What is the Skills in Demand visa?
The Skills in Demand (SID) visa, subclass 482, lets Australian employers sponsor skilled workers from overseas when they cannot find a suitable Australian worker. It replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa on 7 December 2024. The visa can be granted for up to four years and offers a pathway to permanent residence.
The three streams
Core Skills
The main stream. The occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List, and the salary must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate.
Specialist Skills
For highly paid specialists in most occupations (excluding trades, machinery operators and labourers), with a salary at or above the Specialist Skills Income Threshold.
Labour Agreement
For employers with a labour agreement with the Australian Government, under terms negotiated for their industry or business.
The income thresholds are indexed each year on 1 July. Check the current figures on the Department of Home Affairs website, or ask us.
Three stages
- Sponsorship. The business applies to become an approved Standard Business Sponsor. The business must be lawfully operating, and there must be no adverse information that would prevent approval.
- Nomination. The employer nominates a genuine position, pays at least the market salary rate and the applicable threshold, and completes labour market testing where it is required. The Skilling Australians Fund levy is payable at this stage.
- Visa. The worker applies for the visa and shows the required skills, at least one year of relevant work experience, English language ability, and that they meet health and character requirements.
For employers: your obligations
- Pay the sponsored worker the salary and conditions in the nomination, and no less than Australian workers in the same role.
- Keep records and tell the Department about certain changes, such as the worker leaving the role.
- Do not recover sponsorship costs from the worker. Paying for or receiving a benefit in exchange for sponsorship is unlawful.
- Sponsors are monitored, and breaches can lead to sanctions or penalties.
We help businesses set up sponsorship correctly from the start and stay compliant afterwards.
For workers: flexibility and a pathway to permanent residence
- Changing employers: if your employment ends, you generally have a limited period to find a new sponsor, apply for another visa, or leave Australia. Get advice early.
- Permanent residence: after working for an approved sponsor for two years as a holder of a subclass 482 visa, you may be eligible for the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186).
Common issues
- Nominated positions that are not genuine or do not match the occupation’s tasks.
- Salaries below the market rate or the applicable threshold.
- Labour market testing that was not done, or not documented correctly.
- Work experience or qualifications that cannot be verified, which can also raise PIC 4020 concerns.
How we help
- Employers: sponsorship applications, nominations, labour market testing advice, and sponsor compliance.
- Workers: visa applications, changing sponsors, and planning the pathway to the subclass 186 visa.
- Problems: requests from the Department, refused nominations or visas, and review at the Administrative Review Tribunal. ART appeals.
See also: Employer-sponsored visas ยท Skills assessment
Frequently asked questions
How long does the 482 visa last?
It can be granted for up to four years, depending on the nomination.
How much work experience is needed?
Generally, at least one year of full-time relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field, if you have a relevant qualification. If you do not have a relevant qualification, other requirements apply.
Can a small business sponsor a worker?
Yes. Small businesses can sponsor if they meet the requirements and can show the position is genuine. We assess this with you before you apply.
Talk to a Registered Migration Agent
Whether you are an employer or a worker, a consultation with Tatsiana Pustavoit (MARN 1800880) gives you a clear plan for sponsorship and the visa. Only the Department of Home Affairs can decide a visa application, and no outcome can be guaranteed.