Subclass 482 Visa (Australia)
Australia's primary employer-sponsored temporary work visa that allows businesses to hire skilled overseas workers for occupations on approved skill lists, with options for stays of two to four years and a potential pathway to permanent residency through the medium-term stream.
- What Is the Subclass 482 Visa?
- Eligibility Requirements for Employers and Workers
- Occupation Lists and the Skills in Demand Framework
- Step-by-Step Sponsorship and Application Process
- Ongoing Compliance Obligations
- Subclass 482 Visa Costs Breakdown
- Pathway from Subclass 482 to Permanent Residency
- Subclass 482 Visa Statistics [2024-2025]
- Frequently Asked Questions About the Subclass 482 Visa
What Is the Subclass 482 Visa?
Key Takeaways
- ✓Subclass 482 is Australia's main employer-sponsored temporary work visa, commonly called the TSS (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa.
- ✓It replaced the former Subclass 457 visa in March 2018, introducing stricter salary thresholds, mandatory labour market testing, and tighter compliance monitoring.
- ✓Employers must prove a genuine skill shortage exists by advertising the role to Australian workers first and demonstrating no suitable local candidates applied.
- ✓The medium-term stream offers a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme after 2 to 3 years of continuous employment.
- ✓Over 109,000 Subclass 482 visas were granted in 2023-24, making it one of Australia's highest-volume skilled visa categories (Department of Home Affairs).
The Subclass 482 visa is how Australian businesses bring in skilled workers from overseas when they can't fill positions locally. It's employer-sponsored, which means a company must nominate the worker for a specific role before the visa application can even be lodged. No sponsorship, no visa. The program is built around occupation lists. If the job you're trying to fill isn't on one of the approved lists, the visa path doesn't exist for that role. The lists get updated regularly, and occupations move between them or get removed entirely based on labour market data. For HR teams, the 482 creates a reliable but process-heavy channel for international hiring. You'll deal with sponsorship approvals, nomination lodgements, skills assessments, labour market testing evidence, and ongoing compliance obligations. It's not something you can set up in a week. Budget 2 to 4 months for a standard case. The visa ties the worker to the sponsoring employer. They can't freelance or work for another company on the side. If they want to move to a different employer, that employer must start a fresh sponsorship and nomination process. This restriction is one of the most debated aspects of Australia's temporary migration system.
Eligibility Requirements for Employers and Workers
Both the sponsoring employer and the visa applicant must meet separate eligibility criteria. The Department assesses each side independently.
| Requirement | Employer | Worker |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Status | Lawfully operating business in Australia with a valid ABN | Valid passport with sufficient remaining validity |
| Sponsorship | Must hold or apply for Standard Business Sponsor approval | Must be nominated by an approved sponsor |
| Financial | Must demonstrate capacity to pay the nominated salary | N/A (salary is employer's obligation) |
| Occupation | Role must be on an approved occupation list (STSOL, MLTSSL, or labour agreement) | Must have qualifications and experience matching the nominated occupation |
| Skills Assessment | N/A | Required for most medium-term stream occupations via the relevant assessing authority |
| English Language | N/A | IELTS 5.0 overall (or equivalent) minimum, with no band below 4.5 |
| Health/Character | No adverse information on company or key personnel | Must pass health examination and provide police clearances |
| Labour Market Testing | Must advertise the role on approved platforms within the last 4 months | N/A |
| Salary | Must offer at least the TSMIT (AUD 73,150) or the market rate, whichever is higher | N/A |
Occupation Lists and the Skills in Demand Framework
The occupation you're hiring for determines which stream applies, how long the visa lasts, and whether the worker can transition to permanent residency.
Legacy lists (being phased out)
Until the Skills in Demand reforms are fully implemented, the old list structure still applies to many applications. The Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) covers occupations eligible for the short-term stream only, with visas up to 2 years and no PR pathway. The Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) covers occupations eligible for the medium-term stream, with visas up to 4 years and a pathway to permanent residency. The Regional Occupation List (ROL) adds extra occupations available for regional area sponsorship.
Skills in Demand visa (new framework)
The government announced a new Skills in Demand visa to replace the Subclass 482 as part of the 2024-25 Migration Strategy. It consolidates the multiple occupation lists into a simpler structure based on salary bands. Workers earning above AUD 135,000 won't need to be on any occupation list. Those earning between the TSMIT (AUD 73,150) and AUD 135,000 will need their occupation on a Core Skills list maintained by Jobs and Skills Australia. The transition is expected to be gradual, with the 482 continuing alongside the new visa during the changeover.
Checking if your occupation qualifies
Use the Department of Home Affairs online occupation search tool (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) to check whether a specific ANZSCO code is on the relevant list. Don't guess at the code. The difference between a 'Software Engineer' (ANZSCO 261313) and a 'Software Developer' (ANZSCO 261312) matters for list placement. If the role doesn't map neatly to an existing ANZSCO code, consider whether a labour agreement might be needed.
