482 Temporary Skilled Shortage Visa – Employer-Sponsored
Work Pathway

Overview of the Skills In Demand Visa (Subclass 482)

  • Commonly known as TSS visa, Subclass 482 visa is intended for Australian employers to address labour shortages with skilled workers from overseas where employers are unable to find a suitably qualified Australian equivalent.

  • While Subclass 482 visa is temporary, its holders may become eligible for permanent residency after 2 years.

  • You may include your family in your visa application so your entire family can migrate together.

Application Process for the Skills In Demand Visa (Subclass 482)

Step 1 – Sponsorship application

  • the employer must apply to become a standard business sponsor

Step 2 – Nomination application

  • the employer nominates the applicant to fill a full-time position

Step 3 – Skills assessment application (if applicable)

  • the applicant submits application for skills assessment

Step 4 – Visa application

  • the applicant lodges the Subclass 482 visa application

Streams of the Skills In Demand Visa (Subclass 482)

  • Labour Agreement stream – this applies if:

    • standard visa programs are not available, for example, because of an applicant’s low English proficiency

    • employer must first negotiate a labour agreement with Commonwealth/state government

    • terms and conditions of the labour agreement are flexible and negotiable, allowing for concessions and lower visa requirements

Eligibility Criteria for the Skills In Demand Visa (Subclass 482)

For employer:

Be a lawfully operating business with no adverse information unless exempt

Become a business sponsor

Demonstrate a genuine need for a full-time position

Nominated occupation meets caveats requirements (if applicable)

Establish the position cannot be filled by an Australian citizen or permanent resident through Labour Market Testing (the position must be advertised strictly in accordance with migration law)

Pay the nominee (applicant)  at least annual market salary rate (AMSR) which cannot be lower than:

  • $76,515 + superannuation
  • ​caveats if applicable

Ensure the employment conditions that will apply to the nominee are not less favourable than those that apply/would apply to an Australian worker performing equivalent work at the same location.

Pay Skilling Australians Fund levy

For applicant:

The nominated occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)

No age limit

Have at least 1 year of full-time (or equivalent part-time/casual) experience in the nominated occupation within the past 5 years – 3 years’ or even more experience may be required in certain cases

Have relevant qualification and registration/licence (if applicable)

Meet health and character requirements

Meet English language requirements unless exempt (please note certain occupations, such as Accountant, are required to have a higher level of English proficiency)

Obtain a positive skills assessment (if applicable)

Convincingly demonstrate you are a Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) that only intends to stay in Australia temporarily

Arrange health insurance for time in Australia

Pathway to Permanent Residency

You will become eligible for permanent residency (Subclass 186 visa) if:

  • You have worked in the same occupation for 2 years on Subclass 482 TSS visa.

  • You have competent English (IELTS 6 in each band or equivalent) – exemptions apply.

  • You are under 45 years old when you apply for PR.

Location

Applicants may be in or outside Australia at the time of application and visa grant (exception applies).

Duration of Stay

Core Skills Stream::

  • up to 4 years

  • up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders

Specialist Skills Stream::

  • up to 4 years

  • up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders

Labour Agreement Stream::

  • up to 4 years

  • up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders

Tricks and Common Reasons for Refusal

1 – The Genuineness of the Offered Position

Clearly, one of the most common reasons for a refusal for Subclass 482 visa is the offered position is deemed as not genuine by the Immigration which believed it was created mainly or solely for the purpose of assisting the visa applicant in gaining a visa. The Immigration made this decision by taking into consideration a whole range of factors including but not limited to:

  • The size of the sponsoring business

  • the structure of the business

  • the applicant’s overall immigration history

  • the applicant’s overall circumstances

The Immigration’s decision is a judgment call based on the supporting documentation and information submitted and the highly discretionary nature of the decision has caused a staggering number of refusals and will keep doing the same.

Consequently, part of our process for assisting you with Subclass 482 visa is help you and your employer prepare a vitally important, formal, exclusive and comprehensive legal submission by drawing on our nearly 20 years’ industry experience, convincingly addressing and arguing every single factor to your advantage because we are fully aware of what factors the Immigration is looking at exactly and the rationale and mentality behind every one of them. We are positive this will significantly increase your chances of a visa grant, just as it has for our previous clients.

