risk is higher outside capital cities, where comparator data is thinner.
How we mitigate
We assemble salary evidence from job ad data, awards, EBAs, and salary surveys for your specific location.
Problem
Qualification or experience doesn't satisfy the assessing authority. Especially common where Home Affairs has changed the assigned authority for an occupation between application draft and lodgement.
How we mitigate
We confirm the worker's profile against the current authority requirements before lodging — not after.
Permanent residency
Most workers sponsored on a 482 will eventually transition to the 186 Employer Nomination Scheme — the permanent equivalent.
Temporary Residence Transition. The worker stays with the same sponsor and applies for the 186 after meeting a qualifying period on the 482.
Qualifying periodIf the qualifying period isn't met (e.g. the worker leaves your business and you sponsor a replacement), Direct Entry is the alternative permanent pathway.
Direct Entry age limitWe plan the 186 pathway at the time of the 482 application, not at the end of it. PR planning is part of the original engagement.
See the 186 visa pageIndustries
482 is the workhorse visa for most Australian sponsorship. Some industries lean on it more than others:
30-minute consultations are free and confidential. We'll confirm which 482 stream fits, the realistic cost and timeline, and whether there's a faster permanent pathway you should consider instead.
Disclaimer. This page is general information only and is not migration advice. Visa rules and thresholds change. For advice on your specific situation, book a consultation with one of our MARA-registered agents. Current Department of Home Affairs information is available at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.