482 Visa Australia: Everything You Need to Know About Temporary Skill Shortage Visa

Australia is a dream country for many individuals looking to make a career here. From offering internships to global networking and a buzzing job market that provides tremendous opportunities for international students, the country can benefit you in many ways. 

However, getting an Australian work or permit residency often comes with various challenges. And if you’re searching for a work or permit visa, then you might have come across 4the 82 visa multiple times. 

Although this visa does offer a chance to get permanent residency in the country, there are some things that you should know before you apply for it. 

A 482 visa Australia is a temporary skill shortage visa that allows skilled workers and professionals to work and settle in the country. 

Let us help you understand everything you need to know about this temporary skill shortage in detail in this blog.  

What is a Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Via Subclass 482?

The 482 Australia visa, or the temporary skill shortage visa via subclass 482, is a visa type designed to bring in skilled workers to Australia. There are various sectors or jobs in Australia where there is a no worker or shortage of skilled workers.   

To fill this gap in the Australian labor market, the 482 skill shortage visa allows skilled workers to work in various sectors and offers other benefits to them.   

Based on the Immigration and Citizenship website of Australia, the subclass 482 visa has three different streams, which offer validity from one to four years. The following are the three streams:  

1. Short-Term Stream: lets you live, study, and work in the country for up to two years or up to four years if you’ve applied for International Trade Obligation (ITO).   
2. Medium-Term Stream: It also lets you live, study, and work, and it is valid for up to four years.  
3. Labour Agreement Stream: You can stay there for up to four years, and after that, apply for Australian citizenship if eligible.   

This visa has become a popular choice among many skilled professionals who wish to settle in a country like Australia. From providing wide access to employment opportunities to offering an easy pathway to permanent residency, the 482 Australia visa can unlock your dream to land in Australia.  

Advantages of an Australia 482 Visa

The temporary skill shortage 482 visa holders can study, work, and live in Australia for up to four years, depending on their visa stream. You can even include your immediate family or partner on your 482 visa and transition to a permanent residency if you are eligible.  

The following are the advantages offered by an Australian 482 visa: 

1. Offers Competitive Employment Opportunities

Every individual wishes to work in a country like Australia that offers a range of competitive employment opportunities. The Australia 482 visa makes that dream of yours easy as it allows non-Australian immigrants the opportunity to work in various high-skilled professions.  

If you are someone who has the right skills to work in the growing labor market of Australia, the 482 temporary visa offers you competitive employment opportunities.  

2. Let’s You Gain Professional Development

When you get to work and live in a country like Australia, which has a robust economy with quality career opportunities, it lets you gain professional development. With competitive salaries, diverse industries, good work-life balance and high quality of life, you get an overall development personally and professionally.  

3. Partner And Family Member Eligibility

The subclass 482 skill shortage visa allows the inclusion of partner and family members based on certain requirements. All you need is proof of your relationship status, which can easily allow your partners, family members, or kids to move to Australia.  

With this visa, your dependents also get to attend school and have the right to work freely. But note that your partners or family members are allowed to study or work depending on their primary applicant 482 visa duration.  

4. Creates a Pathway to Permanent Residency

Depending on how long you worked for the same employer in Australia, your chances of getting a permanent residency can increase. If you are on a medium stream of the 482 visa and have worked for at least 3 years for the same employer, you can get sponsored for a PR, depending on the employer’s willingness.   

5. Provides Support Through Sponsorship

Depending on your employer’s willingness in Australia, if they feel your genuine need, they can provide you with support through a sponsorship. If you work with the same employer for a good amount of time and they feel they need you more, this can often lead you to getting a PR and job security in Australia.   

Is this not an easy way to land in Australia, working there with the same employer and your employer sponsoring you to settle there permanently? All you need to do is get started by applying for the Australia 482 visa.  

6. Healthcare And Other Social Benefits

Australia is known to consistently rank the best for offering a world-class healthcare system. As a 482-visa holder, you can get wide access to its healthcare and other social benefits.  

This ensures that you and your family’s temporary or permanent residency in Australia is of high-quality, affordable, and hassle-free. However, note that your eligibility for such benefits totally depends on your visa duration and other criteria.  

Which Documents Are Required for the Australia 482 Visa Application?

