What is the Subclass 482 visa?
The Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa allows an approved Australian business to sponsor an overseas or onshore worker to fill a genuine skill shortage in a nominated position, for a temporary period. It replaced the former Subclass 457 visa in March 2018, and the broader temporary skilled program has since continued to evolve through what's known as the Skills in Demand reforms — a restructure of how occupations, income and sponsorship obligations are assessed. For both employers and prospective visa holders, understanding which pathway applies is now just as important as meeting the underlying skills and experience requirements.
Recent reforms: from TSS to Skills in Demand
The employer-sponsored temporary skilled program has moved away from relying solely on a single skilled occupation list toward a three-pathway structure that also considers income:
- Specialist Skills Pathway — for higher-income roles above a set income threshold, generally assessed with fewer occupation restrictions and faster processing, though certain sectors are excluded.
- Core Skills Pathway — assessed against a designated occupation list, broadly replacing the previous short-term and medium-term occupation lists.
- Essential Skills Pathway — aimed at lower-paid, essential occupations (such as aged and disability care), generally accompanied by additional employer obligations and program caps.
Income thresholds (including the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold, or TSMIT), occupation lists, and specific pathway settings are reviewed and indexed periodically by the Department of Home Affairs. Because these figures change, we don't quote a specific dollar threshold here — we check the current settings for every nomination we prepare, and recommend employers do the same before committing to a recruitment or sponsorship plan.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility involves both the sponsoring business and the nominated worker:
- The business must be an approved sponsor (Standard Business Sponsorship, an Accredited Sponsor, or under a Labour Agreement).
- The position must be genuine, match an eligible occupation and pathway, and pay at or above the relevant market salary rate and income threshold.
- The worker needs relevant skills, qualifications and, for most occupations, at least two years of relevant work experience.
- Standard English language, health and character requirements apply.
The application process, step by step
- Sponsorship application — the business applies to become an approved sponsor (or relies on existing approval).
- Nomination application — the business nominates the specific position, demonstrating it's genuine and meets the pathway's occupation and salary requirements.
- Visa application — the nominated worker applies for the visa itself, with skills, health and character evidence.
- Assessment and grant — all three stages can, in many cases, be lodged close together, though they are assessed as distinct decisions.
Can I bring my family?
Yes — your partner and dependent children can generally be included in the same 482 application, or apply to join you later. Family members included on the visa share your visa validity period and, in most cases, have full work and study rights of their own, which is one of the reasons the 482 is often a more attractive option for skilled workers relocating with a family than a pure work-permit style arrangement.
Pathway to permanent residency
A significant advantage of the 482 for many workers is the potential path to permanent residency through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme after working for a sponsoring employer for a qualifying period. Not every 482 stream or pathway leads automatically to the same 186 route, so it's worth structuring the 482 nomination with the eventual 186 pathway in mind from the start, rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Employer obligations
Sponsoring employers take on ongoing obligations, including paying at least the market salary rate, covering visa and migration costs required by law, complying with workplace law, and contributing to the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy. Non-compliance can put both future sponsorship approvals and current visa holders at risk, which is why we advise employers through the sponsorship obligations, not just the initial application.
What does it cost?
A 482 application involves several separate costs: the sponsorship application charge (if the business isn't already an approved sponsor), the nomination application charge, the visa application charge for the worker (and any family members included), the Skilling Australians Fund levy payable by the employer, and any professional fees for advice and preparation. Government charges are indexed and reviewed periodically, so we provide employers with a current, itemised cost estimate as part of the initial assessment rather than quoting a figure that may be outdated.
Documents typically required
- From the business: evidence of legal establishment, financial viability, and the genuine need for the nominated position.
- Position evidence: a detailed position description, organisational chart, and evidence of the offered salary against the market rate.
- From the worker: qualifications, evidence of at least two years' relevant experience (reference letters, payslips, contracts), and a skills assessment where required for the occupation.
- English test results, unless exempt.
- Health examinations and police clearance certificates for the worker and any included family members.
Common issues we see
- Nominated position not genuinely matching the claimed occupation or pathway.
- Salary set below the required market rate or income threshold.
- Insufficient evidence of the worker's relevant experience.
- Sponsorship obligations overlooked once the visa is granted.
What if a sponsorship, nomination or visa application is refused?
Refusals at any of the three stages — sponsorship, nomination or the visa itself — can sometimes carry a right to seek merits review at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), subject to a strict time limit and depending on which decision was made and why. See our guide to ART tribunal appeals for how that process works, and get advice quickly if you've received a refusal — the deadlines involved are unforgiving.
Why work with a MARA registered migration agent
The 482 is a two-sided process — the employer's sponsorship and nomination have to be right, and so does the worker's own eligibility. We advise both sides, structure nominations against the correct pathway, and plan toward permanent residency from the outset where that's the goal.