Visa 482 Agriculture: Conditions and Listed Occupations

Overview of the agriculture group within Visa 482

The Subclass 482 visa (Temporary Skill Shortage) includes a distinct group of occupations for the agricultural sector — often referred to as the Labour Agreement stream, or brought onto the occupation list through special agreements. Against a backdrop of strong Australian demand for skilled labour in agriculture, food and the environment, some agricultural occupations sit on the Skills in Demand (SID) list or are assessed through a DAMA on a region-by-region basis.

The agricultural occupation group within the Subclass 482 includes both management and specialist technical roles — not general farm labour. This is a point many people misunderstand, assuming the agricultural 482 is for fruit pickers or farmhands.

Representative agricultural occupations within Visa 482

Below are some occupations in the agricultural sector that commonly appear on the Subclass 482 list:

Plant and animal science (ANZSCO 234)

Agricultural Scientist (ANZSCO 234114): an agricultural scientist researching improvements to crops and livestock.
Botanist (ANZSCO 234515): a specialist in botany.
Zoologist (ANZSCO 234522): a specialist in zoology.

Agricultural management (ANZSCO 121)

Crop Farmers (ANZSCO 121599): owners/managers of large-scale cropping farms.
Livestock Farmers (ANZSCO 121399): managers of cattle, sheep, pig and poultry farms.
Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmer (ANZSCO 121711): manager of a mixed farming operation.

Agricultural and aquaculture technicians

Agricultural Technician (ANZSCO 311112): an agricultural technician.
Aquaculture Farmer (ANZSCO 121111): manager of an aquaculture farm.

These occupations require a relevant qualification or demonstrated practical management experience — they are not general labouring roles.

Salary requirements for the agriculture group

The salary requirement for agricultural occupations on the Subclass 482 follows the general rules of the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) in force. From 1 July 2023 the TSMIT was raised to AUD $70,000 a year before tax. Employers must pay no less than this.

However, for some specific agricultural occupations in a DAMA region, the minimum salary may be reduced under the particular DAMA agreement. This is intended to reflect the lower cost of living and labour market conditions in remote rural areas compared with the major cities.

Labour market testing (LMT) requirement

For most agricultural occupations on the Subclass 482, the employer must still carry out Labour Market Testing (LMT) — that is, they must demonstrate they tried to recruit an Australian worker before hiring a foreign worker.

LMT requires:

Advertising the role within the 4 months before lodging the nomination.
Advertising on at least one national recruitment platform such as SEEK, LinkedIn or Workforce Australia for at least 4 weeks.
Documenting the recruitment outcome and the reasons no suitable Australian candidate was hired.

LMT exemptions apply in some cases, such as free trade agreements (FTAs) with certain countries, or under the specific terms of a given DAMA.

A regional focus: agriculture and Visa 482

Most agricultural positions sponsored under the Subclass 482 are concentrated in regional areas — where skilled labour shortages are more severe than in the cities. States such as New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia all see a notable number of agricultural 482 visas granted each year.

Key agricultural regions include the Riverina (NSW), Sunraysia (VIC/NSW), the Wheatbelt (WA) and the Darling Downs (QLD). These are also the areas that commonly have a DAMA, allowing employers to access international workers more easily than under the standard requirements.

How it differs from the standard SID stream

The main differences between the agriculture group and the standard SID (Skills in Demand) stream:

Occupation list: SID includes highly technical occupations such as IT, engineering and accounting. Agriculture has its own occupation list focused on management and applied science.
Geography: agricultural occupations are usually tied to regional areas, whereas SID accepts both cities and regions.
PR pathway: regional agricultural occupations can combine with a DAMA or the 491 to optimise the PR route — whereas city-based SID roles often head straight for the Subclass 186.

If you work in agriculture or hold a relevant qualification, check the ANZSCO occupation list and the DAMAs active in the region you want to move to.