Immicon has in-depth knowledge and specialist expertise in the Temporary Subclass 482 Skills In Demand Visa across the Core, Specialist, and Labour Agreement Streams. Our clients benefit from advice grounded in real depth of experience in this space, not a passing familiarity.
Whether you’re an employer looking to sponsor overseas skills to fill workforce shortages, or a skilled worker being sponsored, we can guide you through every stage: sponsorship, nomination, visa application, and the compliance obligations that come with it.
We have provided a quick view of the eligibility requirements below.
Once a subclass 482 visa is granted, sponsors take on ongoing legal obligations — and the Department of Home Affairs actively monitors compliance for the life of the sponsorship.
Immicon can assist with:
- Assistance with submitting notifications to the sponsorship monitoring unit before or within 28 days to ensure that notifiable events relating to the business are reported accurately and on time.
- Assistance with submitting notifications to the sponsorship monitoring unit before or within 28 days to ensure that notifiable events relating to the employment arrangement are reported accurately and on time.
- Assistance with responding to compliance notices or requests for information
- Assistance with making a new application for or to renew your standard or accredited sponsorship status
Ongoing Advice to Keep Your Sponsorship Status Secure We can provide continuous guidance so your sponsorship approval — and your ability to sponsor workers remains secure.
Non-compliance can result in penalties, sanctions, or cancellation of your sponsorship approval — putting both your business and your sponsored workers’ visa status at risk.
By staying close to both the visa and compliance sides of sponsorship, we help employers stay protected and help sponsored workers keep their visa status secure.
For a visa discussion, eligibility assessment, or Q&A session please book a consultation.
The Skills in Demand Visa is broken down into the following three pathways/streams: (please note that the table below relates to the visa application requirements only)
| 482 CSP – Core Skills Pathway | SSP – Specialist Skills Pathway (Highly Skilled Migrants) | 482 LA – Labour Agreement Pathway | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Broader set of skilled occupations Australia needs now; many medium paid skilled workers | High income, highly skilled specialists with in demand expertise | Labour agreements enable approved businesses to sponsor skilled overseas workers when there is a demonstrated need that cannot be met in the Australian labour market and where standard temporary or permanent visa programs are not available. Labour agreements are developed between the Australian Government (represented by the Department) and employers. They are generally in effect for five years and provide for visas to be granted under one or more of the following visa programs: |
| Occupations | Must be listed on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/ Documents/core-sol.pdf | Any occupation except trades workers, machinery operators & drivers, and labourers. ANZSCO Major Groups 1,2,4,5,6 typically. | Essential skills, sectors with demonstrated shortages. There are 5 types of Labour Agreements: Industry Specific Company Specific Designated Area (DAMA) Project Agreements Global Talent Employer Sponsored Program |
| Requirement for a Business sponsorship & nomination | YES Business Sponsorship required Nomination requires Labour Market Testing, Employment contract and assessment of the AMSR (Australian Market Salary Rates) (There are exemption to the LMT requirement that would be assessed on a case-by-case basis) | YES Business Sponsorship required Nomination requires Labour Market Testing, Employment contract and assessment of the AMSR. (Australian Market Salary Rates) (There are exemption to the LMT requirement that would be assessed on a case-by-case basis) | YES The Labour Agreement is the business sponsorship Nomination requires Labour Market Testing, Employment contract and assessment of the AMSR (Australian Market Salary Rates) |
| Visa Term | Up to 4 years (Hong Kong Passport Holders are eligible for a term of 5 years) | Up to 4 years (Hong Kong Passport Holders are eligible for a term of 5 years) | Up to 4 years (Hong Kong Passport Holders are eligible for a term of 5 years) |
| Salary – CSIT (Core Skills threshold) | $79,423 – $146,717 per annum plus super | Minimum salary $146,717 or more per annum plus super | $76,423(unless a concession applies) |
| Registration and Licensing | As required | As required | As required |
| Skill Level Requirement | As defined in the Australia New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO 2022) In addition, you need to have 1 year of employment experience | As defined in the Australia New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO 2022) In addition, you need to have 1 year of employment experience | As defined in the Australia New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO 2022) In addition, you need to have 1 year of employment experience (unless concessions apply) |
| English | When applying for the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), primary visa applicants are required to demonstrate that they meet certain minimum standards of English language proficiency by taking and achieving a specific result in an English language test, unless exemptions apply. | When applying for the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), primary visa applicants are required to demonstrate that they meet certain minimum standards of English language proficiency by taking and achieving a specific result in an English language test, unless exemptions apply. | When applying for the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), primary visa applicants are required to demonstrate that they meet certain minimum standards of English language proficiency by taking and achieving a specific result in an English language test, unless exemptions apply. |
| Include members of the family Unit | YES | YES | YES |
| Meet health and character requirement | YES | YES | YES |