2 – Failing to Demonstrate Professional Skills Properly Against Skills Assessment Criteria

Apparently, skills assessment is the first step and challenge of the entire Subclass 482 visa process as it can be complex and even confusing, requiring an exquisite and to-the-point demonstration of your skills not only in the form of supporting paperwork, but sometime also practical/technical assessment. Therefore rushing into skills assessment without knowing exactly what a skills assessing body is looking for is highly risky and quite often leads to an unfavourable outcome. This is why hiring an immigration professional to assist you right at the beginning is important. 

3 – ”Irrelevant” Work Experience

One of the most unfortunate yet common scenarios is the applicant’s work experience is deemed irrelevant to their chosen occupation by skills assessing authority. This is typically because the authorities decided the applicant was not actually performing the job duties they claimed and that even the applicant had chosen a wrong occupation to start with. When this happens, things go straight to square one, which is certainly frustrating. We have had numerous clients that went through exactly this before turning to us for professional assistance.

We hence noticed it is not they didn’t do those jobs, but they simply failed to present their day-to-day professional activities in the submitted paperwork in a proper and acceptable manner to the assessing body. In view of this, we have made it part of our routine to thoroughly check through and revise every client’s work references, résumé and other employment-related paperwork where possible to ensure they are in line with what the authorities expect from your occupation so that you end up with a big smile.

4 – Unfamiliarity with How the Australian Immigration Works and Its Mentality

In many cases, applicants prepare and submit their supporting documentation in a disorderly way, giving the Immigration a hard time digging through tons of paperwork to get things in the right order when picking up a new visa application. This will potentially lead to endless back-and-forth clarification and explanation, wasting both sides lots of time and can even result in a refusal of Subclass 482 visa.

This is common since applying for a visa, especially a permanent one, is the very first time to most applicants. For this reason, our team have developed our own system for labelling, coding, structuring and, where necessary, cross-referencing documentation so your application can be submitted in the most presentable and logical manner. Making your application stand out among all competitors has been our goal from day one.

5 – Careless Yet Costly Mistakes

Applying for migration is seen as a delicate work of art due to the staggering amount of attention, paperwork, and details involved. A seemingly minor/harmless error such as a typo in your résumé, a date entered wrong, or a tick in the wrong box in the lengthy visa application form can prove costly as the Immigration processes all visa applications strictly in accordance with migration law, in particular Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994. Even a small error can be regarded as failing to satisfy a visa requirement and therefore lead to a visa refusal. To minimise such incidents, our team pay extra attention while editing and drafting every client’s paperwork and always proofread and also conduct a final review of documentation before submission.

6 – Applications Not Being Decision-ready

Another common reason for refusal, even instant refusal, for Subclass 482 visa is submitting an application without all the required documentation. This happens when the application was prepared carelessly, or when the applicant was trying to rush an application for whatever reason (e.g. meeting a cut-off date of a major migration policy change which happens almost each and every year and often catches people off guard).

Even with 43 years of team experience, we handle each application cautiously and meticulously like our first to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Should a sudden change of policy hit and impact you, we are more than capable of advising you how to salvage your application in terms of what documents are mandatory at the time of submission and what can wait so you are never in danger of a straight-up visa refusal upon submission.

Benefits

With this visa, you may:

  • migrate to Australia together with your family

  • apply for permanent residency if eligible

  • potentially bring your extended family members to Australia permanently on parent visa or visa intended for other relatives

  • access your superannuation after you have departed Australia (if paid $450 or more before tax in a month)

  • stay in Australia for a number of years without having to leave

  • travel overseas and back to Australia for any purposes (e.g. overseas holiday, visiting family and/or attending family matters in home country)

  • study in Australia without any limitations

  • attend free English language course provided by Australian government

Application Fees​

You may include your family in the application so your family can migrate to Australia together.

  • Application fee for sponsorship: $420

  • Application fee for nomination: $330

  • Skilling Australian Fund levy:

    • $1200 per year per nominee (if annual turnover is less than $10m); or

    • $1800 per year per nominee (if annual turnover is over $10m)

  • Application fee for visa (medium-term stream):

    • Main applicant: $2770

    • Each secondary applicant aged 18 or over: $2770

    • Each secondary applicant under 18: $695

  • Application fee for visa (short-term stream): 

    • Main applicant: $1330

    • Each secondary applicant aged 18 or over: $1330

    • Each secondary applicant under 18: $335

Please note: you may incur third-party charges, for example, for translation, skills assessment, English test, police certificate and health exam.

