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Commonwealth of Australia · work sponsored · Leads to settlement

Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 11 September 2026. Full-review date shown above.

Source check: all 2 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

Employer-sponsored temporary work visa for skilled roles an Australian employer cannot fill locally.

Requires sponsorshipLeads to permanent residencyUp to 4 years; Hong Kong passport holders may be granted up to 5 years.In flux
Processing time
Varies by stream and sponsor readiness.
Government fees
AUD 4,015 main applicant VAC from 1 July 2026, plus employer-side sponsor, nomination and SAF costs.
Typical duration
Up to 4 years; Hong Kong passport holders may be granted up to 5 years.
Sponsorship required
Yes
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed Department of Home Affairs ↗

In short

Employer-sponsored temporary work visa for skilled roles an Australian employer cannot fill locally. Guidance updated 11 September 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/australia/subclass-482-tss#answer

What is the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) in Commonwealth of Australia?

Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) is a sponsor-led Australia route. Indicative government fees are AUD 4,015 main applicant VAC from 1 July 2026, plus employer-side sponsor, nomination and SAF costs; indicative processing time is Varies by stream and sponsor readiness; typical duration is Up to 4 years; Hong Kong passport holders may be granted up to 5 years. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Department of Home Affairs on 1 July 2026.

Australia skilled-route cost and points layer

Australia skilled points, nomination and Skills in Demand cost answer

The route guide answers eligibility. This stack keeps the money and evidence layer beside it: skills assessment, nomination, sponsorship, salary thresholds and route-stage fees.

Calculator context

A points result does not guarantee an invitation, nomination or visa grant. It only says whether the profile clears the 65-point SkillSelect EOI floor. Skills assessment, occupation demand, state nomination, sponsorship, salary thresholds and post-invitation fees still need separate evidence.

Australia routePoints or sponsor triggerMandatory paid-away baselineSkills, nomination or salary dependency
Subclass 189 Skilled IndependentPoints-tested SkillSelect route. The EOI floor is 65 points; there is no sponsor or state nomination bonus.A$7,501-A$8,705A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment before the EOI can become usable. No fixed salary floor in the route model; invitation depends on occupation demand and invitation rounds.
Subclass 190 Skilled NominatedPoints-tested SkillSelect route plus state or territory nomination. Nomination can add 5 points after the state gate is met.A$7,506-A$9,010A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment plus A$0-A$300 state or territory fee exposure. No employer sponsor or national salary floor; state criteria can add occupation, residence and funds declarations.
Subclass 491 Skilled Work RegionalPoints-tested regional route. State/territory nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship can add 15 points.A$7,506-A$9,010A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment plus A$0-A$300 nomination or eligible-relative gate exposure. No upfront national salary floor; later subclass 191 context is income-evidence timing, not an upfront 491 fee.
Subclass 482 Skills in DemandSponsor-led route. It is not a points-tested SkillSelect invitation route.A$10,381-A$13,335A$0-A$1,200 skills-assessment exposure where required by occupation, nationality or stream. A$420 sponsor fee, A$330 nomination fee and A$4,800-A$7,200 SAF levy are employer-side; A$79,423/yr CSIT or A$146,576/yr SSIT, plus AMSR where the stream requires it.
Comparator routeRoute typePaid-away baselineDo not collapse these lines
Singapore S PassEmployer-sponsored pass with quota, levy and insurance duties.SGD 16,405-SGD 18,205SGD 15,600 levy and SGD 600-SGD 2,400 insurance stay employer-side; SGD 39,600-SGD 45,600 salary evidence is not a visa fee.
New Zealand AEWVEmployer-accredited work route with job-check approval before the worker applies.NZ$3,060-NZ$4,325NZ$775 accreditation and NZ$735 job check are employer-side; variable market-rate job evidence is not paid away.
New Zealand SMCResidence route with points, skilled-employment evidence and post-invitation filing.NZ$6,810-NZ$8,925NZ$0 EOI and NZ$6,450 resident-stage application; NZ$72,800-NZ$109,200 skilled-job pay evidence is not a fee.
Austria Red-White-Red CardPoints and employer-declaration route with AMS assessment.€228-€363€218 application fee; €0 points and labour-market gate; €41,580 salary evidence remains a category condition.

Source dates: Australia cost and salary data checked 1 July 2026; comparator cost rows checked 1 July 2026. Latest source record in this cluster: 1 July 2026. Compare the local-currency costs with the linked route requirements before deciding which option fits your circumstances.

