Australia skilled worker visa: Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)

The Core Skills stream is for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) with a salary at least equal to the Core Skills Income Threshold. The Specialist Skills stream is for highly paid specialists earning at least the Specialist Skills Income Threshold, with some trades and labour occupations excluded. The Labour Agreement stream applies where the employer has a labour agreement with the government. All three charge the same visa fee.

You must be nominated by an approved standard business sponsor (or one that has applied) for an occupation covered by your stream, have at least 1 year of relevant work experience in that occupation or a related field, and hold the skills and qualifications to do the job. Some occupations and nationalities require a mandatory skills assessment from bodies such as Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS.

There is no age limit. You must meet the English standard set for the visa unless exempt, maintain adequate health insurance for the whole stay, meet health and character requirements, and must not have paid or received a benefit for sponsorship in the last 3 years.

The employer must pay at least the annual market salary rate (what an Australian would earn in the same job) and no less than the applicable threshold. For nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 (it was AUD 76,515 in 2025–26) and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576. The thresholds are indexed each 1 July.

The process has three linked parts: the employer becomes an approved sponsor, lodges a nomination for your position, and you lodge the visa application in ImmiAccount. Applications are processed under Ministerial Direction 121; in October 2026 the department reported processing priority cases in construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, fishing, resources and some national-interest areas lodged from February 2026.

You may work only in the nominated occupation and only for your sponsor or, in some cases, an associated entity. To stay with the same employer after the visa ends, the employer lodges a new nomination and you apply for a new visa. Family members included in the visa can live, study and work in Australia.

The Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Temporary Residence Transition stream is for 457 or 482 holders who have usually worked at least 2 years full time in eligible sponsored employment and have an employer nomination approved in the 6 months before applying. Applicants must usually be under 45 and must have at least competent English, with no exemption from the English requirement. The 186 charge is AUD 6,140.