Processing Time​

Kindly note the processing time constantly varies. Please contact us for update.

Short-term stream:​

  • 75% of applications: 5 months

  • 90% of applications: 14 months

Medium-term stream:​

  • 75% of applications: 3 months

  • 90% of applications: 7 months

Labour Agreement stream:​

  • 75% of applications: 71 days

  • 90% of applications: 6 months

Visa Conditions

  • Subclass 482 TSS visa holders can only work for the employer that sponsored him/her.
  • Subclass 482 TSS visa holders must start working for the employer within:
    • 90 days after the holder’s arrival in Australia if the holder was outside Australia when the visa was granted; or
    • 90 days after the grant of Subclass TSS 482 visa if the holder was in Australia when the visa was granted
  • Subclass 482 TSS visa holders can switch employer while on Subclass TSS 482 visa, but must not be unemployed for over 60 days in between.
  • If the subclass 482 TSS visa holder is required to hold a licence, registration or membership that is mandatory to perform the work, the holder must have it within:
    • 90 days after the holder arrives in Australia if the holder was outside Australia when the Subclass 482 TSS visa was granted; or
    • 90 days after the Subclass 482 TSS visa was granted if the holder was in Australia when the visa was granted
  • Subclass 482 TSS visa holders must maintain valid health insurance.

Your Work Rights

The Department is working with the Fair Work Ombudsman to help employees and employers understand and follow Australian Workplace laws.

Information on pay rates, shift calculations, leave arrangements and notice and redundancy entitlements is in the Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT).

The Fair Work Ombudsman website has more information on workplace rights and entitlements for visa holders and migrant workers.

Our Unbeatable Services - How Exactly We Make It Hassle-free

consulting

  • Let’s face it – visa applications are complex, especially when you are not an expert in Australian immigration law - that is Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994.

  • Simply put – our visa and immigration legal services are truly unbeatable.

  • This is because our immigration lawyers and registered migration agents in Melbourne do all of the 40 Things in Our Exclusive 5-step Services for you to:

    • give you a stress-free visa application journey;
    • maximise your chances of a successful application outcome.
  • Can you find such detailed and specific services elsewhere? We guarantee you can’t.

  • This way, you know your money really is well-spent.

FAQ’s

1. What’s the advantage of Subclass 482 TSS visa compared to Subclass 494 visa and Subclass 186 visa (Direct Entry stream)?

Subclass 482 TSS visa requires lower English language score/proficiency AND lower work experience.

2. Can I apply for PR (permanent residency) through Subclass 482 TSS visa?

Yes, all occupations, including those on short-term occupation list, are eligible for PR starting 25 November 2023.

3. What’s the most common reason for refusal for Subclass 482 TSS visa?

The most common reason is the Immigration’s case officer doesn’t believe the employer has a genuine need for a full-time worker. Essentially, this is a judgement call of the case officer based on available information and evidence and therefore can sometimes be subjective in nature.

4. How long does it take to transition from Subclass 482 TSS visa to permanent residency?

From 25 November 2023, the waiting period required to apply for PR for Subclass 482 TSS visa holders will be shortened from 3 years to only 2 years.

5. Can I extend Subclass 482 visa?

Yes, you can apply for another Sucblass 482 TSS visa and there is no limit on how many 482 TSS visa you can hold in a lifetime.

6. Is labour market testing (LMT) mandatory for Subclass 482 TSS visa?

No, labour market testing is exempt in certain cases, for example, if the visa applicant is a citizen/national of Brunei, China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, Vietnam or is a citizen/national/permanent resident of Canada, Chile, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore or the United Kingdom.

7. Can I apply for Subclass 482 TSS visa if my work experience is part-time?

Yes, part-time experience can be considered.

8. Do I need skills assessment for Subclass 482 TSS visa?

Usually, you don’t need skills assessment for Subclass 482 TSS visa, but this can be mandatory if you are nominated to a trade occupation (e.g. chef, carpenter, electrician) and you are from a certain country.

9. Can I quit my job or switch employer while on Subclass 482 TSS visa?

Yes, but you cannot be unemployed for over 60 days in between. Meanwhile, you need to find a new employer who must lodge their sponsorship and new nomination application for you as soon as possible. Keep in mind that you can work for the new employer only after the new nomination has been approved.

10. Can I still apply for Subclass 482 TSS visa if I don’t meet some requirements (e.g. English, work experience requirements)?

