If you have an Australian employer willing to sponsor you, the 482 visa is usually the fastest way in. But most pages you’ll find online still describe the old Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) scheme that was replaced in December 2024 — so the first thing to get straight is that the 482 is now the Skills in Demand (SID) visa, with new streams, new income thresholds and a new processing order. This guide walks you through which stream applies to you, the salary you must be paid, the English requirement and the exact steps from nomination to grant. All figures were last verified on 14 October 2026.
Key facts at a glance
| Visa cost | From AUD 4,015.00 (main applicant) |
|---|---|
| Stay | Up to 4 years; up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders |
| Age limit | No age limit is stated for this visa |
| Sponsorship | Employer-sponsored — you cannot self-apply |
| Processing | Priority set by Ministerial Direction 121 (not first-in, first-out) |
| Last verified | 14 October 2026 |
What changed: the TSS 482 is gone
From December 2024, the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa was closed to new applicants and replaced by the Skills in Demand visa, which still carries the subclass number 482. The change matters because the rules that decide who can be sponsored are different. Under SID there is no longer a separate Short-term and Medium-term stream with different pathways to permanent residence. Instead, the visa is built around three streams tied to salary and occupation.
If a page tells you the 482 is “two streams, short-term and medium-term”, it is describing the visa that no longer exists. Treat anything written before 2025 as out of date.
Who this visa is actually for
This is an employer-sponsored visa. You cannot apply for it on your own, and you cannot apply for it before you have a job offer. The sequence is fixed: an Australian business must first be approved as a sponsor, then nominate a specific position for you, and only then do you apply for the visa. If you don’t have an employer lined up, the 482 is not the visa you’re looking for — the 189 Skilled Independent visa and the 485 Temporary Graduate visa are the ones you can pursue without a sponsor.
It is a temporary visa. It lets you live and work in Australia for your sponsor in the nominated occupation, and travel in and out as often as you like while it is valid. It is also a common stepping stone to permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), though the 482 itself does not guarantee that.
The three streams — and how to tell which one is yours
Your stream is decided by your occupation and the salary your employer will pay, not by your preference.
| Core Skills stream | Your occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), and your guaranteed salary meets the Core Skills Income Threshold. This is the stream most sponsored workers use. |
|---|---|
| Specialist Skills stream | Your occupation is an ANZSCO occupation in Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6, and your nominated salary meets the higher Specialist Skills Income Threshold. Built for highly paid specialists. |
| Labour Agreement stream | Your employer has a labour agreement with the Australian Government covering your occupation and terms. The agreement sets the rules. |
There is also a Subsequent Entrant stream for family members of existing 457 or 482 holders who are applying separately to join the primary visa holder.
In practice, the decision comes down to two questions. Is your occupation on the CSOL? If yes, you are almost certainly in the Core Skills stream. If your occupation is not on the CSOL but sits in the professional or specialist major groups and your salary clears the much higher Specialist threshold, the Specialist Skills stream may fit.
The income thresholds you must clear
These thresholds are indexed every 1 July to track average weekly earnings, and they were raised again on 1 July 2026. For nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the figures are:
- Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT): AUD 79,423
- Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT): AUD 146,576
Clearing the threshold is necessary but not sufficient. Your employer must also pay you the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) — what an equivalent Australian worker in the same workplace and location would earn. If the AMSR is higher than the threshold, the AMSR wins. Non-monetary benefits like a car or accommodation don’t count towards the threshold; they sit on top.
Because the threshold is assessed at the time the nomination is lodged, a nomination lodged before 1 July 2026 is tested against the older figure (AUD 76,515 for Core Skills). This is one reason timing your lodgement matters.
The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
The CSOL is the list of occupations that can be sponsored under the Core Skills stream. It sits inside the Department’s combined list of eligible skilled occupations, which also contains the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and the Regional Occupation List (ROL).
Two things are worth knowing. First, the CSOL is defined by legislative instrument, and that instrument is the only authoritative version — third-party “CSOL” spreadsheets can lag behind it. Second, the 482 uses the ANZSCO 2022 occupation classification, so check your occupation against the version of ANZSCO that applies to this visa — a code that works for another skilled visa may not map cleanly here. Check your occupation on the official list before you build a plan around it.
Step-by-step: how to apply
- Your employer applies to be an approved sponsor. This is the company’s step, not yours. Without an approved sponsor, nothing else can proceed.
- Your employer lodges a nomination. The nomination names the position, the occupation code and the salary, and must show the AMSR is met and the relevant income threshold is cleared.
