Overview
Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) is the employer-sponsored temporary work visa — replacing the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) program from late 2024.
It is one of the most important visas for international workers because it is the most common pathway to PR (via subclass 186 ENS Temporary Residence Transition).
Three main streams:
- Specialist Skills — high salary (≥ AUD 146,717 SSIT, indexed annually 1 July), wider occupation eligibility.
- Core Skills — occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL); salary ≥ AUD 79,499 (CSIT, indexed annually 1 July).
- Essential Skills — being rolled out for essential industries.
Detailed legal content (LMT exemptions, no-disadvantage test, sponsor obligations, AAT review rights) is being updated. Book a consultation for a per-role assessment.
Key eligibility
- Approved Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) nominates you to a specific position
- Position is on the relevant occupation list for the stream
- ≥1 year relevant full-time experience (reduced from 2 years under TSS)
- English at the required level for the stream (Specialist / Core / Essential Skills)
- Salary at or above the threshold for the stream — CSIT AUD 79,499 (Core Skills) or SSIT AUD 146,717 (Specialist), 1 Jul 2025 – 30 Jun 2026
- Meet health, character and insurance requirements
Process
- 01
Sponsor approved
Employer holds an active Standard Business Sponsor approval (valid 5 years) or lodges sponsorship in parallel.
- 02
Nomination
Employer lodges a nomination for the specific role + nominee. Labour Market Testing applies where required.
- 03
Visa application
You lodge your visa application alongside or after the nomination is approved.
- 04
Visa granted
Authorised to work for the sponsor (and associated entities onshore) for the visa duration.
Estimated cost
| Department of Home Affairs fee (per immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) | AUD 4,015+ |
| VisaAffairs service fee | Quoted after initial consultation |
| Third-party costs (health, AFP check, translations, etc.) | Varies by case |
How VisaAffairs helps
Clear eligibility assessment
VisaAffairs reviews your full situation against current rules — no boilerplate templates.
Document set reviewed item-by-item
Every piece of evidence is checked before lodgement — minimising the risk of request for further information.
Case officer tracking
VisaAffairs monitors ImmiAccount and responds to case officer requests on time.