- The Skills in Demand visa is a temporary employer-sponsored visa with Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement streams.
- The sponsor, nominated position and visa applicant are assessed through connected but distinct requirements.
- The occupation, salary, market rate, work experience, skills and English requirements involve separate evidence.
- The job, duties and business evidence must align in substance—not only in the occupation title used.
A subclass 482 application is not only a worker’s visa application. It usually depends on a connected sponsorship and nomination, with the employer, position and applicant each required to satisfy different criteria.
How the subclass 482 process fits together
The Skills in Demand visa allows an approved sponsor to nominate a suitably skilled person for a position. The standard process has three connected parts: the employer’s sponsorship status, nomination of the position and the worker’s visa application.
A weakness in one part can affect the overall outcome. Preparing the applications together helps the business description, role, salary, duties and applicant’s experience remain consistent.
| Connected part | Who prepares it | Main focus |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsorship | The employer or sponsoring entity. | Business eligibility, sponsorship obligations and approval status. |
| Nomination | The approved sponsor. | The genuine position, occupation, salary and employment arrangements. |
| Visa application | The nominated worker and included family members. | Skills, work history, English, health, character and other visa criteria. |
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The sponsor
The entity, its sponsorship status and business records establish the sponsorship framework.
-
The nominated position
Duties, occupation, salary and labour market evidence relate to the nominated role.
-
The applicant
The worker’s experience, skills, English and any required registration are assessed separately.
-
Connected records
Connected forms and documents contain the same business, position and applicant details.
What the law says
Schedule 1 determines whether the application is valid. Schedule 2 then determines whether the visa can be granted. The application and grant criteria each depend on the applicant’s circumstances.
Schedule 1 - Item 1240 Skills in Demand (Class GK)
Key validity requirements identified from the current Schedule 1 item:
- The application must use the approved form and be lodged in the place and manner specified for this visa class.
- The visa application must identify a nomination in the same stream. At lodgement, the nomination may be approved and still in effect, or awaiting a decision. An approved nomination is required for visa grant.
- Eligible family-unit applications may be combined with the primary application as permitted by Schedule 1. A separate subsequent-entrant application may also be available.
- The prescribed visa application charge and any applicable additional-applicant charges are payable when required. Item 1240 currently specifies a nil second instalment.
Schedule 2 - Subclass 482 - Skills in Demand
This summary identifies selected grant criteria; the criteria for the applicable stream also apply:
- The nomination must be approved and still in effect. The position and the applicant’s intention to perform the nominated occupation must be genuine.
- The applicant must meet the relevant stream’s work experience, skills and English requirements.
- Adequate health-insurance arrangements must cover the intended stay.
- The no-payment-for-visas safeguards apply to the applicant and connected sponsorship arrangements.
- Health, character, identity and other Public Interest Criteria apply as specified for the applicant and relevant family members.
- Any applicable Special Return Criteria must be satisfied, including issues arising from previous stays or removals.
- Secondary applicants must meet the family-unit and subclass-specific criteria that apply to them.
Legal reference: Migration Regulations 1994 — Schedule 1, item 1240 and Schedule 2, Subclass 482
At a glance
The three connected assessments involve different records and legal requirements.
| Stage | Evidence focus | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsorship | The sponsoring entity, its business activities and approval status. | The nomination depends on the relevant sponsorship or labour-agreement framework. |
| Nomination | The occupation, actual duties, genuine position, employment arrangements and remuneration. | The applicable stream, market salary and income rules are assessed against the nominated role. |
| Visa application | The worker’s experience, skills, English and any occupation-specific assessment or registration. | Approval of the business or position does not establish that the worker meets the visa criteria. |
Clarify the pathway before you proceed
A focused consultation can help identify the issues and records that may need attention.
Identify the correct stream
The Core Skills stream generally uses the Core Skills Occupation List and the applicable income threshold. The Specialist Skills stream has its own occupation and income settings. The Labour Agreement stream applies where the employer is operating under an agreement with the Australian Government.
The stream depends on the nominated occupation, remuneration and the applicable sponsorship or labour-agreement arrangements. A preferred future migration plan does not determine the stream.
The nominated position must be genuine and properly described
The Department considers the business, the need for the position, the duties, location, employment arrangements and salary. The nominated occupation must reflect the actual work to be performed.
The organisational structure, employment contract, recruitment history and business records provide evidence about the same nominated position. Conflicting descriptions may raise questions about the role.
- Labour market testing requirements, exemptions and recruitment evidence depend on the nomination.
