Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)

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.

The 482 now has three streams. (1) Specialist Skills — for highly-paid workers (typically earning above AUD 141,210/year in most roles); no occupation list required. (2) Core Skills — for workers in occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List, with salary at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold. (3) Essential Skills — for lower-paid essential workers (such as care, agriculture, and construction), with a Labour Agreement required and more restrictions on work rights. Most skilled migrants use the Specialist or Core Skills streams.

Yes, it can. The main pathway is to the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) via the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream, which requires 2 years of employment with the sponsoring employer. The December 2024 reforms broadened the TRT pathway. Some Specialist Skills holders may also be eligible for the Direct Entry stream of subclass 186 with a skills assessment.

The process has three stages: (1) Sponsor approval — typically 1–3 months if the employer is not already approved; (2) Nomination — typically 1–4 months depending on occupation and stream; (3) Visa application — typically 2–6 months. In total, plan for 4– 12 months from starting the process to arriving in Australia. Specialist Skills stream applications tend to be faster. A skills assessment (where required) can add 3–6 months and should be started early.

Yes. Your partner (spouse or de facto) and dependent children can apply as secondary applicants. Your partner can work in Australia without restrictions, and children can attend school. Family members pay separate visa application charges. The Essential Skills stream has some restrictions — verify the current dependant rights for your stream on the Department of Home Affairs website.

It depends on your stream. For the Core Skills stream, the salary must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT), which rose to AUD 76,515 on 1 July 2025 (verify on Home Affairs for the current figure). For the Specialist Skills stream, the threshold is higher (AUD 141,210 from 1 July 2025). Your salary must also meet the going rate for your occupation — paying below the market rate is not acceptable even if it clears the threshold. The Essential Skills stream has a lower threshold but requires a Labour Agreement.

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.