482 Skills in Demand Visa — Complete Guide
What Is the 482 Visa?
Australia's primary temporary employer-sponsored visa — from the basics of what it is, through the three streams, the December 2024 rebrand from TSS to Skills in Demand, and how RedBridge connects you with a verified sponsoring employer.
Match Me to a 482 Sponsor — Free AssessmentWhat Is the 482 Skills in Demand Visa?
The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) visa is Australia's primary temporary employer-sponsored visa for skilled workers. Where the Subclass 189 and 190 visas are points-tested and independent, the 482 is employer-dependent: you are sponsored by a specific Australian business for a specific role in a specific occupation. The visa is granted to you as an individual, but it is tied to that employer and that nominated position.
The 482 was introduced in March 2018, replacing the Subclass 457 visa. It has since been the main mechanism by which Australian businesses fill skilled vacancies they cannot fill locally — a requirement that has become stricter over time, with more robust Labour Market Testing obligations introduced in recent years. On 7 December 2024, the visa was renamed from Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) to Skills in Demand (SID) as part of the Government's employer-sponsored visa reform package. The subclass number — 482 — did not change.
The 482 is a temporary visa. Most grants are for up to four years (the exact grant length depends on your stream and occupation). While temporary, the 482 comes with a defined pathway to permanent residency: after working with your sponsoring employer for two years, you become eligible to apply for a Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa under the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream — the most commonly used route from a 482 to Australian permanent residency.
A Quick Note on Naming — 482, SID, TSS, and "Class GK"
The Subclass 482 visa has accumulated several names over its short history, and content online reflects all of them. They all refer to the same visa.
482 — The subclass number. Universally used in practice by applicants, employers, and agents. The subclass number has never changed and is the most reliable identifier.
TSS (Temporary Skill Shortage) — The official name from March 2018 until 7 December 2024. Much existing content online still uses this term. It is not incorrect to say 'TSS visa', but it is outdated terminology.
SID (Skills in Demand) — The current official name, introduced on 7 December 2024. If a document or letter refers to the 'Skills in Demand visa', it is the same Subclass 482.
Class GK — The Department of Home Affairs' formal visa class code for the Subclass 482. The complete technical designation is 'Class GK Subclass 482 Skills in Demand'. Class GK appears on grant letters and VEVO records. It is not a separate visa, a different stream, or a product offered by a specialist provider. If you have seen 'GK 482 visa' in any context, it refers to the standard 482 described on this page.
Who the 482 Is For
The 482 is for skilled workers who have a specific eligible occupation, some relevant work experience, and an Australian employer willing to sponsor them. It is not a pathway for people without a work history, and it is not self-sponsored — you cannot sponsor yourself. Every 482 application requires an approved sponsoring employer.
You need all of the following before you can be nominated:
An occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), or coverage under the Specialist Skills stream or a Labour Agreement
At least one year of full-time, paid, verifiable work experience in your nominated ANZSCO occupation
An Australian employer willing to obtain Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) approval and nominate you for the specific role
An English language benchmark result that meets the applicable threshold for your stream
A salary offer that meets or exceeds the relevant income threshold (Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) for Core Skills; $135,000 for Specialist Skills — verify current figures at homeaffairs.gov.au)
The employer-dependency is why matching is the hardest part of the process for most applicants — not the paperwork, and not the eligibility. Employers who are willing to sponsor are the constraint. That is the problem RedBridge's employer network exists to solve.
The 482's Three Streams
The Skills in Demand visa is divided into three streams. Which stream applies to you is determined primarily by your ANZSCO occupation code and your salary. Your stream determines the occupation list that applies to you, the minimum salary requirement, and some aspects of the visa grant conditions. At your RedBridge eligibility consultation, your consultant confirms which stream is relevant before any application work begins.
Core Skills Stream
The Core Skills stream is the most widely used pathway and covers the broadest range of skilled occupations. To be eligible, your nominated occupation must appear on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) — a consolidated list maintained by the Department of Home Affairs. The CSOL replaced the previous MLTSSL (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List) and STSOL (Short-term Skilled Occupation List) when the Skills in Demand reforms came into effect in December 2024.
Your annual earnings must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT). The CSIT is currently $79,499 per year (base salary, excluding superannuation) — this figure is subject to annual review, typically on 1 July, and the number on this page may not reflect the most current rate. Verify at homeaffairs.gov.au before any application is prepared.
Core Skills stream visas are typically granted for up to four years. After two years of continuous employment with your sponsoring employer in your nominated occupation, you become eligible to apply for permanent residency via the Subclass 186 ENS Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream.
Specialist Skills Stream
The Specialist Skills stream is for highly skilled professionals in roles that require specialist knowledge and command a substantially higher salary. The minimum salary threshold for this stream is $135,000 per year (base salary, excluding superannuation) — also subject to annual review, verify at homeaffairs.gov.au.
