Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand after the late-2024 reform

In late 2024, the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) program — Australia’s most common employer-sponsored work visa — was restructured into Skills in Demand (subclass 482). It is the most significant reform of sponsored work migration in nearly a decade, addressing problems TSS had accumulated: outdated occupation lists, salary thresholds out of step with the market, slow processing, and an unclear pathway to PR.

This post summarises the three new streams, the headline changes, and what they mean for Vietnamese workers considering long-term work in Australia.

The three new streams

Specialist Skills stream

For positions paying AUD 135,000 or more (the Specialist Skills Income Threshold, SSIT):

• No restrictive occupation list — any occupation with an ANZSCO code at Skill Level 1, 2 or 3 is eligible.
• Faster processing — the Department has set a median target of 7 days.
• Fewer sponsor obligations: Labour Market Testing (LMT) is often not required.

Best fit: senior software engineers, technical leads, senior medical specialists, executives — “high-skill, high-pay” roles Australia is trying to attract quickly.

Core Skills stream

The most common stream — the closest equivalent of old TSS:

• Occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) — a new list maintained by Jobs and Skills Australia rather than the Department.
• Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) of around AUD 73,150 (2024–25, indexed annually).
• LMT applies in full — sponsor must demonstrate 4 weeks of advertising with no suitable Australian candidate.

Best fit: mid-level engineers, chefs, healthcare workers, nurses, accountants, mid-level IT — common shortage occupations.

Essential Skills stream

Being rolled out gradually — for sub-CSIT salary roles in essential industries (especially aged care and disability care):

• Salary below the Core Skills threshold but covered by a specific labour agreement.
• Limited intake for now — the Department has not yet released the full occupation and labour agreement framework.

Best fit: care workers, lower-band aged-care nurses — clearer once the full framework is published.

Headline changes

1. Experience requirement cut to 1 year

Before: TSS required ≥2 years of relevant full-time post-qualification experience. After: 1 year for most nominees in Specialist Skills and Core Skills.

This is a meaningful change for 485 graduates — they can now nominate for 482 a year earlier than under TSS.

2. Broader pathway to PR

Before: one clear pathway — 482 → 186 TRT after ≥2 years with the sponsor.

After: in addition to 186 TRT, all 482 streams now have a pathway to 186 (full details still being finalised). The Specialist Skills stream is expected to have an even faster route given the salary level.

3. Visa duration normalised

• Specialist Skills: 4 years.
• Core Skills: 4 years (versus 2–4 years under old TSS depending on occupation).
• Essential Skills: 4 years.

The old “Short-term” (2 years, no PR) vs “Medium-term” (4 years, PR) distinction is gone.

4. Tighter sponsor obligations

After several years of sponsor-abuse incidents, the Department tightened obligations:

• Sponsor reporting is stricter — changes to role, salary or employment status must be reported within 28 days.
• No-disadvantage test applies — sponsors cannot pay nominees less than an Australian doing the same role.
• Higher penalties for breaches — sponsor barring + civil penalty.

What this means for Vietnamese applicants

If you are on a 485

482 is still the most common pathway from 485 to PR (via 186 TRT). After the reform:

• Good news: 1 year of full-time experience now suffices to nominate (was 2). Graduates can move to 482 a year earlier.
• Watch out: the occupation must be on CSOL or qualify under Specialist Skills (≥AUD 135K). Some common student-target occupations (e.g. Marketing Manager) may not be on CSOL — verify.

If you are in Vietnam with an offer from Australia

• You can lodge 482 from Vietnam (offshore) — entering Australia first is not required.
• The sponsor must already be approved — check whether they hold a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS).
• Realistic timeline: from offer → sponsor approval → nomination → visa grant is usually 3–6 months.

If you are on an old TSS visa (not yet expired)

• No impact — your TSS visa remains valid until the expiry on the grant letter.
• At renewal: you’ll lodge under the new 482 (TSS is gone).
• Pathway to PR still via 186 TRT — unchanged.

Common pitfalls

1. Lodging without checking sponsor approval status. Sponsor and visa applications are separate — the sponsor can be refused even if you are eligible.
2. Under-counting post-qualification experience. The Department counts experience after you obtained the relevant qualification — earlier experience does not count.
3. Misreading the Specialist Skills threshold. Specialist Skills opens occupation eligibility but still requires ANZSCO Skill Level 1–3 and actual salary ≥ SSIT (not just nominal on paper).

Summary

The 482 reform is, on balance, good news for most workers eyeing Australia — lower experience requirement, clearer PR pathway, faster processing (especially Specialist Skills). The catch: the new occupation list (CSOL) differs from old TSS, so some previously eligible occupations are now out.

Before planning or accepting an offer, check:

1. Your occupation is on CSOL (or qualifies under Specialist Skills).
2. The sponsor has an active Standard Business Sponsor.
3. The offered salary clears the threshold (CSIT or SSIT).
4. You have ≥1 year of post-qualification experience.

Sources

• Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 482 — official source on eligibility and fees.
• Jobs and Skills Australia — Core Skills Occupation List — current occupation list.
• Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) — RMA register and Code of Conduct.

This article is general in nature at the time of publication. Australian migration rules change periodically — check the publish date and verify with a Registered Migration Agent before applying to your own file. Book a consultation with VisaAffairs for an assessment of your specific circumstances.