Overview

The Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) was rebuilt into the Skills in Demand visa from 7 December 2024. The current streams are Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and Labour Agreement. Core Skills cases must use an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List and meet both AMSR and CSIT; Specialist Skills cases use the higher SSIT and occupation-major-group limits.

Recent changes to this route

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

  • ✓Sponsorship by an approved Australian Standard Business Sponsor.
  • ✓Nominated skilled position by an approved sponsor: CSOL for Core Skills, Specialist Skills major-group rules, or a Labour Agreement nomination.
  • ✓Pay that meets the Annual Market Salary Rate and the relevant income threshold: CSIT or SSIT.
  • ✓At least 1 year of relevant work experience for Core and Specialist Skills; Labour Agreement rules can vary by agreement.
  • ✓Skills assessment where required for the occupation.

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Sponsor becomes approved

    Employer obtains Standard Business Sponsor status.

  2. Nomination of position

    Employer lodges the role nomination, pays the nomination fee and applicable SAF levy, and documents AMSR plus the relevant income threshold.

  3. Visa application

    Worker lodges application with skills, English, health evidence.

  4. Transition to permanent residence

    Via 186 ENS Temporary Residence Transition or Direct Entry.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Agree the lawful start date and onboarding with the employer or sponsor. Check whether the permission names an employer, role or activity before changing the arrangement.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to AustraliaFirst steps after arrivingDestination moving checklist

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Australia. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant + sponsor
    Nominate and apply for 482 ↗

    The employer uses this page for sponsorship and nomination steps; the worker uses it for the visa application step.

    Department of Home Affairs · verified

Fees and processing time

A typical Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) application runs about A$4,015 in government fees (single applicant, applicant visa charge only). The issuing authority does not publish a central processing time for this route, so plan against comparable cases. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the TSS visa the same as the Skills in Demand visa?+

The subclass number (482) is the same but the visa was renamed and restructured on 7 December 2024. Streams, thresholds, and pathway-to-PR rules changed. Treat pre-December-2024 guidance with care.

What are the three streams of the Skills in Demand visa?+

The current streams are Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and Labour Agreement. Specialist Skills uses the higher Specialist Skills Income Threshold and is limited by ANZSCO major-group exclusions. Core Skills uses the Core Skills Occupation List and the Core Skills Income Threshold. Labour Agreement cases depend on the negotiated agreement terms.

Does the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa lead to permanent residence?+

It can lead to subclass 186 permanent residence, but the transition is not automatic. TRT requires two years of eligible sponsored employment in the three years before application, qualifying visa status and nomination by the last 457/482 sponsor. Eligible employment can span sponsored visas and employers; it is not a blanket two-year requirement with one employer. Direct Entry has separate occupation, experience and skills-assessment conditions.

How long does the Skills in Demand visa process take?+

Check the Home Affairs processing-time tool for subclass 482 and your actual stream. It describes recently decided visa applications, not a guaranteed date for your case or a complete recruitment-to-arrival schedule. Track employer sponsorship, nomination, your visa application and any required skills assessment separately. Ask which employer steps are already complete before planning; do not add generic stage estimates to create an arrival date.

Can my family join me on a Skills in Demand visa?+

Yes. Your partner (spouse or de facto) and dependent children can apply as secondary applicants. Family members pay separate visa application charges. Check the current Home Affairs stream page for any conditions that apply to your sponsor, occupation or agreement.

What is the minimum salary for the Skills in Demand visa?+

For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576. The salary must also meet the Annual Market Salary Rate; clearing the threshold alone is not enough if the market rate for the role is higher.

How much does the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa cost?+

Home Affairs lists the main applicant visa application charge at AUD 4,015 from 1 July 2026, with AUD 4,015 per adult dependant and AUD 1,005 per child. Employer-side costs include the AUD 420 sponsor application if the employer is not already approved, the AUD 330 nomination fee, and the Skilling Australians Fund levy. Home Affairs says sponsor, nomination and SAF costs cannot be transferred to the worker or family.

If I don't have an Australian employer to sponsor me, what skilled visa can I use instead of the 482?+

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) requires sponsorship by an approved Australian Standard Business Sponsor. If you have no sponsor, the points-tested subclasses 189, 190, and 491 do not require employer sponsorship and are decided on a points test instead — subject to your occupation being on the relevant list and your points score.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Australia

How we verified this

The September update checks subclass 186 stream evidence, the TRT employment and nomination pathway, and how to interpret processing information. These checks do not refresh every fee, salary figure or other rule on this page; follow each fact’s own source and date. Confirm your circumstances with Home Affairs before applying.

Primary source: Department of Home Affairs

Transition and processing guidance checked: 11 September 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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