Visa 482 Documents: What You Need at Each Stage
The visa 482 goes through three separate assessment stages, each lodged by a different party and requiring a different set of documents. Understanding each stage helps you prepare the right paperwork and avoid requests for additional information that cause delays.
Overview of the three stages
| Stage | Who lodges | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| SBS (Standard Business Sponsorship) | Company | Be approved as a valid sponsor |
| Nomination | Company | Nominate a specific position for the worker |
| Visa application | Worker | Apply for the individual visa |
Stage 1 — SBS (lodged by the company)
This stage is carried out entirely by the company. The worker does not need to be involved, but should be aware of it to follow the progress.
Documents on the company side include:
- Business registration (ABN, ASIC registration)
- Evidence of genuine business operation (financial statements, contracts)
- Commitments on sponsor obligations (training benchmark, non-discrimination)
- Compliance history with labour law (if there have been past breaches, an explanation is needed)
The SBS is valid for 5 years after approval. A company that already holds a valid SBS skips this stage and moves straight to the nomination.
Stage 2 — Nomination (lodged by the company)
The nomination is the nomination of a position — linking a specific worker to a specific occupational position. The company needs to provide:
- The ANZSCO code of the nominated position
- A detailed job description showing it matches the ANZSCO code
- Evidence that the proposed salary is equal to or higher than the market salary rate
- Evidence that the company needs that worker (labour market testing — LMT)
- SAF levy payment: 1,200 AUD per year for small businesses, 1,800 AUD for large businesses
Labour Market Testing (LMT): the company must demonstrate that it advertised domestically for at least 4 weeks before nominating an overseas worker. LMT does not apply to certain special cases (for example, countries with an FTA with Australia).
Stage 3 — Visa Application (lodged by the worker)
This is the part the worker carries out directly. The documents are grouped as follows:
Identity and passport
- A valid passport (at least 6 months’ validity recommended)
- The photo page and the information page of the passport (scanned clearly)
- Name-change documents (if any)
Qualifications and credentials
- A university, college or relevant vocational certificate
- Academic transcripts
- A skills assessment certificate (if the occupation requires one)
Work experience
- Reference letters confirming experience from current and former employers
- Payslips, tax records, employment contracts
- A letter explaining any gaps in your work history (if any)
English results
- IELTS, PTE, TOEFL or OET results meeting the “Competent English” level
- Or evidence of an exemption (a passport of an eligible nationality, formal study of 5 or more years in English)
Health and character
- Health examination results from a DHA-appointed doctor (HAP — Health Assessment Panel)
- Police clearances from your home country and from any country you have lived in for 12 or more months in the past 10 years
- A declaration of your migration history
Accompanying family documents
If a spouse or children are travelling with you, each person needs to add:
- A marriage certificate (if married)
- Children’s birth certificates
- Their own passport
- Their own health results (except young children below the age threshold who do not need an examination)
A sensible order of preparation
You should not wait for the nomination to be approved before starting your personal documents. Do them in parallel:
- As soon as you have the offer letter: book the health examination (usually takes 1–2 weeks)
- Start applying for police clearances from your home country (can take 2–4 weeks)
- Prepare and scan your qualification and experience documents
- Check that your English results are still valid (usually 3 years)
Visa fee: 4,015 AUD. Processing time varies by phase and by case — check the Home Affairs Global visa processing times tool for current timeframes.
Notes on preparing documents
- All non-English documents must have a certified translation
- Scans must be clear — phone photos that fall short of standard are often asked to be resubmitted
- DHA may request additional documents (a section 56 request) — the response time is usually 28 days
- Keep originals of all documents — they may be needed in future for other visa applications or when changing sponsors