- The annual market salary rate and applicable income threshold are separate remuneration checks.
- A position description explains the actual duties and level of responsibility.
Match the applicant’s evidence to the role
The applicant must have the skills to perform the nominated occupation. In the Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams, the current experience requirement is at least 12 months of full-time work, or equivalent part-time or casual work, in the occupation or a related field during the five years before application. The Labour Agreement stream is governed by the applicable agreement and its criteria. English, registration, licensing and skills-assessment requirements may also apply.
Employment references can establish dates, hours, positions and duties. Qualifications, payslips, tax records and other independent records may support the claimed experience.
Understand the visa conditions and future changes
A subclass 482 visa is linked to sponsored employment and the conditions attached to the grant. Changes to the employer, occupation or business structure may affect nomination or visa requirements. The grant notice and current conditions remain relevant when employment circumstances change.
Some subclass 482 holders may later be eligible for a permanent employer-sponsored visa. Permanent residence is a separate application and is not automatic; the relevant employer and applicant criteria must be met.
A useful pre-lodgement review
A pre-lodgement review compares the sponsorship, nomination and visa forms with the contract, position description, remuneration records, business documents and employment history. This can identify missing records and inconsistent descriptions before the Department assesses the applications.
How to prepare
Preparation usually covers four connected sets of records.
- Business records
The sponsoring entity, business activities and sponsorship or labour-agreement status.
- Position and remuneration
The duties, occupation classification, employment contract, salary evidence and any required labour market testing.
- Worker qualifications
Employment history, relevant experience, skills, English and any required registration or assessment.
- Connected applications
Consistent identities, dates, nomination details and family-member information across the forms and evidence.
Official visa information: Home Affairs — Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa
Processing times
Checked 29 October 2026: the Department’s guide displayed the following figures.
| Stream or stage | 50% processed in | 90% processed in |
|---|---|---|
| Core Skills | 4 Months | 9 Months |
| Labour Agreement | 5 Months | 9 Months |
| Nomination | 64 days | 9 months |
| Specialist Skills | 37 Days | 78 Days |
| Sponsorship | 11 days | 57 days |
These statistics describe recently decided applications. They are not guaranteed decision dates or a minimum-to-maximum waiting period for a new application. Individual applications can take longer.
Check the Department’s latest processing-times guide — select the relevant visa, stream and application date.
Visa costs
Checked 29 October 2026: standard government charges at application
- Main applicant: AUD 4,015.
- Eligible additional applicant aged 18 or over: AUD 4,015.
- Eligible additional applicant under 18: AUD 1,005.
Reduced charges may apply where the primary applicant meets the eligible Pacific Island or Timor-Leste passport requirements. Confirm the applicable category before payment.
These are the current Skills in Demand visa charges, including the Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement streams. Employer sponsorship, nomination charges and the Skilling Australians Fund levy are separate employer costs. Historical Temporary Skill Shortage visa fees do not describe a new SID application.
Legal professional fees, health examinations, police certificates, biometrics, translations and any required tests or assessments are separate.
See the Department’s current visa information and Schedule 1, item 1240 of the Migration Regulations 1994. Confirm the applicable current charge with the Visa Pricing Estimator before payment.
Frequently asked questions
What are the three Skills in Demand streams?
The streams are Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement. Core Skills uses the Core Skills Occupation List and relevant income rules. Specialist Skills has separate occupation and income rules. Labour Agreement applies under an agreement with the Australian Government.
Must the nomination be approved before the visa application is lodged?
Not always. The visa application must identify a nomination in the same stream that is either approved and still effective or awaiting a decision. The nomination must be approved before the visa can be granted.
Does part-time or casual work count towards the experience requirement?
For the Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams, relevant part-time or casual work may count where it is equivalent to at least 12 months of full-time work in the occupation or a related field within the five years before application. Labour Agreement requirements depend on the agreement.
Is a skills assessment always required?
No. A skills assessment is required for specified occupations and applicants under the applicable rules, and the Department may also require evidence demonstrating the necessary skills. Qualifications, work experience and any required professional registration remain separate considerations.
Can family members apply with the worker or join later?
Eligible members of the family unit may apply with the primary applicant. A subsequent-entrant application may be available for eligible family members applying separately. Each applicant must satisfy the criteria that apply to them.
Does a subclass 482 visa guarantee permanent residence?
No. A permanent employer-sponsored visa is a separate application. A subclass 482 holder and the employer must meet the requirements for that pathway; holding a temporary visa does not guarantee a permanent visa.