Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)

Who it's for

Skilled workers with an Australian employer willing to sponsor them, and the SMB employers doing the sponsoring — we advise both sides. The 482 replaced the former TSS arrangements with streams organised by salary level , and most streams now carry a pathway to permanent residence through subclass 186 after a qualifying period .

Key requirements

Three approvals, in sequence, each with its own criteria:

• Sponsorship — the employer becomes a Standard Business Sponsor: lawfully operating, meeting sponsorship obligations
• Nomination — the role: a genuine position, occupation on the applicable list for the stream, salary at or above the relevant income threshold and market rate , labour market testing where required
• Visa — you: skills and experience matching the occupation (minimum work experience applies ), English at the required level , health and character

Points/criteria table

The 482 is not points-tested. The criteria that do the gatekeeping:

Criterion	Requirement
Income threshold	Salary at or above the stream's threshold, indexed annually
Market salary rate	Must match what an Australian in the same role earns
Work experience	Minimum relevant experience
English	Stream-dependent minimum

Process & timeline

1. Employer applies for (or already holds) Standard Business Sponsorship
2. Employer lodges the nomination for the role
3. You lodge the visa application — the three stages can be lodged together
4. Processing times vary by stream; check the current global processing tool

Visa period: up to 4 years depending on stream .

Costs

Charges fall on both parties, and Australian law requires certain costs to be borne by the sponsor — they cannot be recovered from the worker .

Item	Typically paid by	Indicative amount
Standard Business Sponsorship application	Employer	~AUD 420
Nomination application	Employer	~AUD 330
Skilling Australians Fund levy	Employer	AUD 1,200 per visa year (turnover under $10M) or AUD 1,800 per visa year (other)
Visa application charge — primary applicant	Applicant	AUD 4,015 (from 1 July 2026)
Skills assessment (where required for the occupation)	Applicant	Varies by authority
English test	Applicant	₹19,000 (IELTS) / ₹18,900 (PTE)
Health examination	Applicant	₹5,000–8,000 per person (India panel clinic)

Amounts payable to Australian authorities and assessing bodies are in Australian dollars; costs incurred in India are shown in rupees. Figures are indicative, change periodically, and should be treated as a planning guide rather than a quote. Our advisory fees are separate — see Services & fees.

Common pitfalls

• Nominating an occupation that matches the job title but not the actual duties — assessed on substance
• Salary set below market rate for the role and location, even where above the income threshold
• Workers paying costs the sponsor is legally required to bear — this creates problems for both parties
• Treating the 482 as the destination rather than planning the 186 transition from day one — the qualifying period, salary trajectory, and age limit at 186 stage all need forward planning

FAQ

Can I change employers on a 482? Only with a new approved nomination from the new employer; timing rules apply between jobs .

Does the 482 lead to permanent residence? Most streams now carry a pathway to subclass 186 after the qualifying period with the sponsoring employer .

We are an employer new to sponsoring. What falls to us? Two of the three approvals: sponsorship and nomination are the employer's applications, and both carry ongoing obligations. Advising employers through this process is part of our retained work.

Related visas

• Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)
• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)