Employer Sponsored Visa Subclass 482
The Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482) allows an approved Australian business to sponsor a suitably skilled overseas worker for a genuine position when an appropriately skilled Australian worker is not available.
Subclass 482 is now the Skills in Demand visa. It replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa for new applications from 7 December 2024. The sponsor, nomination and visa application are separate stages and each must meet the current requirements.
What is the Skills in Demand visa?
The Subclass 482 visa helps Australian employers address genuine skills needs by temporarily employing an overseas worker in a nominated occupation. It can generally allow the worker to remain in Australia for up to four years, subject to the stream, nomination period and visa grant.
Visa holders can work in the nominated occupation, study without Australian Government assistance and travel while the visa remains valid. Eligible workers may later pursue permanent residence, including through the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186), but a future permanent visa is not automatic.
Subclass 482 streams
Core Skills stream
The nominated occupation must be included on the current Core Skills Occupation List. The worker must have the qualifications, skills and employment background needed for the role, including at least 12 months of relevant full-time work experience or the part-time or casual equivalent during the preceding five years.
The proposed salary must meet the Annual Market Salary Rate and be no less than the Core Skills Income Threshold applicable on the nomination date. Thresholds are indexed, so the amount should be checked immediately before lodgement.
Specialist Skills stream
This stream supports eligible highly skilled positions that satisfy the current occupation exclusions and Specialist Skills Income Threshold. The nominated worker must still have the skills and relevant experience required to perform the position, and the salary must reflect the applicable Australian market rate.
Labour Agreement stream
This stream applies where the employer is party to an approved labour agreement that authorises the nominated occupation. Visa duration, occupation, experience, English and any concessions are governed by the agreement. Unless the agreement specifies otherwise, applicants generally need at least 12 months of relevant full-time experience or its equivalent in the previous five years.
Employer and sponsorship requirements
The business generally needs to be an approved Standard Business Sponsor or hold an appropriate labour agreement. It must be actively and lawfully operating and nominate a genuine role that aligns with the occupation selected for migration purposes.
The employer must satisfy salary and employment-condition rules, complete labour market testing when required, pay the applicable Skilling Australians Fund levy and comply with sponsorship obligations. Overseas workers must receive terms no less favourable than those provided to an equivalent Australian worker.
How the Subclass 482 process works
Assess the business and position
Review sponsorship status, the genuine vacancy, duties, occupation, location, salary and appropriate visa stream.
Test the Australian labour market
Complete compliant advertising and retain recruitment evidence where labour market testing is required.
Lodge sponsorship and nomination
Obtain sponsorship approval if needed and submit the position, employment and salary evidence with the nomination.
Prepare the worker's application
Provide identity, skills, experience, English, health, character, insurance and family evidence.
Comply after visa grant
The worker commences the nominated employment and both parties follow all visa and sponsorship obligations.
Worker eligibility requirements
The applicant must be nominated for an eligible position and demonstrate the skills, qualifications and recent relevant experience needed for the occupation. A formal skills assessment is mandatory for certain occupations and passport holders, while regulated roles may require Australian registration, licensing or professional membership.
Applicants must meet the English requirement unless exempt, hold adequate health insurance and satisfy health, character and Australian Values requirements. Eligible partners and dependent children may be included, subject to nomination consent and applicable family requirements.
Important Subclass 482 checks
- Confirm the business has the sponsorship authority required for the chosen stream.
- Match the actual position duties to the correct eligible occupation.
- Complete valid labour market testing where required before nomination.
- Meet both the Annual Market Salary Rate and the current stream income threshold.
- Show at least 12 months of relevant experience within the previous five years unless different agreement terms apply.
- Obtain a skills assessment, English evidence and occupational registration where required.
- Maintain consistent contracts, payroll records and sponsorship compliance documents.
Work conditions and changing employers
The primary visa holder must generally work only in the nominated occupation for the sponsoring business or an associated entity where permitted. Employment normally must begin within 90 days of arrival if the visa was granted outside Australia, or within 90 days of grant if the applicant was in Australia.
If sponsored employment ends, the visa holder may have up to 180 consecutive days at a time, within the applicable cumulative limit over the visa period, to find another sponsor, apply for another visa or arrange departure. A new employer normally needs to lodge an approved nomination before the worker starts the new sponsored role.
Documents commonly required
Evidence can include business registration and financial records, sponsorship documents, organisational chart, labour market testing, employment contract, position description, market salary research, passport, qualifications, detailed references, payslips, CV, skills assessment, English result, licence or registration, police certificates, health examinations, insurance and family documents.
How Echoes Global Education can assist
Our migration team can assess the business, position and worker profile, identify the suitable Subclass 482 stream, coordinate sponsorship and nomination evidence, review labour market testing and salary documents, and support the worker's visa application through to decision.