Step-by-Step Sponsorship and Application Process
The Subclass 482 process involves three sequential applications. Each must be approved before the next stage proceeds.
Step 1: Become an approved sponsor
Apply for Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) if you don't already have one. You'll provide your ABN, evidence of lawful business operations, and a declaration about your training benchmark obligations. SBS approval lasts 5 years. Processing typically takes 1 to 4 weeks. If your company already holds an active SBS from a previous sponsorship, you can skip this step.
Step 2: Nominate the position
Lodge a nomination for the specific role, including the ANZSCO occupation code, position description, salary, location, and labour market testing evidence. The Department checks that the role is genuine, the salary meets both the TSMIT and the market rate, and the labour market testing was conducted properly. Nomination fee: AUD 330. Processing: 1 to 4 weeks for standard cases.
Step 3: Worker lodges the visa application
Once the nomination is approved (or lodged concurrently), the worker applies for the visa. Required documents include a valid passport, skills assessment results, English language test scores, health examination results, police clearances from every country they've lived in for 12+ months in the past 10 years, and evidence of relevant qualifications and experience. Base application charge: AUD 1,455 for the primary applicant. Processing: 2 to 12 weeks, though median times hover around 47 days.
Ongoing Compliance Obligations
Sponsorship obligations don't end when the visa is granted. The Department monitors compliance actively and runs both random and targeted audits.
- Pay the visa holder at least the nominated salary and no less than what an equivalent Australian worker would earn in the same role.
- Ensure the worker performs the duties described in the nomination. Material changes to the role require a new nomination.
- Don't recover or transfer visa-related costs (application fees, migration agent fees, nomination charges) to the worker directly or indirectly.
- Notify the Department within 28 days if the worker stops working, the business undergoes a significant change (sale, restructure), or the worker's role changes materially.
- Maintain employment records for 2 years after the sponsorship period ends, including payslips, contracts, and timesheets.
- Cooperate with Department monitoring visits, which can include on-site inspections, document reviews, and worker interviews.
- Ensure the worker has appropriate workplace rights under the Fair Work Act, including access to the Fair Work Commission for unfair dismissal claims.
Subclass 482 Visa Costs Breakdown
The total cost of sponsoring a 482 visa holder adds up across government fees, compliance costs, and professional services.
| Cost Component | Amount (AUD) | Who Pays | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBS Application | Free (no fee) | Employer | Only needed if no current SBS held |
| Nomination Fee | 330 | Employer | Per nomination, non-refundable even if refused |
| Visa Application (primary) | 1,455 | Worker or Employer | Employer can't require the worker to reimburse |
| Visa Application (partner) | 1,455 | Worker or Employer | Each additional adult applicant |
| Visa Application (child under 18) | 365 | Worker or Employer | Per dependent child |
| Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy | 1,200/yr (small) or 1,800/yr (other) | Employer | Paid upfront for the visa duration, non-refundable |
| Skills Assessment | 300-1,500 | Worker | Varies by assessing authority and occupation |
| English Language Test | 250-400 | Worker | IELTS, PTE, or equivalent |
| Health Examination | 300-500 | Worker | Per applicant, at a panel-approved physician |
| Police Clearances | 50-200 per country | Worker | Required for each country of residence (12+ months) |
| Migration Agent Fees | 3,000-7,000 | Employer (typically) | Optional but recommended for complex cases |
Pathway from Subclass 482 to Permanent Residency
The medium-term stream of the 482 visa is one of the most popular routes to permanent residency in Australia. Here's how it works.
Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme)
After working for the same employer for at least 2 to 3 years on a medium-term 482 visa, the worker can apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. The employer must nominate the worker again, confirming ongoing employment. The worker must be under 45 (with some exceptions), still employed in the nominated occupation, and earning at least the TSMIT. The PR application charge is AUD 4,640 for the primary applicant.
Why the short-term stream doesn't qualify
The short-term stream was deliberately designed without a PR pathway. Workers on this stream can renew their visa once (for a total of up to 4 years in Australia) but must leave at the end. They can apply for other visa types independently, but the 482 short-term stream itself doesn't transition to permanent status. This is one of the main reasons HR teams prefer to sponsor through the medium-term stream when the occupation qualifies.
Subclass 482 Visa Statistics [2024-2025]
Key data points reflecting the scale and trajectory of Australia's primary employer-sponsored temporary visa program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the 482 visa and the old 457 visa?
Can a 482 visa holder work part-time or casually?
What if the employer goes bankrupt while sponsoring a 482 holder?
Can the 482 visa holder bring family members?
Is there an age limit for the Subclass 482 visa?
Written by Adithyan RK