Requirements for employer-sponsored visa subclass 482 in Australia in 2026

The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482) is Australia’s primary employer-sponsored temporary work visa. It allows Australian businesses to sponsor skilled overseas workers for positions that cannot be filled by Australian citizens or permanent residents. The process involves three distinct stages — sponsorship approval, position nomination, and the worker’s visa application — all completed online through the Department of Home Affairs’ ImmiAccount portal.

The visa operates under three streams. The short-term stream covers occupations on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and grants a stay of up to two years. The medium-term stream covers occupations on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), grants up to four years, and includes a pathway to permanent residence. The labour agreement stream applies where an employer holds a formal labour agreement with the Australian Government. Identifying the correct stream from the outset determines which documents are required and what the maximum visa duration will be.

What this procedure is and what it’s for

The subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa allows Australian employers to address genuine skills shortages by sponsoring qualified overseas workers on a temporary basis. It replaced the former subclass 457 visa in March 2018 and remains the main employer-sponsored temporary work visa route in Australia.

The visa applies when a business has a genuine, ongoing need for a skilled worker in a role that cannot be filled from the local labour market. Both the sponsoring employer and the visa applicant must individually satisfy requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs, which is the agency responsible for processing all three stages of the application.

The three available streams are:

Short-term stream: covers occupations on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL). Maximum stay is 2 years (or 4 years if an International Trade Obligation applies). In-country renewal is not available under this stream.
Medium-term stream: covers occupations on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). Maximum stay is 4 years. Provides a potential pathway to permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Temporary Residence Transition stream.
Labour agreement stream: available to employers who have negotiated a formal labour agreement with the Australian Government, covering occupations not listed on the standard occupation lists.

All applications are lodged online through ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website. No separate state or territory authority is involved in the core 482 process, though some occupations may require state or territory registration or licensing to practise legally in Australia.

Documents required

The subclass 482 process involves three separate sets of documents: one for the employer’s sponsorship application, one for the employer’s nomination application, and one for the worker’s visa application. All are submitted through ImmiAccount.

Australian Business Number (ABN) or equivalent business identification
Evidence of lawful business operation in Australia (for example, an ASIC company extract or business registration certificate)
Most recent financial statements (profit and loss statement and balance sheet for the last financial year)
Organisational chart or staffing structure showing where the nominated role sits within the business
Evidence of training activity for Australian employees, or confirmation of readiness to meet Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy obligations

Employer documents — nomination application

Position description with specific duties and required qualifications, aligned to the relevant ANZSCO occupation definition
Employment contract offered to the nominee, showing the proposed annual salary and conditions
Evidence that the proposed salary meets the TSMIT (Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold — verify the current indexed amount with the Department of Home Affairs before lodging)
Evidence of the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the occupation in the relevant location (for example, industry salary surveys or pay slips of comparable employees)
SAF levy payment receipt (calculated per year of the visa grant)
Skills assessment result, where required for the nominated occupation
Evidence of genuine need for the position, which may include records of recruitment efforts targeting the Australian labour market

Worker documents — visa application

Valid passport with sufficient remaining validity to cover the requested visa period
Evidence of at least 2 years of relevant full-time work experience in the nominated occupation — employment reference letters on company letterhead specifying duties, dates employed, and hours worked per week; plus contracts and pay slips
Qualifications and academic transcripts relevant to the nominated occupation (originals or certified copies; overseas documents must be accompanied by a certified English translation by a NAATI-accredited translator)
Skills assessment result, if required for the nominated occupation (issued by the relevant assessing authority)
English language test results demonstrating at least vocational English — for example, IELTS Academic or General with a minimum of 5.0 in each individual component, or equivalent results in PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, or OET; results must generally be no older than 3 years at time of application; some applicants may qualify for an exemption
Health examination results, completed in person at a Department of Home Affairs-approved panel physician clinic using your HAP (Health Appointment Portal) ID
Police clearances from Australia (via the Australian Federal Police) and from every country where you have lived for a cumulative total of 12 months or more in the past 10 years

For secondary applicants (partner and dependent children):

Partner: marriage certificate or evidence of de facto relationship (such as joint financial records and statutory declarations), valid passport, health examination results, and police clearances
Dependent children: birth certificate, valid passport, health examination results, and police clearances if aged 16 or over

Important notes on document standards

Overseas documents not in English must be translated by a NAATI-accredited translator; both the original and the certified translation must be submitted together
Certified copies are generally required for identity and qualification documents; uncertified photocopies are typically not accepted
Educational qualifications issued overseas may require assessment by the relevant Australian skills assessing authority, depending on the occupation

Steps to complete the procedure

All three stages of the subclass 482 process are completed online through ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website. No in-person visit to a Home Affairs office is normally required. Health examinations must be completed in person at an approved panel physician clinic.

Confirm that the occupation appears on the STSOL or MLTSSL (or that a labour agreement is in place) via the Department of Home Affairs occupation lists. Establish which stream applies and whether a skills assessment is required.
If a skills assessment is required for the nominated occupation, apply to the relevant assessing authority immediately — assessment processing can take several months and should not hold up the overall timeline.
The employer applies for Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) status through ImmiAccount if not already approved. Sponsorship approval is generally valid for 5 years. Upload all business, financial, and training documents at this stage.
Once sponsorship is approved, the employer submits a nomination application through ImmiAccount for the specific position. Pay the SAF levy at this point. Upload the position description, employment contract, salary evidence, and the skills assessment result if applicable.
Once the nomination is approved, the worker creates or logs into their own ImmiAccount and submits the visa application. Pay the visa application charge. Upload all personal documents including qualifications, work experience evidence, English language results, and police clearances.
After lodging the visa application, the worker receives a HAP ID. Use this ID to book a health examination through the Health Appointment Portal. Attend the appointment in person at an approved panel physician clinic.
Obtain a current Australian Federal Police check through the AFP national police check service, and obtain police clearances from all other required countries. Upload these to the visa application.
The Department of Home Affairs assesses all three applications. If a request for further information is issued, respond in full within the timeframe specified in the notice.
A decision is issued through ImmiAccount. If the visa is granted, visa conditions and the grant period are confirmed in the grant notice. If refused, the notice will contain reasons and, in many cases, review rights.

