What is the Australia Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)?
The Skills in Demand (SID) visa is Australia's main route for employers to sponsor skilled overseas workers when a suitable Australian cannot be found. It replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa on 7 December 2024.
It has two main streams: Core Skills (for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List, paying at least AUD $79,423) and Specialist Skills (for high-earning roles of at least AUD $146,576, with no occupation-list restriction). A third Labour Agreement stream covers specific industry arrangements. The visa is valid for up to 4 years.
After 2 years with the same sponsoring employer, you can apply for permanent residence through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme — with no additional skills assessment at that stage.
Note: This information is for guidance only and does not constitute immigration advice. Requirements change — verify current figures at the official government source before applying.
Do you qualify?
You must meet three requirements. The employer handles the sponsorship and nomination stages; your stream depends on your salary and occupation.
An approved Standard Business Sponsor must nominate you for a genuine role. Core Skills needs an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL); Specialist Skills needs a salary of at least AUD $146,576 and no occupation list. The salary must meet the relevant income threshold and the market rate — whichever is higher.
You need at least 1 year of relevant skilled experience. The Core Skills stream requires a positive skills assessment from your occupation's assessing authority; the Specialist Skills stream does not — its high salary is the proxy for skill level.
Typically IELTS 6.0 in each band, or equivalent, less than 3 years old. Citizens of the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland are exempt.
The 2026 salary requirements
The visa uses two income thresholds, indexed automatically each 1 July. The employer must pay at least the relevant threshold or the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the role — whichever is higher. Figures effective from 1 July 2026.
What counts: base salary and guaranteed bonuses. Superannuation, discretionary bonuses, overtime and non-cash benefits do not. AMSR: the salary must also equal what an equivalent Australian worker would earn in the same role and location — if that is higher than the threshold, it applies. Both thresholds are indexed each 1 July against Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE).
What you need to apply
The visa involves three linked applications: employer sponsorship, employer nomination and your visa application. The items below cover your visa application — the third stage.
If you do not have any of the documents below, read the FAQs section for further guidance.
This information is for guidance only and does not constitute immigration advice. Requirements change — verify current figures at the official government source before applying.
Application timeline
From employer nomination to starting work typically takes 2–10 months, depending on the stream, occupation and application completeness. The process has three linked stages: employer sponsorship, nomination and visa application.
Most common delay: incomplete skills assessments and insufficient AMSR evidence. The Department requires at least two independent salary sources when there is no internal Australian equivalent, and some skills assessments (notably VETASSESS) take 8–12 weeks.
If the employer is not already an approved sponsor, they apply to the Department of Home Affairs — 1–4 weeks for most businesses. Many large employers already hold sponsorship.
Handled by: your employer
The employer nominates the specific role, confirming the occupation classification, the salary (meeting CSIT/SSIT and the AMSR), training-benchmark compliance and the SAF levy. Typically 1–4 weeks.
Handled by: your employer
You lodge online through ImmiAccount, uploading your skills assessment, English results, work-experience evidence, qualifications, health examination and police clearances.
Handled by: you
Processing varies widely — some decisions in days, others 8+ months. Complete Core Skills applications with straightforward skills assessments process fastest. The Department may request more information.
Handled by: the Department of Home Affairs
You receive an eVisa granting the right to work for the nominating employer in the specified role. Your partner receives full work rights. Enter Australia before the visa's "must not arrive after" date.
Handled by: you
Frequently asked questions
You must work for the sponsoring employer in the nominated role. To change employers, the new employer must be an approved sponsor and lodge a new nomination.
You can keep working for the new employer while the new nomination is processed, provided you apply for a new 482 visa or nomination within 60 days of ceasing your original employment. If you do not find a new sponsor within 60 days, you must leave Australia or move to another visa.
Yes. Your partner (spouse or de facto) and dependent children can be included. Your partner receives full, unrestricted work rights and can work for any employer; dependent children can study in Australian schools. Each family member pays their own visa application charge and must meet health and character requirements.
Yes. After 2 years with the same sponsoring employer, you can apply for permanent residence through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (Temporary Residence Transition stream) — with no new skills assessment. Alternatively, the Direct Entry stream of the 186 is available at any time if you hold a positive skills assessment and are under 45.
Core Skills is for occupations on the CSOL (456 occupations) paying at least AUD $79,423, and requires a skills assessment. Specialist Skills is for any occupation paying at least AUD $146,576 — no occupation list, no skills assessment.
If your salary exceeds AUD $146,576, Specialist Skills is often simpler. If it is between $79,423 and $146,576 and your occupation is on the CSOL, Core Skills applies.
Costs are split between employer and candidate. The employer pays the SAF levy (AUD $1,200–$1,800/year), the nomination fee and the sponsorship fee if not already approved — and cannot lawfully pass these to you.
You typically pay the visa application charge (varies by stream and family — check the Department's Visa Pricing Estimator), skills-assessment fees (AUD $500–$1,500), English test fees (~AUD $400), the health examination (~AUD $300–$500) and police-clearance fees.
Only for the Core Skills stream. The Specialist Skills stream does not require one — its high salary threshold (AUD $146,576) is the proxy for skill level. That is one of its main advantages, since assessments can take 8–12 weeks for some authorities.
You cannot apply for the Skills in Demand visa without an employer sponsor and an approved nomination.
Every job listed on Workbeyond is from employers who sponsor international talent to work in Australia. Use the filters to narrow by profession, city and seniority level to find roles that match your criteria.
Find sponsored jobs in Australia
Every job listed on Workbeyond is from employers who sponsor international talent to work in Australia. Use the filters to narrow by profession, city and seniority level to find roles that match your criteria.
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