Yes, it is possible if you apply under labour agreement stream.

11. Can I apply for Subclass 482 TSS visa if my occupation is not on any occupation list?

Yes, it is possible if you apply under labour agreement stream.

12. Can I get Medicare when I’m on Subclass 482 TSS visa?

If you are applying for or holding a 482 visa, you are responsible for all your health costs while you are in Australia and you need to maintain adequate health insurance. You will not be covered by Australia’s national health scheme (Medicare) unless your country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia. Please visit Medicare for details.

13. Who should pay the relevant fees?

Certain costs can by paid by either the visa applicant or the employer (sponsor), but the following must be paid by the employer:

  • Sponsorship application fee
  • nomination application fee
  • Skilling Australian Fund (SAF) levy

100% Money Back Guarantee

I had an amazing experience with Danny today. Thank you so much for your patience and answering my questions regarding my Mum's visa. Greatly appreciated.
Wow.. outstanding service. Highly recommended 👌
Danny was so helpful and managed to squeeze us in last minute to address some issues we were having. He was very knowledgeable and helpful answering our questions. He heard all of our concerns and gave us time to work the best possible route out 👍👍
We have had a great experience with Danny, he helped us feel much more confident with the visa process and looking forward to what the future holds. Thanks again highly recommend.
Can't express how helpful Danny was. Was in a pretty stressful situation and he laid out all my options for me and gave me realistic expectations for each. It felt like he actually cared and had my best interests at heart. He managed to squeeze me in due to the urgency and took his time answering all of my questions and didn't make me feel rushed.

Would honestly highly recommend.

Thank you Danny!
Danny was incredibly helpful. I came in with only a vague idea of how the immigration process worked, but he took the time to break down each step clearly and explain what everything meant. It really helped me understand the process better and gave me the confidence to make an informed decision.
Danny was very helpful and explained the process well. Helped me clear all my confusions and made me feel more confident about my visa journey
They really help me with my visa papers, always in touch giving me the best options. totally recomended
I highly recommend Gold Medal Visa for anyone looking for reliable and professional migration services. My experience with them has been amazing. Danny is extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and genuinely cares about his clients. He always provides prompt responses, clear guidance, and makes the whole process so smooth and stress-free. Their professionalism and dedication truly stand out. Thank you, Danny, Marcus and the Gold Medal Visa team, for your excellent service and support!
Thank you to Harmandeep and the team at Gold Medal Visa for their professionalism and clear explanations throughout the process. Our Visa granted on 06/10/25. highly recommend using Gold Medal Visa for your visa application, their expertise makes the process easy and smooth! Thank you.
I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Gold Medal Visa for their outstanding support and guidance throughout my 482 visa process. They handled my entire case with great professionalism and care, making everything go very smoothly.
One of the best things about their service was the way they prepared all the required documents in one go everything was organized, accurate, and completed on time. Their dedication, clear communication, and expert knowledge made the whole process stress-free for me.
I’m truly thankful for their efforts and highly recommend Gold Medal Visa to anyone looking for a reliable and professional migration service.
Thank you once again for your excellent work and continuous support!
Specially thanks for Danny He & Nic.
Thank you to Danny and the team at Gold Medal Visa for their professionalism and clear explanations throughout the process. Everything was handled smoothly and with great care. Highly recommend their services
Well Mr Danny is the best of the best in knowledge and expertise in spouse gold visa ,from the time we met him till 17 months later not only did we get a 820 visa but the 801 at the same time ,Danny from begining knew our stories from some hiccups to good outcomes in our lives and he agreed after disecting all at the begining that we should get a spouse visa approval and as he said it happened and in a quicker time frame .if we called his team some weeks 5 times in a week to ease our stress they were always helpful and putting us at ease ,and yes each time I called Danny he answered his phone personally,