| Hold health insurance | If the nominee is from a country where there is a reciprocal agreement, Medicare is sufficient. In all other cases the applicant should hold private health insurance. This is a condition of the visa. | If the nominee is from a country where there is a reciprocal agreement, Medicare is sufficient. In all other cases the applicant should hold private health insurance. This is a condition of the visa. | If the nominee is from a country where there is a reciprocal agreement, Medicare is sufficient. In all other cases the applicant should hold private health insurance. This is a condition of the visa. |
| Other Requirement | Have no debt to the Australian Government or have a payment arrangement in place. | Have no debt to the Australian Government or have a payment arrangement in place. | Have no debt to the Australian Government or have a payment arrangement in place. |
| Pathway to Permanent Residency | YES, if they meet the age and other eligibility requirements. All pathways of the Skills in Demand (SID) visa and occupations have a clear route to permanent residency in Australia via the Employer Nomination Visa (ENS) Subclass 186TRTS visa. This requires a nomination by the sponsor that was last listed on the 482-nomination approval and that the business has a genuine, permanent, full-time role in the business for the duration of 2 years from when the permanent visa is granted and that the applicant/nominee genuinely intends to undertake the role for a term of 2 years post visa grant. | YES, if they meet the age and other eligibility requirements. All pathways of the Skills in Demand (SID) visa and occupations have a clear route to permanent residency in Australia via the Employer Nomination Visa (ENS) Subclass 186TRTS visa. This requires a nomination by the sponsor that was last listed on the 482-nomination approval and that the business has a genuine, permanent, full-time role in the business for the duration of 2 years from when the permanent visa is granted and that the applicant/nominee genuinely intends to undertake the role for a term of 2 years post visa grant. | YES, if they meet the age and other eligibility requirements. (some concessions may apply) All pathways of the Skills in Demand (SID) visa and occupations have a clear route to permanent residency in Australia via the Employer Nomination Visa (ENS) Subclass 186TRTS visa. This requires a nomination by the sponsor that was last listed on the 482-nomination approval and that the business has a genuine, permanent, full-time role in the business for the duration of 2 years from when the permanent visa is granted and that the applicant/nominee genuinely intends to undertake the role for a term of 2 years post visa grant. |
| Processing Time | Subject to Change | Subject to Change | Subject to Change |
Health Insurance
Primary and secondary visa applicants are personally liable for healthcare costs while in Australia. Health insurance helps limit your financial liability.
You must maintain adequate health cover for the whole of your intended period of stay if you are granted this visa. Your insurance should cover you for medically necessary treatment, including transport. It will be a condition of the visa that you maintain adequate health insurance while you remain in Australia.
See a guide to what is considered adequate health insurance.
Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.
Reciprocal healthcare agreements
Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreement Save
482 Visa Conditions
For the primary visa holder, if you want to change your occupation while you still hold a valid Subclass 482 Skills in Demand
Condition 8607
Once the 482 visa has been granted to you, you must commence employment within 90 days of the visa being granted if you were in australia at the time of the visa grant. If you are outside of Australia when the visa is granted to you, you must start work within 90 days of arriving to Australia.
While sponsored under your 482 nomination, you must only work in the occupation in the most recently granted 482 Skills in Demand Visa. You cannot work in a different occupation unless you apply for an are granted a new 482 Skills in Demand Visa. You must only work for the business who has sponsored you unless an exemption applies.
If you change you employer, your new employer must get a nomination approved before you start working for them.
If you your employment with your sponsor ends, and only if you still have sufficient time remaining on your 482 visa, you have up to 180 days in a single period, to work for another business if you have served out your notice periods and if the occupation is an occupation specified in an instrument – https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2019L01399/latest/text
The intention is to provide you with an opportunity to find a new sponsor to nominate you. if you don’t have sufficient time on your visa, a new visa application would also need to be submitted.
What to do if your situation changes – https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-in-situation
Licenses, registrations and memberships
Where mandatory, you must hold the required license and registration to work in Australia. If your license or registration ends, is refused, cancelled or revoked, you need to let the Department of Home Affairs – Sponsorship Monitoring Unit know by sending an email to [email protected]
Understanding your working rights
You can learn more about workplace laws from the Fair Work Ombudsman website
Sponsorship Obligations
An employer who sponsors under the 482 visa program is required to meet certain obligations. These obligations are explained in detail at the link below https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/employing-and-sponsoring-someone/existing-sponsors/standard-business-accredited-obligations
Sponsors must assume all of the costs that relate to becoming a sponsor including the nomination charges and any migration agent costs associated with sponsorship and nomination applications. These costs cannot be transferred to the visa applicant or to members of their family unit. Visa applicants can only cover costs that relate to the visa application side of the visa process.