Unlike the Core Skills stream, Specialist Skills applications are not restricted to the CSOL, providing more flexibility in occupation eligibility. However, the higher salary floor means this stream is applicable to a narrower group of applicants. For the occupations RedBridge most commonly works with — ICT, accounting, marketing, and engineering — the Core Skills stream is the applicable pathway for the majority of clients. Your consultant confirms which stream applies at the free assessment.
Labour Agreement Stream
The Labour Agreement stream applies where an employer or industry body has negotiated a formal agreement with the Australian Government that modifies the standard 482 visa conditions. These agreements are sector-specific and are used where neither the Core Skills nor the Specialist Skills stream adequately addresses a particular industry's workforce needs.
Labour agreements exist across industries including hospitality, agriculture, meat processing, and on-hire arrangements. If a labour agreement may apply to your situation, your employer's HR or legal team will know — these are employer-level and industry-level arrangements, not something individual applicants typically initiate or negotiate independently.
What Changed When TSS Became Skills in Demand (7 December 2024)
The renaming of the 482 visa from Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) to Skills in Demand (SID) on 7 December 2024 was more than a cosmetic update. Understanding what changed — and what did not — is important if you are working from older content or were assessed under the previous TSS framework.
What Stayed the Same
The core structure of the visa is unchanged:
The subclass number (482) is unchanged
The employer sponsorship requirement — you still need an employer to obtain Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) and nominate you
The SAF (Skilling Australians Fund) levy obligation — employers must still pay this at nomination, at the same rates
The pathway to permanent residency via the Subclass 186 ENS (TRT stream) after 2 years of qualifying employment
The basic eligibility requirements: relevant work experience, English language benchmark, and occupation eligibility
Existing grants were not affected. If you held a valid TSS (482) visa before 7 December 2024, your conditions remain as they were at the time of grant.
What Changed
The most significant structural change was the consolidation of the MLTSSL and STSOL into a single Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). If your occupation was assessed under the previous lists, it is worth re-checking against the current CSOL — some occupations were reclassified, and the applicable stream or conditions may have changed.
The Specialist Skills stream was formalised as a distinct pathway within the 482 framework, with a defined minimum salary threshold of $135,000 (subject to annual review). Previously, high-salary occupations were handled through the standard stream without a separate formal designation.
English language requirements were also adjusted for some streams and occupations under the reform. Your specific English benchmark depends on your stream and ANZSCO code — confirm the current requirement at your eligibility consultation.
For most applicants, the practical effect is: check the current CSOL (not the old MLTSSL/STSOL) when assessing occupation eligibility, and confirm which stream applies at your RedBridge consultation. The general sponsorship process, employer obligations, and PR pathway are unchanged.
How the 482 Sponsorship Process Works
The 482 visa involves three separate applications lodged in sequence. Understanding this structure matters because each stage has its own processing time, cost, and eligibility check — a failure at any stage stops the process.
The first stage is Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS). Before any individual can be sponsored, the employer must be approved as a standard business sponsor by the Department of Home Affairs. Established Australian businesses in good standing typically receive SBS approval. SBS is not occupation-specific — it applies to the business as an entity. Most sponsoring employers either already hold SBS approval or obtain it as a concurrent first step.
Stage 1 — Standard Business Sponsorship (Employer)
The employer applies to become an approved sponsor. This involves demonstrating that the business is lawfully operating in Australia, has a satisfactory immigration and employment compliance record, and has not had any adverse court or tribunal decisions within the relevant period. SBS approval is valid for five years and can cover multiple sponsored employees.
Stage 2 — Nomination (Employer + Position)
Once SBS is approved, the employer nominates a specific position — tied to an ANZSCO code — that they cannot fill from the local labour market. The nomination must include evidence of Labour Market Testing (LMT): advertising the role in Australia for at least 28 days before lodging the nomination. The nominated position must meet the salary threshold (CSIT for Core Skills; $135,000 for Specialist Skills) and must be a genuine vacancy with full-time hours.
Stage 3 — Visa Application (Applicant)
After the nomination is lodged (or sometimes concurrently), the individual applicant lodges their own visa application. This is where your personal eligibility is assessed: work experience, skills assessment (if required), English language, health, and character. Family members who will accompany you are included in the same application. Processing times for the visa application vary depending on stream and officer workload — consult homeaffairs.gov.au for the current indicative processing times.
The 482 Pathway to Permanent Residency
The 482 is a temporary visa, but it is explicitly designed as a stepping stone to permanent residency for many holders. Two established PR pathways exist for 482 holders.
The most used route is the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) — Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. After working continuously with your sponsoring employer for two years in your nominated occupation, you can apply for the 186 TRT. Your employer nominates you; you apply. Because you are already in Australia, working, with a verified employment record, the 186 TRT application is typically more straightforward than a 186 Direct Entry application lodged from offshore. There is no age limit for the 186 TRT, and you are not required to sit another English test if you have already met the 482 English requirement (subject to current policy — confirm at your consultation).
