Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482): the employer-sponsored work visa, explained
The subclass 482 visa — formally the Skills in Demand visa — is a common temporary employer-sponsored visa for skilled workers in Australia. Its defining condition sets it apart from many other visas: an approved Australian business must sponsor you for a specific role before you lodge your own visa application.
How a 482 works
A 482 moves through three linked stages: the business registers as a sponsor, the business nominates a specific position for you, and then you lodge the visa application. All three have to be approved — no matter how strong your own case is, it cannot make up for a misstep on the business’s side.
The base application charge for the primary applicant is currently 4,015 AUD. Processing time varies by stage and by case — check the Home Affairs Global visa processing times tool for the current estimate; more complex cases typically take considerably longer.
Who the 482 suits
The 482 usually fits when you already have clear occupational skills and have found an Australian employer who genuinely needs the role filled. The minimum experience requirement is 1 year working in the occupation. The English-language requirement depends on the stream and the occupation — check the specific level on the official Home Affairs page before you sit a test.
Costs on the employer’s side
Some costs belong to the sponsoring business and must not be passed on to the worker — the most significant being the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, charged at 1,200 AUD for a small business and 1,800 AUD for a larger business, for each year of the visa.
What comes after a 482
For many 482 holders the bigger question is the road ahead: working long enough with the sponsoring employer and then moving to permanent residence through the subclass 186 visa (the Temporary Residence Transition stream) can be a common pathway where the worker and employer meet the relevant requirements. The 482 is currently open to applications; its status can change — check Home Affairs.
Every case is different — especially where there is a complication (changing employers, a gap in experience, an earlier refusal). Those situations are better reviewed by a registered migration agent than left to guesswork — this page explains the visa, it is not personal advice.