Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)

What are the streams?

• Core Skills: your occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and you are paid at least the market rate and no less than the Core Skills Income Threshold.
• Specialist Skills: your occupation is in ANZSCO major groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 and the nominated salary meets the Specialist Skills Income Threshold.
• Labour agreement: your employer has a labour agreement with the Australian Government. Stay is up to 4 years depending on the agreement.
• Subsequent entrant: you are a family member joining a primary 482 or 457 holder.

The SID visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024.

Salary thresholds

The 3.8% increase on 1 July 2026 applies to new nominations only. Nominations lodged before that date, and existing visa holders, are not affected. The employer must also pay the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR), which is what an Australian worker would earn for equivalent full-time work at the same workplace and location. You must be paid the higher of the AMSR and the threshold, and the threshold does not count non-monetary benefits such as accommodation or a car.

Who can apply?

You must:

• be nominated by an approved sponsor (or one that has at least applied to be a Standard Business Sponsor)
• have at least 1 year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field, gained in the last 5 years (part-time or casual work counts if equal to 12 months full-time)
• hold a positive skills assessment if your occupation requires one (it must be started before you lodge and within 3 years)
• meet the English requirement unless exempt
• meet health and character requirements, and pay back any debt to the Australian Government
• sign the Australian values statement
• not have paid for sponsorship in the past 3 years

Medical practitioners must have their qualifications recognised by the relevant Australian authority. There is no age limit.

English requirement

Tests must be taken within 3 years before you apply. For tests taken on or after 13 September 2025 the minimum score in each skill is:

Tests taken earlier use an overall score instead: IELTS 5.0 overall with 5 in each component, PTE 36 in each component, TOEFL iBT total 35 (4 listening and reading, 14 speaking and writing), Cambridge C1 Advanced 154, OET B in each component. For tests on or after 21 January 2026, TOEFL applicants must select "Taking TOEFL for Australia".

Exempt: passport holders of Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK and the USA; five years of full-time secondary-level study mostly in English; work in a foreign diplomatic mission or Taiwan office; occupations that require a licence for which you already proved equal or higher English; employees of an overseas business who will earn at least A$96,400.

Cost

• A$4,015 for the main applicant and each dependant aged 18 or over
• A$1,005 for each dependant under 18
• A lower charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens from 1 July 2026
• Extra costs for English tests, health checks, police certificates and biometrics

What can you do on the visa?

Work in Australia in the nominated occupation, only for your sponsor or an associated entity (unless exempt). Your family can live, study and work in Australia. You must start work within 90 days of arriving (or of the grant, if you are in Australia). Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Family

Family members are your partner, your dependent children and stepchildren, and your partner's. You cannot add family after lodging, but they can apply as subsequent entrants. Family members aged 16 and over must meet character requirements.

Where can you apply?

Inside or outside Australia (not in immigration clearance). Inside Australia you need a substantive visa or Bridging visa A, B or C.

Processing priority

Applications are processed under Ministerial Direction 121. The Department is currently working on applications lodged in February 2026 (construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, resources, and law enforcement and defence), July 2026 (Specialist Skills stream), January 2026 (applicants in Australia when they lodged) and October 2025 (applicants outside Australia). Use the processing times tool for a current guide.

What does the employer do?

The employer must be an approved sponsor, advertise the job (see sponsor obligations), prove the salary and nominate you before you apply. You need the Transaction Reference Number for the nomination when you lodge.

Can I change employers?

You can only work for your sponsor or an associated entity. If you change employer, the new employer must nominate you and you apply for a new visa.

Can I get permanent residence?

Yes. The Employer Nomination Scheme (186) has a Temporary Residence Transition stream. See 482 to PR and the 186 guide.