Visa 482 Work Experience Requirements: How Much and How It Counts
Work experience is one of the core requirements for visa 482, but “how many years” and “what experience counts” are where many people misunderstand. This article makes it clear so you know whether you have enough and prepare the right evidence.
The reference experience level
The reference experience level for visa 482 is 1 year of work in the nominated occupation. This figure is tied to the specific occupation, not general experience — so two years working in the right occupation has a different value from two years in another job before changing occupations.
What “in the occupation” means
The key point: the experience must match the nominated occupation code and the job description for that code. Your actual work — not your job title — determines whether it counts towards the nominated occupation. This is why the job description in your file needs to be clear and consistent with the evidence.
Evidence of experience
Experience needs to be proven with documents: reference letters from former or current employers stating the position, dates and duties; contracts; payslips; and sometimes a skills assessment result if the occupation requires one. Fragmented or contradictory evidence is a common reason a file draws further questions.
When your experience is on the borderline
If you are not sure whether your experience counts in full for the nominated occupation, or part of your experience is in a different occupation, that is when to ask a registered migration agent (MARA). Working out exactly which experience counts helps you know whether you have enough and top up in the right place before lodging.