- You check your occupation against the CSOL (or the Specialist Skills major groups) to confirm which stream applies.
- You gather your evidence. You’ll need at least one year of relevant work experience in your nominated occupation or a related field (or its part-time equivalent), a skills assessment if your occupation requires one, and proof you meet the English requirement.
- You sit your English test if required. For the Core and Specialist streams you need, in each of the four components, at least IELTS 5.0 (or PTE Academic 33 listening, 36 reading, 29 writing, 24 speaking). You must take the test within the three years before you apply. Passport holders from the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, and people who completed at least five years of study in English, are exempt.
- You lodge the visa application once the nomination is in place, including the skills assessment reference number if one applies.
- You wait — but not in a queue based on lodgement date. Applications are processed in the order set by Ministerial Direction 121 (see below).
How processing priority actually works
The Department does not publish a single “days to decision” number, and it does not process 482 applications first-in, first-out. Instead it publishes which month’s lodgements it is currently working through, under Ministerial Direction 121. As at 14 October 2026, it is processing:
- February 2026 lodgements — for Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing and Resources, or where Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests are involved.
- July 2026 lodgements — Specialist Skills stream.
- January 2026 lodgements — where the applicant was in Australia when they lodged.
- October 2025 lodgements — where the primary applicant was outside Australia.
Two conclusions follow. If your occupation is in one of the priority sectors, you jump ahead regardless of when you applied. And the Specialist Skills stream is being worked through almost immediately, while Core Skills applicants face a longer wait. The Department warns that these allocation dates “may fluctuate” during the transition, so treat them as a moving picture. For more on how the priorities fit together, see our guide to Australian visa processing times.
Common mistakes
- Thinking you can apply without a sponsor. You can’t. The employer’s sponsorship and nomination come first, every time.
- Reading old TSS 482 content. The short-term/medium-term stream structure was replaced in December 2024. Anything older is wrong.
- Using a third-party CSOL list. The list is set by legislative instrument. Use the official one, or you may plan around an occupation that has moved.
- Assuming the threshold is the whole story. You must also meet the AMSR, which can be higher.
- Forgetting the one-year work experience rule. The Core Skills stream requires at least one year of relevant experience — recent graduates often don’t have it yet.
- Missing the STAC. If you are applying in Australia for a subsequent temporary visa, a Subsequent Temporary Application Charge of AUD 700 (from 1 July 2026) may apply on top of the visa fee.
FAQ
Can I apply for the 482 visa on my own?
No. It is an employer-sponsored visa. An approved Australian sponsor must nominate a position for you before you can lodge a visa application.
What is the difference between the Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams?
Core Skills is for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List, with a salary at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold (AUD 79,423 for 2026–27). Specialist Skills is for occupations in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 with a salary at or above the much higher Specialist Skills Income Threshold (AUD 146,576 for 2026–27).
How much English do I need?
For the Core and Specialist streams, at least IELTS 5.0 in each of the four components, or an equivalent test result such as PTE Academic 33/36/29/24. Some applicants are exempt, including passport holders from the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland.
Can the 482 lead to permanent residence?
Yes, commonly through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) if you and your employer meet its requirements. The 482 itself is temporary and does not guarantee a permanent outcome.
How long does processing take?
The Department doesn’t publish a fixed number. It processes by priority under Ministerial Direction 121, so your wait depends on your occupation, stream and where you were when you lodged — not simply when you applied.
Is the salary figure I was quoted the one that applies?
Not necessarily. The threshold is assessed when the nomination is lodged, and it is indexed every 1 July. Confirm the current amount before your employer lodges.
Visa fees are indexed on 1 July each year. The figures here were verified on 14 October 2026 — always confirm the current amount with the Visa Pricing Estimator before you lodge.
Official sources
- Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) — Department of Home Affairs
- 482 Core Skills stream — Department of Home Affairs
- Salary requirements to nominate a worker (income thresholds) — Department of Home Affairs
- English proficiency (subclass 482) — Department of Home Affairs
- Skilled occupation list (CSOL, MLTSSL, STSOL, ROL) — Department of Home Affairs
- Skills assessment — Department of Home Affairs
- Skilled visa processing priorities — Department of Home Affairs
AU0061 publishes general information, not personal migration advice. Visa rules and fees change, and eligibility depends on your individual circumstances. Always confirm the current requirements with the Department of Home Affairs or a MARA-registered migration agent before you act on anything in this guide.