Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
The Skills in Demand Visa (Previously Temporary Skills Shortage) 482 visa is tailored for skilled professionals to fill roles Australian employers find challenging to source locally. With this visa, we’re here to help you unlock your dream job in Australia.
Unlock Your Australian Career Opportunities
Unlock the opportunities of working in Australia with the Skills in Demand Visa, an initiative designed to address local labour shortages by bringing skilled overseas workers to fill in-demand roles.
The Skills in Demand Visa, officially known as the Subclass 482 visa (Previously called the TSS, Temporary Skill Shortage visa), is designed by the Australian Government to address labour shortages in Australia by attracting skilled workers from overseas to fill vacancies that local Australian workers cannot.
High demand skills are those that are deemed critical for the growth and development of the Australian economy.
- Healthcare professionals
- Engineers
- IT specialists
- Childcare workers
- Tradespeople
- Teachers / Educators
It’s important to note that the specific occupations may vary depending on the state or territory in which you wish to reside.
Since the Skills in Demand (SID) visa replaced the old Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 in 2024, applicants and employers alike have scrambled to understand the new streams, costs and occupation lists.
Visa Lounge is here to help. As MIA‑member migration agents based in Brisbane, we guide you from skills assessment to PR — so you can focus on your career, not paperwork.
Temporary Skills Shortage vs Skills in Demand — what’s changed?
Feature
TSS 482 (pre‑Dec 2024)
SID 482 (current)
These reforms aim to simplify sponsorship and expand permanent residency access, but interpreting the fine print is critical. Let us translate regulations into plain English.
Skills in Demand Visa Fees
SID visa lodgement fees will align with the TSS fees under the medium-term stream:
- Main applicant: AUD $3,115
- Per secondary applicant 18 and over: AUD $3,115
- Per secondary applicant under 18: AUD $780
A 4-year stay in Australia
Similar to the Subclass 482 TSS Visa, the Skills in Demand Visa will allow for a stay of up to 4 years to live and work in Australia.
Guaranteed Pathways to Permanent Residence (PR)
PR is expected to be available to all Skills in Demand Visa holders, whether through sponsored and/or independent pathways. Since November 2023, the Subclass 482 TSS Visa also provides PR pathways to all visa holders (whether or not they are on the Short Term or Long Term Stream).
Greater mobility to switch employers
Under the Skills in Demand Visa, periods of employment with any approved sponsor may count towards PR requirements, enabling migrants to change their employer without risking their migration prospects. In contrast, Subclass 482 TSS Visa holders are reliant on a single employer for a pathway to PR.
More time to find a new job
If employment with a sponsor ceases, Skills in Demand Visa holders are set to have 180 days to find another sponsor and also be able to work during this period. The Subclass 482 TSS Visa only allows for 60 days.
Streamlined Labour Market Testing (LMT)
Mechanisms for independent verifications of labour market needs may be explored under the new Skills in Demand Visa. Currently, the requirements to test the local labour market before engaging a migrant on a Subclass 482 TSS Visas are largely employer-conducted.
Public Register of Sponsors
To enable skilled migrants to switch employers, a public register of approved sponsors including the number of migrants sponsored and their occupations, may be developed alongside the new Skills in Demand Visa. Currently a list of sponsors is not being made widely available as a public register to skilled migrants on a Subclass 482 TSS Visa, except a list of current labour agreements.
Sponsorship Fees to be Paid in Stages
Rather than seeking upfront employer fees, such as the SAF training Levy, the Government is exploring a monthly or quarterly ‘pay-as-you-go’ model for Government charges and fees to hire migrants. Compared to the current Subclass 482 TSS Visa, which requires upfront government fees, the new payment structure for the Skills in Demand Visa may make it cheaper for employers to sponsor an overseas worker.
Streamlined Visa Processing
Clear service standards for visa processing will be established to provide employers and migrants greater certainty of processing times for the Skills in Demand Visa.A 21 day median service standard has been planned for the Core Skills pathway and 7 days has been planned for the Specialist Skills Pathway. Skills in Demand Visa processing times are expected to be shorter than waiting periods for the Subclass 482 TSS Visa.
Skills in Demand (SID) 482 Visa Streams
Specialist Skills Pathway
Attracting highly skilled workers
The Specialist Skills Pathway will no longer rely on skilled occupation lists, will require a minimum salary threshold of $135,000, and provide a fast 7-day processing time.
Available to applicants in any occupation except trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers (they may be able to apply through the Core Skills Pathway).
Core Skills Pathway
To meet targeted workforce needs
The largest pathway for temporary skilled migrants, featuring a regularly updated occupation list and minimum earnings of at least at the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), set at $70,000.
See the full list here.
Essential Skills Pathway
Targeted at industry-specific workers
This pathway targets professionals who play an important role in Australia’s economic recovery and growth, focusing on government-identified key sectors.
While the official occupation list for the Essential Skills Pathway isn’t out yet, it’s expected to cover most, if not all, level 1 or 2 roles from the Core Skills Occupations List.
