Australia Subclass 482 / 494 (Employer Sponsored) Visa: Complete Guide for 2026

The Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand visa, formerly Temporary Skill Shortage / TSS) and Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) are Australia’s main employer-sponsored work visas. They let an Australian employer hire a foreign worker for a position they cannot fill locally. The 482 grants 1–4 years of work rights with a clear path to permanent residence (subclass 186); the 494 is a 5-year regional version with stronger PR pathways for living outside major cities.

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Overview

Both visas require an Australian employer to nominate you for a specific role. The employer must:

  1. Be an Australian-based business
  2. Hold an approved Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) — or apply for one
  3. Nominate a position with a salary at or above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT): AUD $73,150 as of 2026
  4. Choose an occupation from the eligible occupation list (different lists for 482 and 494)

The 482 has three streams:

  • Specialist Skills stream — for high-paid (>AUD $135,000) specialists. Streamlined; broader occupation list.
  • Core Skills stream — most applicants; uses the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).
  • Labour Agreement stream — under specific industry agreements (aged care, agriculture, etc.).

The 494 (regional) is for jobs in designated regional Australia (anywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane). Employer must be in a regional area.

Both visas can lead to permanent residence via Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) after 2 years of employment.

Eligibility checklist

  • Job offer + nomination from an approved Australian employer for an eligible occupation
  • Skills assessment for some occupations (positive Trades Recognition Australia, ACS, Engineers Australia, etc., assessment if required for your specific occupation)
  • At least 2 years of relevant work experience (not strictly required for all occupations under Specialist Skills stream)
  • English language: minimum IELTS 5.0 overall (no band below 4.5) for most applicants. Higher requirements for some professions (e.g., 6.0 for nurses, doctors).
  • Health and character: police check from any country lived in for 12+ months in the last 10 years, and a medical exam.
  • Annual salary at or above TSMIT (AUD $73,150) AND at the Annual Market Salary Rate for the position.

How to apply

  1. Find a sponsoring employer willing to nominate you for an eligible role.
  2. Employer applies for SBS (Standard Business Sponsorship) if they don’t already have one — typically 1–2 months.
  3. Employer files Nomination for your specific role and lodges the AUD $3,000 Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy.
  4. You file the visa application (Form 1485 or online), paying base fee + dependants.
  5. Submit health, character, and English evidence.
  6. Receive decision — typically 1–4 months for the 482, longer for complex cases.
  7. Arrive in Australia within the validity dates of your grant.

Cost & timeline

  • Visa application fee (482): AUD $3,210 main applicant + ~$3,210 spouse + $810/child
  • Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy — paid by employer: AUD $1,200/year for small business, $1,800/year for larger employers. Total $1,800–$7,200 depending on visa length.
  • English test: ~AUD $400
  • Skills assessment (if required): AUD $500–$1,500
  • Police check + medical: ~AUD $300–$500

Realistic total (employer + employee): AUD $8,000–$15,000 for a 4-year 482 grant.

Timeline: 3–8 months end-to-end if the employer needs to apply for sponsorship from scratch; 1–3 months if they’re already sponsored.

Common reasons for refusal

  • Salary below market rate for the position
  • Occupation not on the relevant list (CSOL, MLTSSL, etc.)
  • Inadequate English evidence
  • Genuine position test failure — Home Affairs suspects role was created to sponsor you rather than fill a real business need
  • Employer not approved as a sponsor at the time of nomination

After your visa is approved

  • Work for the sponsoring employer in the nominated role (you can change roles within the same employer at the same skill level; changing employer requires a new nomination + visa).
  • Bring family as dependants (spouse + children under 23 if dependent).
  • Path to PR: after 2 years of employment with the same sponsor, transition to Subclass 186 ENS for permanent residence.
  • Travel freely in and out of Australia during the visa validity.

Frequently asked questions

Can my spouse work?

Yes — spouses on a 482 dependent visa have unrestricted work rights.

What if my employer goes out of business?

You have 60 days to find a new sponsor or change to another visa. After 60 days you become unlawful.

Is there a cap on 482 grants?

No annual cap, but each role/employer is processed individually.

Can I apply for PR directly?

Not via 482 alone — you must transition to Subclass 186 (ENS) after 2 years. Or apply independently via points-tested Subclass 189/190/491.

Related Australia visas

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Sources

Last reviewed: April 2026. Australian visa rules and salary thresholds change annually — verify before applying.

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