I recommend Danny and his team very highly for anybody's visa headaches, the whole team will solve it for you .we'll done guys 🤗🤗💯 out of 💯
Highly recommended! Thanks to Danny, Marcus and Nic, I received my permanent residency a few days ago. Very happy with the professionalism and support during the process.
Highly recommend, really happy with the service we received. Helped us step by step and was very responsive and knowledgeable
It was such a pleasure to work with Danny and his team Marcus and Nic ! Friendly, approachable, and always happy to answer our questions. The whole experience felt easy and stress-free. Thank you!
Very professional, knowlegable when it comes to the migration law. Just made sure to get all the documentation that Danny said we would need, and got the partner visa in a record time. Truly remarkable! I highly recommend using Gold Medal Visa for your visa application, their expertise makes the process easy and smooth!
Thanks to Danny, he helped me and my sponsor company to do our process visa application 482. I'm extremely happy with the results.
Thank you so much Gold Medal Visa, I’m very happy with the service and the results of my visa 482. They help us with everything, easy and smooth process. I highly recommend them.
I had the pleasure of having Danny assigned as my point of contact while applying for my visa, and he was nothing short of absolutely exemplary! He was patient, clear, available for contact, always prompt, and exceptionally polite in his responses. It truly feels as though I wouldn't have been able to navigate this process without him, and we cannot thank him enough! Not only would I strongly recommend Gold Medal Visa's services, but will also continue to use him for my citizenship application further down the line!
A very professional agency. They are very direct, honest, and transparent.
A professional and helpful agency, strongly recommended for visa enquiries.
Exceptional service without costing as much compared to other agencies. Highly recommend Danny and Gold Medal Visa’s services.
Thanks for the hard work and professionalism, our partner visa got approved a lot sooner than expected.
I recently inquired with Gold Medal Visa about migration, and I’m truly impressed with their service. The team was extremely knowledgeable, responsive, and patient in answering all my questions. They explained the migration process clearly and made me feel confident about my options moving forward. Their professionalism and genuine willingness to help stood out. Highly recommended for anyone seeking trustworthy migration advice!
Thanks to Harmandeep and her team's hard work and professionalism, our visa got approved a lot early than expected
Initial consultation with Danny was amazing he have extensive knowledge about migration rule and law . I’ve got my application processed fast and approved with assistance from Harmandeep .
The help services were really helpful in giving me a clearer understanding of my visa situation.
Danny he and Harmandeep Kaur are very good against they help me with my son’s visa application . I got his visa this week. I am very happy with them . Highly recommended they are the best .
I had a wonderful experience speaking with Denny from Gold Medal Visa Consultant. His advice was both practical and professional, helping me effectively resolve my visa concerns.
We have a sucessful prospective marriage granted visa with Gold medal immigration agent. Thanks Danny, Marcus and Nic👍😄a knowdgeable team. The process went so smoothly. I will recommend to everyone.
I just received my visa grant today, May 7, and I couldn’t be more grateful to the amazing team who helped make it happen! They lodged my 485 visa on March 5, and throughout the whole process, they were incredibly nice, responsive, and supportive. Big thanks to Danny, Marcus, Nic, and the entire team for their professionalism and quick replies. I truly appreciate all your help—highly recommend!
One of my best friends is a lawyer Danny who always answers my calls and gives great advice.
Danny is consistently helpful, prompt, and incredibly knowledgeable. I highly recommend him to anyone needing guidance through visa conditions.
Quick response and great help.Very lovely to speak and response.
Dannys has been extremely helpful - thanks Danny!! In a time of stress for me, he helped give me answers my visa enquiries. Thanks Danny!!
Great experience with Danny! He provided clear and valuable insights on the 186 visa process, making a complex topic much easier to understand. Highly recommend their services.
Danny is great, he gave me best and professional experience service for my partner visa service. Very knowledgeable and transparent about everything, very detail oriented process, I am really happy with them.
Danny has been super helpful throughout and the consultation was very helpful. We have received our visa and are very happy with the service they have provided.
Thanks to danny”s expertise and dedication, he did explain me everything quite clearly in the beginning also harmandeep she is amazing, kind and extremely professional. my visa was granted smoothly and efficiently. I truly felt like a priority, and their attention to detail and thorough preparation made all the difference. Thanks again
I submitted the inquiry through the form on there website, and Danny called me back the next day. He gave me a very genuine and detailed advise over the phone. In my case I didn't have to use their service and there are things I can do myself which saves me the money. He told me that honestly and it feels safe to reach out to them again if I need in the future. Thank you very much Danny!
Gold Medal Visa enabled my partner to get the Prospective Marriage Visa using their expansive knowledge of migration law.
Their professionalism was impressive and the commitment to customer service made the process as trouble free as possible for us both.
I applied last year for my partner visa and I had the best experience working with Danny and Marcus! We’re really happy with the professionalism of this company and all their employees! Highly recommend and thank you again Gold Medal 🥇🙌🏼🎉