Subclass 482 Visa - An Overview
The Australia Department of Home Affairs has introduced the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Subclass 482, as a replacement for the 457 Visa. This new visa is designed to help employers who are unable to find skilled workers among Australians by allowing them to recruit from an overseas pool of talent. However, the visa also prioritises the employment of Australian workers.
Subclass 482 Visa Streams
With the standard subclass 482 visa, international professionals can live and work in Australia for up to four years. The visa is broken into three streams:
- The short-term stream, which allows visa holders to stay in Australia for up to two years.
- The medium-term stream, which allows visa holders to stay in Australia for up to four years.
- The labour agreement stream, which is specifically for those who have a labour agreement with their employer.
Short-term stream
The Short-term stream of Subclass 482 visa (TSS visa) allows applicants to stay in Australia for a period of up to 2 years, or up to 4 years if an International Trade Obligation (ITO) applies.
This visa allows you to:
Currently, the 457 visa program allows businesses to employ foreign workers in skilled roles across a range of industries. There are also other sub-classifications that let you do the following:
1) Work in Australia for a maximum of 2 years (with extensions available).
2) Travel in and out of Australia as frequently as desired during the validity of the visa.
3) Apply for permanent residence, subject to eligibility requirements.
4) Eligible holders can apply through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) or the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream.
Cost of the short-term stream visa
The main applicant and each dependant who is 18 years and over will pay AUD 1,330 for the visa. Each dependant under 18 will pay AUD 335. Other costs, such as English language tests, health checks, police certificates, and biometrics will also apply.
Medium-term stream
This visa allows you to:
- Work in Australia for a maximum of 4 years, or up to 5 years if you hold a Hong Kong passport.
- Study (without government assistance).
- Travel in and out of Australia as frequently as desired during the validity of the visa.
- Apply for permanent residence, if eligible.
Cost of the medium-term stream visa
The main applicant and each dependant who is 18 years and over will pay AUD 2,770 for the visa. Each dependant under 18 will pay AUD 695. Other costs, such as English language tests, health checks, police certificates, and biometrics will also apply.
Labour agreement stream
With this visa, you are allowed to:
- Work in Australia for up to 4 years for your sponsor, or up to 5 years if you are a Hong Kong passport holder.
- Study (without receiving government assistance).
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you wish while the visa is valid.
Cost of the labour agreement stream visa
The main applicant and each dependant who is 18 years and over will pay AUD 2,770 for the visa, while dependants under 18 will pay AUD 695. Additional costs for English language tests, health checks, police certificates, and biometrics will also apply.
482 Visa requirements
To apply for Subclass 482 visa while in Australia, you must either:
- Have a substantive visa, or
- Hold one of these 3-
- Bridging visa A (this visa allows you to stay in Australia while waiting for your new substantive visa to be processed, after your current substantive visa has expired),
- Bridging visa B (you can travel in and out of Australia while your substantive visa application is being processed), or
- Bridging visa C (this visa allows you to stay in Australia after your current substantive visa expires and until your new substantive visa application is processed).
Document Checklist for 482 Visa
To apply for a 482 visa, you will need to gather the following documents:
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A valid passport and any additional identification documents required by the Department of Home Affairs.
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Proof of your experience, skills, and qualifications, such as licensing or registration documents, certificates and awards, employer references, and a resume.
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If required by your visa stream, a skill assessment report.
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Evidence of English language proficiency.
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Valid health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia.
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If applying with a partner, their identification documents and proof of your relationship (e.g. marriage licence). Your partner must also meet the character requirements.
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Birth certificates, passport copies, and any other documents for any minor children.
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For adult dependent children, provide identification documents, character documents, Form 47, and any other proof of dependency.
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If you have someone helping with your application, submit Form 956 or Form 956a.
