Skills in Demand visa
The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) program in late 2024 and lets approved Australian employers sponsor skilled workers when they cannot fill a position locally. It runs in three streams — Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and Essential Skills — with different salary thresholds and durations. The visa is not points-tested.
At a glance
- Points test
- Not points-tested
- Sponsor
- Employer sponsor required
- Base application charge
- from $1,455 short-term / from $3,035 medium-term (check immi.gov.au for current fee)
- Processing time
- ~1-4 months (median)
- Pathway
- Provides a pathway to permanent residency via the Subclass 186 ENS Temporary Residence Transition stream after two years of employment with the sponsor.
Recent updates
See all updates →- watch2026-27 visa application charges now in effect
Visa Application Charges (VAC) for Australian skilled visas were indexed as of 1 July 2026 as part of the annual Federal Budget fee adjustment. Charges for Subclass 189, 190, 491, 482 (Skills in Demand), 186, 494, and 858 have been updated. Always verify the current fee schedule on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before applying — secondary applicant charges also increase proportionally. The 'Base fee' figures shown on individual visa pages on this site reflect the last editorial review date shown.
- criticalSubclass 482 renamed to 'Skills in Demand' visa
The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) subclass 482 visa was renamed to the Skills in Demand (SID) visa, with structural reforms including three streams (Specialist Skills Pathway, Core Skills Pathway, Essential Skills Pathway), new salary thresholds (Specialist and Core income thresholds), reduced minimum work-experience requirement (1 year), and improved pathways to permanent residence (mobility between sponsors and Subclass 186 ENS). Verify current salary thresholds on home affairs immi.gov.au — they are indexed annually.
- infoOSCA launched as ABS classification standard
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), progressively replacing the long-standing ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations). OSCA preserves a similar 6-digit structure but introduces revised major groups, updated occupation definitions, and new entries for emerging roles. The Department of Home Affairs is adopting OSCA progressively across 2025-2026 — most skilled-visa occupation lists still reference ANZSCO codes during the transition. Always cross-check the live occupation list on home affairs at application time.
Key requirements
High-level eligibility criteria. Each criterion has further sub-rules; verify with immi.gov.au before applying.
- Nominated by an approved Australian sponsor
- Position pays at least the relevant Core Skills Income Threshold
- At least one year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation
- Positive skills assessment if required for the occupation/passport combination
- Vocational English (IELTS 5.0 in each component or equivalent)
- Health and character requirements
Skills assessment
Skills assessment is only required for some occupation/passport combinations — the assessing body is the same one listed for the ANZSCO code.
Eligible occupations
ANZSCO occupations currently flagged for Subclass 482 in our latest dataset.
No occupations matched this subclass in our latest sync. Occupation list updates frequently — check immi.gov.au for the current list.
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