The processing time for your 482 skill shortage visa can be from 36 to 60 days, depending on your visa term. If you have all the required paperwork and documents, they can be processed quickly and hassle-free. Following are the documents that are required for your Australia 482 visa application:  

• Your identity proofs, such as a valid passport, birth certificates, character documents, partner documents, current marriage certificate, or proof of de facto relationship.  
• A proof of your English language skills and skill assessment results.  
• Your qualification certificates, employer references, and CV.  
• Health insurance proof to cover the duration of your stay in Australia  

How to Apply for the Australia 482 Visa?

To apply for the Australia 482 visa, you just need to have competitive skills and a willingness to work in Australia on a temporary basis. Follow these three easy steps to get started with your application process.  

1. Confirm Your Occupation and Stream

Check that the position you are being offered is on the Core Skills Occupation List. If you have at least 2 years of experience in your chosen field, you can start looking for those jobs that fall under that category. Make sure you meet the qualifications, skills, and work experience required for that role.  

2. Employer Sponsorship

If you get your chosen job, you need to make your employer an approved sponsor so that they can nominate you for the skilled job position. If they have not already approved, they need to apply for Standard Business Sponsorship with the Department of Home Affairs.  

3. Employer Nomination

When an employer nominates you for a position, they need to show that the:  

• The job is genuine and will be full-time.  
• Labour market testing has been completed (advertising locally first, unless an exemption applies).  
• The salary meets the Core Skills Income Threshold and market rate for the occupation.  

4. Prepare Your Documents

For the visa application, you will need to have the following documents ready:  

• A valid passport with photos.  
• Proof of qualifications and relevant work experience.  
• English language test results (unless exempt).  
• Health insurance information.  
• Police clearance certificates. 

5. Lodge Your Visa Application

After you’ve prepared everything, then you have to submit your application online. You can do this through the Department of Home Affairs website.  

6. Application Assessment

The Department will then review the sponsorship, the nomination, and your visa application. You may also be asked to provide additional information in the future.  

7. Visa Decision and Conditions

If your visa is granted, you can live and work in Australia in the nominated role for up to four years (depending on your occupation and Stream). You must work for the sponsoring employer and follow all visa conditions.  

If you want a more detailed and step-by-step guide on how to apply for a 482 visa, then you can visit this website.   

Why Most 482 Visa Application Fails? Eligibility Criteria For 482 Australia Visa

While the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa opens doors for many skilled jobs, it’s not a free-for-all kind of visa. The Australian Government sets clear conditions to make sure only qualified applicants and genuine employers are part of the program. Here’s what you’ll need to tick off before you can pack your bags: 

1. An Approved Sponsor: You can’t apply for this visa on your own. You’ll need an Australian employer who is nominated and approved by the Department of Home Affairs to sponsor overseas workers. This sponsorship must be in place before your visa application is lodged. 
2. A Nominated Occupation on the Right List: Your job role must be on one of the official skilled occupation lists. The list that applies will depend on the visa stream you’re applying under. Here’s the full list of the Skilled Occupation List for all types of visas.  
3. Skills and Work Experience: You must have the skills and qualifications needed for your nominated occupation. In most cases, you’ll also need relevant work experience (often at least two years in your field, but this can vary by occupation and Stream). 
4. English Language Proficiency: Unless you’re exempt, you’ll need to meet the English language requirements set for your Stream. This usually means taking a recognized English test like IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL and achieving the required score. 
5. Market-Rate Salary and Minimum Threshold: Your sponsoring employer must pay you at least the market salary rate for your role, which is in line with any minimum salary thresholds set by the Government. This ensures overseas hires don’t undercut local wages. 
6. Health and Character Checks: Like most Australian visas, you’ll need to meet the country’s health standards and provide police clearance certificates to show you meet the character requirements. 
7. Genuine Position and Labour Market Testing: For most applications, the employer has to prove they tried to recruit an Australian worker first. This is called labour market testing, and it’s a way to ensure the role genuinely needs to be filled by an overseas candidate.

For more detailed information about eligibility for the 482 visa, you can visit the official website.  