Eligibility for 482 Visa Australia
To be eligible for a short-term or medium-term 482 visa, you must:
- Hold a valid visa
- Have followed the conditions of any previous visas
- Be sponsored by an approved individual or organisation
- Work for your sponsoring employer
- Possess the necessary skills, qualifications, and employment history to perform your nominated occupation
- Have at least two years of experience in your nominated occupation or a related field
- Have a positive skills assessment
- Have health insurance
- Meet the health requirements set by the government
- Meet the character requirements set by the government
- Meet the minimum English language proficiency standards
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous visa application denied
- Agree to the Australian values statement by signing it.
To be eligible for a labour agreement stream visa, you must:
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Have a labour agreement in place with your employer
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Have at least two years of work experience
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Be nominated by an approved sponsor
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Meet the health requirements set by the government
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Meet the character requirements set by the government
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Have a level of English language proficiency suitable for your occupation
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Agree to the Australian values statement by signing it
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Have adequate health insurance
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Have paid any debts owed to the Australian government
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Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous visa application denied.
Health Insurance for 482 Visa Australia
As a primary or secondary visa applicant, you are responsible for paying for your healthcare expenses while in Australia. To protect yourself financially, it is recommended that you have health insurance. If you are granted this visa, it is a requirement that you maintain adequate health insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Australia. This insurance should cover medically necessary treatment and transportation. Failure to maintain adequate health insurance may result in the revocation of your visa.
English Language Proficiency for Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa
You will need to demonstrate your English language proficiency if you are applying for a subclass 482 visa in the short-term stream and the medium-term stream, and you meet the following criteria:
- You achieve the required test scores set out in the table below in a single attempt at the test.
- You complete the test within 3 years of the date of submitting a valid visa application.
The following are the accepted English language tests for the short-term stream, medium-term stream, and labour agreement stream along with the required results:
Short-term stream
| IELTS | Overall band score of at least 5.0 with a score of at least 4.5 in each of the test components. |
| OET | Score of at least ‘B’ in each of the four components. |
| TOEFL iBT | iBT total score of at least 35 with a score of at least 3 for each of the test components of listening and reading, and a score of at least 12 for each of the test components of speaking and writing. |
| PTE Academic | Academic overall test score of at least 36 with a score of at least 30 in each of the test components. |
| Cambridge | Overall test score of at least 154 with a score of at least 147 in each of the test components. |
Medium-term stream
| IELTS | Overall band score of at least 5.0 with a score of at least 5 in each of the test components. |
| OET | Score of at least ‘B’ in each of the four components. |
| TOEFL iBT | iBT total score of at least 35 with a score of at least 4 for each of the test components of listening and reading, and a score of at least 14 for each of the test components of speaking and writing. |
| PTE Academic | Academic overall test score of at least 36 with a score of at least 36 in each of the test components. |
| Cambridge | Overall test score of at least 154 with a score of at least 154 in each of the test components. |
Labour agreement stream
To be eligible for this visa, you must have sufficient English language skills to perform the duties of your nominated occupation. The required level of English may be specified in a labour agreement between your employer and the Commonwealth.
You don't need to demonstrate English language proficiency if one of the following apply:- You hold a passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
- You have completed at least 5 years of full-time study in an English-speaking secondary-level institution.
- Your nominated occupation required you to hold a licence, registration, or membership, and you had to prove that you had equal or higher English language proficiency than what is listed in the table below in order to be granted the licence, registration, or membership.
- You are an employee of an overseas business and the business or its associated entity has nominated you to work in Australia. You will receive guaranteed annual earnings of at least AUD 96,400.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Visa
The 482 visa is a temporary skill shortage visa that allows skilled workers to temporarily live and work in Australia — as long as the nominated employer has been unable to find an appropriately skilled Australian worker.
Please note that processing time can vary greatly. You may have to wait anywhere from one month to over a year.
Yes, you can absolutely study in Australia on a 482 visa.
According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs, your 482 visa cannot be extended. However, you may be eligible to apply for a new visa before your current one expires. The short-term stream visa allows holders to stay in Australia for up to two years and can be renewed once without leaving the country. To extend it further, you need to apply for the medium-term stream visa, which lets you stay for four years with unlimited renewals.