The second route — less common from a 482 base — is the 186 Direct Entry stream, which is available to applicants with three or more years of work experience in the nominated occupation. This route does not require two years with the same employer first, but it does require a formal skills assessment for most occupations. Some applicants pursue 186 DE directly after building their experience record offshore or with a different Australian employer.
A third option — less frequently used but worth noting — is the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Subclass 494, which leads to the Subclass 191 after three years in a regional area. This path applies only if your sponsoring employer is based in a designated regional area.
PR pathway eligibility conditions are set by legislation and are subject to change. The information above reflects the position as of December 2024. Confirm current requirements at homeaffairs.gov.au and at your consultation before making any decisions based on this page.
RedBridge Employer Matching
How RedBridge's 482 Employer Matching Works
The Sponsorship Wall
Even employers who want to hire you will walk away when they see the complexity: Standard Business Sponsorship lodgement, Labour Market Testing evidence, nomination forms, SAF levy payments, and visa application management. Most HR teams don't have the bandwidth — or the knowledge.
Your Employer, Our Process
RedBridge manages every step of the sponsorship process for your employer, through our licensed migration agent partner Insight Idea. We handle SBS lodgement, nomination, and visa application. Your employer gets a vetted, work-ready hire. You get a sponsor who is properly set up and legally protected.
How We Match You
01
Profile Assessment
We confirm your occupation, experience record, assessment status, and English language requirement — and give you an honest viability rating.
02
Employer Introduction
We match your profile to verified employers in our network who have roles in your occupation and are open to 482 sponsorship.
03
Full Sponsorship Management
SBS, nomination, and visa application — all managed by Insight Idea. Your employer doesn't have to navigate the Department alone.
04
186 TRT Planning
From day one, we track the 2-year milestone that makes you eligible for a permanent 186 Employer Nomination visa. Nothing is left to chance.
Real Outcome
Network Engineer · 2.5 years exp
7 months to 482 grant“Over 80 applications on Seek and LinkedIn. Two interviews. Zero offers. No employer wanted to deal with the sponsorship paperwork on their own.”
“RedBridge matched me with a verified sponsor in my field within a month. They handled everything — SBS, nomination, the lot. My 482 came through in seven months.”
Minimum Requirements
1+ year of full-time experience in your nominated ANZSCO occupation
Skills assessment completed or in progress (ACS, CAANZ, EA, or VETASSESS)
Occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
English language requirement met (IELTS, PTE, or equivalent)
Typical Timeline
3–12 months to 482 visa grant · 2 years to 186 TRT eligibility
On the SAF levy: Australian law prohibits employers from passing the SAF levy cost to visa applicants. If any party asks you to pay it, that is illegal. Every employer in our network understands this.
Common Questions
Can my existing employer use RedBridge to sponsor me?
Yes. If you already have an employer willing to sponsor but they need help navigating the process, we can onboard them and manage SBS, nomination, and visa application through Insight Idea.
How long does employer matching typically take?
Most clients are matched within 4–8 weeks. Visa processing after SBS approval typically adds 3–9 months depending on occupation, nationality, and Department processing times.
Does my employer have to pay the SAF levy?
Yes — by Australian law, the employer must pay all SBS costs and the SAF levy. It is illegal for the employer to pass these costs to you. Every employer in our network is briefed on this before any introduction is made.
What if your network has no employer in my occupation?
We will tell you. We do not fabricate matches or introduce you to employers who aren't genuinely hiring in your field. If our current network doesn't have the right fit, we'll advise on what we can do or refer you to the appropriate resource.
After This Page
Where to Go Next
The 482 visa covers a lot of ground. These four pages each go deep on one specific area.
482 Visa Requirements & Eligibility
Is your occupation on the CSOL? Do you need a skills assessment? What does your employer need to have in place first? A complete pre-application checklist.
Check requirements →482 Visa Conditions
What condition 8607 actually means. Whether you can change employers. What maternity leave on a sponsored visa looks like. What a breach means in practice.
Read conditions →482 Visa Cost & Fees
Government application charge, the SAF levy (who pays it and how much), agent fees, skills assessment costs, English testing — and a realistic total so you can plan.
See cost breakdown →186 Direct Entry Sponsorship
3+ years of experience? You may qualify to skip the 482 entirely and go straight to permanent residency via the Subclass 186 Direct Entry stream.
Explore 186 DE →TSS → Skills in Demand: What Changed
The December 2024 rebrand explained — what's new, what's identical, and what it means if you hold a TSS visa or are applying now under the SID framework.
Read the explainer →482 to PR: Full Pathway Guide
The 186 TRT stream, the current 2-year rule, whether time resets if you change employers, and a realistic end-to-end timeline from 482 grant to holding your PR visa.
Read the guide →Finding Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Australia
Why cold-applying on Seek converts poorly for sponsored roles, what employers actually look for before agreeing to sponsor, and how a verified employer network changes the equation.
Read the guide →Other Employer Pathways