Important Rules and Red Flags to Avoid When Applying for a 482 Visa

The Subclass 482 visa comes with strict conditions, and overlooking even one requirement can result in refusal or cancellation. Keep these in mind before applying for or while holding the visa: 

1. Make sure that you only work for your sponsoring employer in your nominated occupation. You cannot take up secondary employment or switch to a different role without official approval. If you want to change employers or occupations, your new employer must lodge a fresh nomination, and you will usually need to apply for a new visa. 
2. No specific age limit applies to the 482 visa, but you must still meet all other criteria, like skills, qualifications, minimum work experience, salary requirements, and English language proficiency. 
3. Always confirm your migration agent’s MARA registration before engaging their services. Registered agents are bound by a professional code of conduct. If someone is guaranteeing you that you’ll get “100% guaranteed approval” on your visa, then you better run. Because the chances of getting a 482 visa are slim, no agent can guarantee the outcome of your application. 
4. Check that your occupation is on the correct skilled occupation list for your visa stream. Applying under the wrong list or an ineligible occupation will result in an automatic refusal, regardless of your other credentials. 
5. Your salary must meet or exceed both the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold and the market salary rate for your nominated occupation. This ensures overseas workers are not paid less than local employees in similar roles. 
6. Maintain a health insurance that is valid for yourself and for any accompanying family members throughout your stay in Australia. If you fail to maintain adequate cover, then you might be breaching visa conditions. 
7. Submit only genuine, verifiable documents for your application. The Department of Home Affairs conducts thorough checks, which may include verifying payslips, tax returns, bank statements, and references. If you give any false or misleading information then it can lead to refusal, visa cancellation, and possible re-entry bans. 
   

If you’re applying for this visa, then remember that your visa application approval is not guaranteed. The requirements are strict, and many applications are refused each year.   

You can also check out our reel on the 482 visa, where our team at Immivoyage Consultants talked about this visa in detail, so that you can avoid the traps most applicants fall into.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Although we have covered everything in the above blog, if you still have any more questions, we have covered them all in detail in this section. Let’s go together through the most asked questions by people on the internet regarding the 482 visa: 

1. How much does a 482 visa cost? 

The total fees of your 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa depend on the Stream, the number of applicants, and other mandatory charges. The following is the breakdown of the visa fee in a bit of detail:   

Government Visa Application Charges   

• Main applicant: AUD 3,210  
• Additional applicant (18+): AUD 3,210  
• Additional applicant (under 18): AUD 805  
• Subsequent Temporary Application Charge (if applicable): AUD 700  

Other Government Charges  

• Sponsorship application fee: AUD 420 (paid by employer)  
• Nomination application fee: AUD 330 (paid by employer)  
• SAF levy: Small business: AUD 1,200/year, Large business: AUD 1,800/year  

Other Possible Costs  

• Skills assessment (if required)  
• English test: AUD 150-400  
• Police checks, translations, migration agent fees  

2. Can I bring my family to Australia on a 482 visa?  

Yes. You can bring your eligible family members (such as your legally married partner or a partner in a genuine relationship) in your application. They can live, work, and study in Australia while their visa is valid. 

Family members are included as secondary applicants and must meet health and character requirements. You will also need to show that you can financially support them in Australia. 

3. What is the minimum salary for an Australia 482 visa?  

There is no single fixed salary that applies to all occupations. Instead:  

• Employers must meet the market salary rate for their role and at least the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT).  
• However, the base salary threshold of around AUD 76,515 was used in some cases, though the actual requirement depends on the occupation and employer agreement.   

4. How long does it take to get a 482 Visa?   

Processing times vary by Stream and individual circumstances. Many applications are finalized within 1–3 months, but complex cases or missing documents can take longer.   

5. What are the new rules for a 482 visa?  

There are some recent changes and updates in the few rules of the 482 visa:  

From 1 July 2025, there has been an increase in the Salary Threshold. The Government has increased the income thresholds by 4.6% due to wage changes in Australia. According to the Economic Times:  

• Core Skills / TSMIT increases from AUD 73,150 to AUD 76,515.  

• Specialist Skills threshold rises from AUD 135,000 to AUD 141,210.  

Conclusion  

An Australia 482 visa can lead you to permanent residency in Australia, depending on whether your employer sponsors and wants you for your skills. However, it’s almost impossible to get a 482 visa, as it has rough competition and strict restrictions.   

That doesn’t mean your dream of moving to Australia is dead. There are other visa options that may fit your profile and offer a more achievable route to work and settle there.  

For clear advice on the best option for you, contact Immivoyage Consultants. We’ll guide you through the process and help you avoid costly mistakes.