482 Temporary Skilled Shortage Visa – Employer-Sponsored
Work Pathway

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

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

For employer:

For applicant:

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).

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.

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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. ​

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

482 Temporary Skilled Shortage Visa

For many applicants, the 482 visa is not simply a short-term work arrangement. When structured correctly, it can form part of a longer-term strategy that may lead to permanent residency. Whether this is realistic depends on factors that need to be considered before the application is lodged, not after it is approved.

How the 482 Visa Works in Practice

There are several key elements:

• The employer must be an approved sponsor
• The nominated position must meet occupation and market salary requirements
• The applicant must meet skill, experience, English, health, and character criteria

A common reason for refusal or delay is misalignment between the role, the business, and the applicant’s background. Even where all parties appear eligible, inconsistencies in duties, salary, or documentation can undermine the application.

Short-Term and Medium-Term 482 Streams

Many applicants assume that holding a 482 visa will automatically lead to permanent residency. In reality, outcomes depend on occupation lists, ongoing employment with the sponsoring employer, employer compliance, and future policy settings. These considerations should be assessed at the outset, rather than once the visa is already in place.

Working With a Migration Agent for a 482 Visa

• Confirm whether the nominated role meets 482 requirements
• Identify the appropriate visa stream and sponsorship structure
• Prepare nomination and visa applications consistently
• Identify risks that may affect future permanent residency options

This approach helps prevent common issues such as mismatched duties, incorrect salary levels, or employer compliance concerns.

Is the 482 Visa Right for You?

Obtaining clear advice early can save significant time, cost, and stress. Gold Medal Visa provides objective guidance on the Temporary Skilled Shortage 482 visa, helping applicants and employers understand their position and the practical options available to them.

FAQ’s