Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482)

The Temporary Skill Shortage visa, subclass 482, is Australia's main employer-sponsored temporary work visa. It allows an approved Australian business to sponsor a skilled worker for a position it cannot readily fill from the local labour market.

The visa is structured around streams tied to occupation lists. Workers in occupations on the longer-term lists can generally be sponsored for up to four years and gain access to a clear permanent residence pathway, while those in shorter-term occupations have a more limited stay. Across all streams, the role must be genuine, full-time and paid at or above the relevant income threshold and the market rate.

For many migrants the 482 is not the destination but the bridge: after working for the sponsoring employer for the qualifying period, usually two years, you become eligible for the permanent Employer Nomination Scheme visa, subclass 186, through its Temporary Residence Transition stream. In 2026 the 482 remains the workhorse of Australian employer-sponsored migration, valued for getting skilled workers into roles quickly while a permanent plan matures.

You must have a job offer from an approved Australian sponsor for a position in a nominated occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list, and the role must be genuine, full-time and meet the relevant income threshold. You generally need at least the required period of relevant work experience for your occupation, typically around two years.

Depending on your occupation and stream you may need a skills assessment. You must demonstrate English at the level required for your stream, and meet health and character requirements along with all included family members. The sponsoring employer must hold or obtain Standard Business Sponsor status and demonstrate that the position is needed. Always verify the current occupation lists and income threshold, as both are updated regularly.

The 482 involves three connected steps. First, the employer must become an approved Standard Business Sponsor, or already hold that status. Second, the employer lodges a nomination for the specific position, showing the role is genuine, on the relevant occupation list, and paid appropriately.

Third, you lodge the visa application as the nominated worker, providing evidence of your skills, qualifications, work experience, English test results, and a skills assessment if your occupation requires one. The nomination and visa application are commonly lodged together to save time.

The Department of Home Affairs assesses the sponsorship, nomination and visa, verifying that the employer is legitimate, the position is real and the worker is qualified. Health examinations and police certificates are arranged for you and your family. Once granted, the 482 lets you work for the sponsoring employer in the nominated occupation for the period attached to your stream. If you change employers, a new nomination is required from the new sponsor.

The visa application charge depends on your stream - the longer-term streams cost more than the short-term stream - with additional charges for a partner and each child. Employers bear significant costs of their own: the sponsorship application fee, the nomination fee, and a contribution to the Skilling Australians Fund levy, which scales with company turnover and the sponsorship period and is legally the employer's responsibility. Workers typically pay for their own skills assessment, English testing, and health and police checks. Registered migration agent fees, where used, are additional.

Because the 482 is designed to move skilled workers into urgent roles, the Department of Home Affairs processes it relatively efficiently for complete applications, and accredited sponsors - larger or trusted businesses - often see faster handling. The published global processing times vary by stream and by how well the nomination and visa applications are documented. Lodging the nomination and visa together, with full evidence of the role's genuineness and the worker's skills, avoids requests for further information that would otherwise extend the timeline.

On arrival you can begin work for your sponsoring employer in the nominated occupation. The 482 ties you to that employer - if you want to change jobs, your new employer must lodge a fresh nomination before you start.

Family members included in the application can usually work and study in Australia. Use the time on the 482 strategically: if your occupation is on a longer-term list, you are working toward eligibility for the permanent subclass 186 visa through the Temporary Residence Transition stream after the qualifying period, generally two years with the same employer. Keep payslips, employment contracts and tax records throughout, because they prove the qualifying period later. Maintain valid health insurance as required by your visa conditions, and notify the department promptly of any change in your employment circumstances.