Fees and timelines

Costs apply at each stage of the subclass 482 process. All figures below are approximate and subject to annual indexation; verify current amounts before lodging.

SAF levy (paid by the employer per nomination)

Small businesses (annual turnover under $10 million AUD): $1,800 per year of the visa grant
All other businesses: $3,000 per year of the visa grant
The levy is non-refundable and is multiplied by the number of years of the requested visa — for example, a 4-year medium-term visa for a large business incurs a $12,000 SAF levy

Visa application charge (paid by the worker or employer)

Primary applicant: approximately $3,115 (subject to annual indexation)
Secondary applicant aged 18 or over: approximately $780 (subject to annual indexation)
Secondary applicant under 18: approximately $390 (subject to annual indexation)
Verify the current charge before lodging at the Department of Home Affairs fee finder

Additional costs

Health examination: approximately $300–$600 per person (set by the panel physician, not by the government)
Australian Federal Police check: approximately $46
Skills assessment: varies by assessing authority — typically $300 to $1,000 or more
Certified English translations: varies by document length and translator

Processing time

Processing times vary depending on the stream, occupation, and completeness of the application
As a general guide, allow at least 2 to 6 months across all three stages combined; complex cases or incomplete applications can take considerably longer
Current processing time estimates are published at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times

Visa validity

Short-term stream: up to 2 years (or up to 4 years if an International Trade Obligation applies)
Medium-term stream: up to 4 years
Labour agreement stream: as specified in the relevant labour agreement

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Lodging the visa application before nomination approval: the Department of Home Affairs will not assess the visa application without an approved nomination. Submit the worker’s application only after receiving the nomination approval notice in ImmiAccount.
English language evidence below the minimum threshold or out of date: scores must meet the minimum for each individual test component, not just an overall average. Results must generally be no older than 3 years at the time of application. Check the specific score requirements for your stream and occupation before booking a test.
Work experience references that are vague or do not align with the ANZSCO occupation definition: the Department of Home Affairs assesses whether described duties match the nominated ANZSCO occupation code. References must name the employer, state employment dates and weekly hours, and describe specific duties in detail. Generic letters that state only a job title and employment period are routinely considered insufficient.
Missing police clearances for one or more countries: clearances are required from every country where you have lived for a cumulative total of 12 months or more in the past 10 years — cumulative means the total across multiple stays, not necessarily a continuous period. Review your full residential and travel history carefully before lodging.
Delaying the skills assessment: for occupations requiring a mandatory skills assessment, failing to apply to the assessing authority early can add several months to the overall timeline. Initiate the assessment as soon as the occupation and assessing authority are confirmed.

Frequently asked questions

Can my partner and children accompany me to Australia under the subclass 482 visa? Yes. Your partner (spouse or de facto) and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants in the same visa application. Each secondary applicant must meet health and character requirements and pay the applicable visa application charge. Secondary applicants are generally granted the same visa conditions and duration as the primary applicant.

Can I change employers while I am on a subclass 482 visa? Yes, but only once a new employer has become an approved Standard Business Sponsor and has had a nomination for your role approved by the Department of Home Affairs. You must not start work with the new employer before that nomination is approved. Working for an unapproved sponsor is a breach of your visa conditions and can affect future immigration applications.

Does the subclass 482 visa lead to permanent residence? It can, but only through the medium-term stream. After working for your sponsoring employer for at least 3 years on a subclass 482 visa, you may be eligible to apply for the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) subclass 186 visa under the Temporary Residence Transition stream. The short-term stream does not provide a direct pathway to permanent residence in Australia.

Is a skills assessment always required? Not for all occupations. Whether a skills assessment is mandatory depends on the nominated occupation and the relevant assessing authority. Check the skills assessment requirements for your specific ANZSCO occupation code on the Department of Home Affairs website before applying.

What happens if the salary offered is below the TSMIT? The nomination will be refused. The salary in the employment contract must meet both the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) — the government-set minimum, which is indexed annually — and the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the occupation in the relevant location. Always confirm the current TSMIT amount on the Department of Home Affairs website before the employer submits a nomination.

Before you apply: key points and next steps

The three most critical elements for a successful subclass 482 application are an approved Standard Business Sponsor, a valid nomination for an eligible occupation at a salary at or above the TSMIT and AMSR, and the worker’s evidence of at least two years of relevant work experience supported by specific and detailed reference letters.

The first concrete step is to confirm whether the occupation appears on the STSOL or MLTSSL using the Department of Home Affairs occupation lists. If a skills assessment is required, apply to the relevant assessing authority before or at the same time as the sponsorship application to avoid delays later in the process.

Requirements, occupation lists, SAF levy rates, visa application charges, and processing times for the subclass 482 visa are reviewed and updated regularly. Always verify current requirements directly with the Department of Home Affairs at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before submitting any stage of the application.

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