482 Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) – Specialist Skills stream

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa Name	Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
Stream	Specialist Skills stream
Stay	Up to 4 years (5 for Hong Kong)
Cost	From AUD 4,015.00
Eligibility timing	1 year experience within past 5 years
Work rights	Work for sponsoring employer only
Study rights	Allowed without government assistance
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple entries while valid
Citizenship pathway	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Include eligible family members
Visa record	Digital record via VEVO; no label

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Purpose

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) Specialist Skills stream enables Australian employers to address labour shortages by sponsoring skilled overseas workers when appropriately skilled Australian workers cannot be sourced.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: There is no age requirement for this visa.
• Sponsorship and Nomination: You must be nominated by an approved Standard Business Sponsor (or an employer who has applied to become one). The nominated position must be:
  • In an ANZSCO occupation within Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6 (excluding Major Groups 3, 7, and 8).
  • Paid at a salary meeting or exceeding the Specialist Skills Income Threshold.
• Work Experience: You must have at least 1 year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field (at the same skill level) gained within the last 5 years. Part-time or casual work must equal at least 12 months of full-time work. Relevant placements, internships, apprenticeships, or research degrees (Masters/PhD) may count under specified conditions.
• Skills and Qualifications: You must demonstrate the skills and qualifications necessary to perform the nominated occupation.
  • Mandatory Skills Assessment: If mandatory under IMMI 18/039, the assessment (via Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS) must have been commenced or completed within the 3 years before lodging the visa application. The reference number must be provided at submission.
  • Medical Practitioners: Qualifications must be recognised by the relevant Australian medical board as entitling registration to practise.
• English Proficiency: Primary applicants must meet the minimum standard of English language proficiency unless exempt. Test results must be no older than 3 years.
• Current Visa Status (if applying in Australia): You must hold a substantive visa or a Bridging visa A, B, or C, and have substantially complied with prior visa conditions.
• Health and Character: You and all applying family members must meet health requirements and character requirements. Police certificates from Australia and any country where you resided for 12 months or more over the past 10 years (since turning 16) are required.
  • Accredited Sponsor Exemption: Applicants sponsored by accredited sponsors do not need overseas police certificates if the sponsor provides a good character reference, though Australian police clearances are still required.
• Health Insurance: You must maintain adequate health cover (including medically necessary treatment and transport) for your entire stay in Australia.
• Paying for Sponsorship: You must not have engaged in "paying for visa sponsorship" conduct within the past 3 years.
• Debts and Values: You must have no outstanding debt to the Australian Government and must sign or agree to the Australian Values Statement (if aged 18+).
• Previous Refusals/Cancellations: Prior visa cancellations or refusals may affect eligibility.

Stay and Extensions

• Duration: Granted for the period nominated by the employer:
  • Up to a maximum of 4 years.
  • Up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders.
• Extending Stay: The visa cannot be extended. To stay longer with the same employer, the employer must lodge a new nomination and you must apply for a new visa.
• Permanent Residence: Eligible holders may explore employer-sponsored permanent residence via the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).

Costs and Concessions

• Base Visa Pricing:
  • Primary applicant: AUD 4,015.00
  • Additional applicant (18 years and over): AUD 4,015.00 each
  • Additional applicant (under 18 years): AUD 1,005.00 each
• Additional Expenses: Applicants pay separately for health examinations, English tests, police certificates, and biometrics.
• Pacific and Timor-Leste Concession: Starting 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible primary applicants (and their family members) holding a valid passport from: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Vanuatu.

Processing Times

Processing times vary based on application completeness, external agency checks (health, character, security), and response times to requests for additional information. The Department may decide applications without requesting additional documents.

Visa Holder Rights

• Work in Australia in the nominated occupation for your sponsor (or an associated entity for Australian business sponsors).
• Study in Australia (without government assistance).
• Travel to and from Australia freely during the validity period.
• Secondary family members can live, work, and study in Australia.

Conditions and Obligations

• Commencing Work: You must commence employment within 90 days of arrival in Australia (if granted offshore) or within 90 days of the grant date (if granted onshore).
• Employment Restrictions: You must work only in your nominated occupation and only for your nominating sponsor (or an associated entity if the sponsor is an Australian business).
• Loss of Employment: If laid off or unemployed, you have up to 180 days to find a new approved sponsor or make arrangements to depart Australia.
• Notifying Changes: You must inform the Department of changes to your address, contact details, passport, relationship status, employment status, or if a child is born.

Family Provisions

• Eligible Family Members: Spouses, de facto partners, and dependent children/stepchildren can be included as secondary applicants.
• Timing: Family members must be included at the time the main application is lodged. They cannot be added after submission.
• Subsequent Entrants: Eligible family members not included in the original application can apply separately later as subsequent entrants.

Travel

• You may enter and leave Australia multiple times while the visa remains valid.
• Time spent outside Australia does not extend the overall visa validity period.

Required Documents

• Identity: Valid passport bio-data pages, change of name documents (marriage/divorce certificate, deed poll, or statutory declaration).
• Skills & Employment: Skills assessment reference number (if mandatory), CV/resume covering at least the last 5 years, employer reference letters on company letterhead, qualification certificates, and occupational licensing/registration evidence (or medical board registration for doctors).
• English Proficiency: Test results less than 3 years old or evidence of exemption.
• Health Cover: Evidence of adequate health insurance policy for all applicants.
• Character: Australian Federal Police complete disclosure National Police Certificates, overseas police clearance certificates (for stays of 12+ months over the last 10 years after age 16), military discharge papers, or Forms 80 and 1221 if requested.
• Family Evidence: Marriage certificate, proof of de facto relationship (joint finances, leases, billing accounts), birth certificates showing parents' names, and dependency evidence (Form 47a for dependants aged 18+).
• Parental Consent: Form 1229 or a statutory declaration accompanied by photo ID for minors travelling without both legal guardians.

Application Steps

1. Before Applying: Ensure the prospective employer submits a nomination and provides the Transaction Reference Number (TRN). Complete or initiate required skills assessments, English tests, and upfront health examinations.
2. Prepare Evidence: Translate non-English documents via a NAATI-accredited translator (in Australia) or qualified translator (outside Australia). Scan colour copies of all documents.
3. Lodge Online: Create or sign in to ImmiAccount, enter the nomination TRN, attach all supporting documents, and pay the visa application fee.
4. After Applying: Maintain lawful visa status (hold a substantive or bridging visa if in Australia). Provide biometrics or additional information promptly if requested. Submit Form 1023 if you need to correct application errors.
5. Visa Decision: Receive the decision in writing. If granted, the digital notification includes the grant number, validity dates, and visa conditions.

Important Warnings

• Identity and Accuracy: Providing false, misleading, or unverifiable information can result in visa refusal, a potential 10-year re-application ban for the applicant and family members, or visa cancellation.
• Visa Cancellation Risk: Do not request cancellation of your existing visa while awaiting an onshore decision, as doing so makes you unlawful and ineligible for a Bridging visa.
• Travel Arrangements: Do not book irreversible travel to Australia until you receive written confirmation that the visa has been granted.