Eligibility and Requirements for Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
To qualify for this visa, you need to be nominated for a skilled position by an approved sponsor, have the required skills for the job, and meet the relevant English language proficiency standards. Our experienced team will help clarify these requirements and ensure your eligibility.
You may be eligible for the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa if you:
- Have an approved business nominating you for a skilled position.
- Can demonstrate at least two years of relevant work experience.
- Have the necessary skills for the job, supported by relevant qualifications and/or work experience.
- Meet the relevant English language proficiency requirements.
- Fulfil health and character requirements.
Note: The full details on eligibility criteria for the Skills in Demand Visa is still currently being finalised to ensure that the program responds to the changing needs of the Australian labour market.
Approved Sponsor
Before you can apply for a 482 visa, your proposed employer will need to lodge a nomination application for you. They must be an approved sponsor or have at least lodged an application to become a standard business sponsor.
Application Process
- Eligibility & sponsorship check (Day 0–2): Your employer applies for a business sponsorship approval.
- Skills assessment & English test (Week 1–4): Fast‑track pathways available for licensed trades and high‑demand tech roles.
- Nomination (Week 1–5): Your employer nominates you for a skilled position.
- SID visa application prep (Week 2–5): We gather police checks, health exams and employer documentation. Our secure portal means no chasing missing forms.
- Visa application submission (Week 5–6): A senior migration agent triple‑checks every attachment, then lodges on your behalf.
- Bridging visa & tracking (Month 2–4): You receive live status updates. Most of our clients have been granted within 90 days.
- Pathway to PR: We map out the clearest route to the ENS 186 or regional subclass 191 from day one.
Note: These steps may be completed simultaneously.
Need help applying for a Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa or negotiating a Labour Agreement?
If you’re serious about working or hiring under the new Skills in Demand visa, don’t risk a rejection.
Pathway to Permanent Residence under the Employer Nomination Scheme
The TSS visa has historically been a pathway to permanent residence under the Employer Nomination Scheme and this will continue under the SID visa:
- Pathway to permanent residency through the Temporary Residence Transition stream.
All SID visa holders have a pathway to permanent residence through the Temporary Residence Transition stream of the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, after two years of employment in Australia in the three years immediately before the application. All periods of sponsored employment as a primary TSS/SID visa holder count towards this qualifying period. The two years can be with any employer (i.e., not just the sponsoring employer).
- Salary requirements linked to visa requirements
Salary requirements for the Subclass 186 visa under both the Temporary Residence Transition stream and Direct Entry streams will be linked to the SID visa salary requirements. This allows the Subclass 186 visa to use the core skills income threshold (which will be indexed annually).
- Current Temporary Skills Shortage visa holders will still have a pathway to permanent residency
Current TSS visa holders who work in an occupation that is not on the CSOL will still have a pathway to permanent residence, subject to meeting relevant eligibility criteria, through the Temporary Residence Transition stream of the Subclass 186 visa.
The CSOL will apply to the Direct Entry stream of the Subclass 186 visa (permanent residence under the Employer Nomination Scheme).
Including Family in Your Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) Visa Journey
As a holder of the Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482), Australia becomes more than just your workplace – it can be a home for your loved ones too. This visa permits you to include your spouse or de facto partner and your children as secondary applicants, enabling them to join you on your Australian journey.
- Add your family to your existing Skills in Demand visa
- Apply for a Skills in Demand visa together with your family
- Secure study and work rights for your family on a Skills in Demand visa
- Greater flexibility for including family members in your visa application
Greater flexibility will apply for a member of the family unit who is aged 23 years old and above to be included in, and granted, the Subclass 186 visa with the primary applicant if at the time of the Subclass 186 visa application:
- the family member is included in the application for the Subclass 186 visa application visa; and
- the person holds a Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) visa granted on the basis that the person was a member of the family unit of a person holding a visa of the same kind.
- Secondary applicants no longer need to be named in nomination or meet sponsorship obligations
Secondary applicants on the Skills in Demand visa are granted the privilege to enter and stay in Australia for the duration of the primary applicant’s Skills in Demand visa. They are also allowed to live, work, and study in Australia, experiencing all the opportunities the country has to offer.
Subclass 186 visa secondary applicants (family members) no longer need to be named in the nomination application as employers of Subclass 186 visa holders do not have any sponsorship obligations relating to family members.
Make your Australian journey a family adventure. Contact our team for expert guidance today.
Make your Australian visa journey a family adventure.
Get Expert Guidance for your Sponsorship and Visa Application
Partnering with Visa Lounge opens doors to an accomplished team of immigration specialists who stand firmly by your side, turning your Australian dreams into reality. We will help you navigate the visa application process, ensuring a seamless, hassle-free journey to Australia.
Why choose Visa Lounge?
- Australia needs your skills, but the SID visa rules shift fast.
- We monitor policy changes daily and liaise directly with the Department of Home Affairs, so you never rely on outdated advice.
- Our clients receive a decision ready nomination in weeks, not months with many going on to permanent residency within two years.
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Note: The content on this page is for informational purposes only and should be used as general advice only. Please consult one of our registered migration specialists for professional advice tailored to your circumstances.