Visa 482 Application Process Step by Step: Sponsorship to Visa Lodgement
Visa 482 is not a single application you lodge yourself — it is three linked steps, two of which belong to the business. Understanding the order helps you know when it is your turn and why you sometimes have to wait on your employer.
Step 1 — The business registers as a sponsor
First, the business must be recognised as an eligible sponsor (Standard Business Sponsorship). This is the employer’s step, not yours. If the business is already an approved sponsor from before, this step may be done and the file moves faster.
Step 2 — Nominating the position
Next, the business nominates the right job position for you — tied to an occupation code on the applicable list and meeting the conditions for the position. This is also the employer’s step. Most “stuck file” problems sit in these first two steps, because they depend on the business.
Step 3 — You lodge the visa application
Once the nomination is in order, you lodge your own visa application, with evidence of skills, experience, English, health and character. The main application fee is 4,015 AUD for the primary applicant. The three steps can be lodged in sequence or in parallel depending on the case, but all three must be approved.
How long it takes
The timeframe depends on all three steps. For the visa assessment itself, processing time changes by period and by case — check the Home Affairs Global visa processing times tool; if the business is not yet an approved sponsor, the total time is longer. Having a complete file at all three steps from the start is the most realistic way to shorten it.
When to have someone alongside you
Because the first two steps sit on the business side, the coordination between you and your employer is what sets the pace of the file. When part of the process is unclear — the employer is not yet a sponsor, the position is hard to prove — a registered migration agent (MARA) can help both sides follow the right order and prepare the right evidence.