Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (TSS Visa) Subclass 482

The Subclass 482 visa, commonly referred to as the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa, provides Australian employers with the ability to recruit skilled overseas workers when suitable Australian candidates cannot be sourced locally. This temporary visa programme helps address critical skill gaps whilst prioritising employment opportunities for Australian citizens and permanent residents.

Important update: As of 7 December 2024, the TSS 482 visa has been replaced by the Skills in Demand (SID) visa. Applications submitted by 6 December 2024 will continue to be assessed under the previous eligibility criteria. Current 482 visa holders retain their visa validity until the original expiry date.

Key features

Holders of the 482 TSS visa can:

• Work in Australia in their nominated skilled occupation
• Access potential pathways to permanent residency
• Include eligible family members in their application

Visa streams

The TSS 482 visa comprises three distinct streams:

Short-term stream

Designed for occupations facing temporary skill shortages, this stream allows visa holders to work in Australia for up to two years (or up to four years for certain international trade agreement holders).

Medium-term stream

Targeted at occupations considered critical for Australia’s long-term economic needs, similar to the former 457 visa programme. This stream provides:

• A visa validity period of up to four years
• A pathway to permanent residency after two years of employment with the sponsoring employer (reduced from three years)
• Eligibility for the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 visa through the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream

Labour agreement stream

Applicable when employers operate under a specific labour agreement with the Australian Government. This stream accommodates specialised workforce arrangements and industry-specific needs.

Application process

The 482 visa application follows a three-stage process:

Stage 1: Sponsorship application

The employer must submit a sponsorship application demonstrating they are:

• A lawfully operating business in Australia
• Actively trading and financially viable
• Compliant with local labour market testing and employment regulations
• Approved as either a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) or Overseas Business Sponsor (OBS)

Stage 2: Nomination application

The employer nominates the specific position, providing:

• Detailed position description and duties
• Salary details meeting the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT)
• Evidence of efforts to recruit Australian workers first
• Confirmation the position is genuine and sustainable

Stage 3: Visa application

The nominated employee lodges their visa application, demonstrating:

• Relevant qualifications and work experience in the nominated occupation
• Satisfaction of health and character requirements
• Appropriate English language proficiency
• A minimum of one year of relevant work experience (reduced from two years as of 23 November 2024)

Eligibility requirements

For the employee

Work experience:

• A minimum of one year full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience at a skilled level in the nominated occupation or related field within the past five years
• Experience gained through clinical placements, internships, or research components of postgraduate degrees may be considered for relevant occupations

Occupation:

• The nominated occupation must appear on the relevant skilled occupation list (Short-Term Skilled Occupation List, Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List, or Regional Occupation List)

Skills assessment:

• Required for certain occupations and nationalities
• Must be obtained from the designated assessing authority for your occupation

English language:

• Competent English is generally required (equivalent to IELTS 6.0 in each component)
• Requirements may vary depending on the occupation and stream

Health and character:

• All applicants must meet health and character requirements
• Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) must be maintained throughout the visa period

For the employer

Sponsorship obligations:

• Pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy ($3,000 for small businesses or $5,000 for larger businesses)
• Advertise the position on two nationally reaching platforms before offering it to an overseas worker (unless exempted)
• Ensure the nominated employee is employed directly by the sponsor or an associated entity (except for exempt occupations)
• Maintain comprehensive records and comply with sponsorship obligations

Pathway to permanent residency

Temporary residence transition (TRT) stream

482 visa holders may be eligible for permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 visa if they:

Meet the employment requirement:

• Have worked full-time in the nominated occupation for at least two years in the three years immediately before applying
• Employment periods on 457, 482 TSS, or 482 SID visas all count towards this requirement
• Can have worked for multiple employers during this period

Additional criteria:

• Continue working in the same occupation nominated for their 482 visa
• Meet the salary threshold aligned with the relevant income thresholds
• Satisfy health, character, and skills requirements
• Have employer sponsorship for permanent residency

Regional pathway: Depending on location, 482 visa holders may apply through either:

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 for metropolitan areas
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Subclass 187 for regional areas

Labour agreement stream specifics

What is a Labour agreement?

A labour agreement is a formal arrangement between an employer (or industry group) and the Australian Government, allowing the recruitment of overseas workers when standard visa programmes don’t meet specific workforce needs.

Types of labour agreements

Five categories exist:

1. Industry agreements – for sectors with ongoing labour shortages (dairy, fishing, meat processing, religious institutions, on-hire, pork, fine dining restaurants, advertising, and horticulture)
2. Company-specific agreements – tailored to individual businesses
3. Project agreements – for major infrastructure or resource projects
4. Designated area migration agreements (DAMAs) – region-specific arrangements
5. Global talent employer sponsored agreements – for highly specialised talent

Labour agreement requirements

Requirements vary based on the specific agreement but generally include:

For employers:

• Hold an active labour agreement (typically valid for five years)
• Cannot recover migration-related costs from employees (including agent fees, SAF levies, or recruitment expenses)
• Must maintain detailed records of their labour agreement activities
• Comply with all sponsorship obligations

For employees:

• Must meet the requirements specified in the relevant labour agreement
• Generally require two years of work experience (unless the agreement provides a concession)
• Must satisfy health, character, and any English language requirements specified in the agreement

Health insurance requirements

Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC)

All 482 visa holders must maintain adequate health insurance throughout their stay in Australia, as most temporary visa holders cannot access Medicare (Australia’s public healthcare system).

Visa condition 8501:

• Mandatory for all 482 visa streams
• Must be purchased before arriving in Australia
• Must remain valid for the entire visa period
• Helps cover medical treatment costs for illness or accidents

Important notes:

• Some countries have Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) with Australia, but coverage is limited to public hospital treatment
• Private hospital treatment requires OVHC even for RHCA countries
• Choose a Department of Home Affairs-approved OVHC provider

Important considerations

Recent changes

Work experience reduction: The Government reduced the minimum work experience requirement from two years to one year for all applicants from 23 November 2024 onwards.

English language requirements: Updated English language test requirements apply from 7 August 2025 for visa applicants.

Short-term stream flexibility

Holders of two consecutive Short-Term stream 482 visas can apply for a third Short-Term visa from offshore. However, applicants should be aware that their immigration history may be considered when assessing the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement.

Family members

Inclusion:

• Partners and dependent children can be included in the visa application
• Secondary applicants (family members) are not named in nomination applications for Subclass 186 permanent residence applications
• Greater flexibility applies for family unit members aged 23 and above under certain circumstances

Direct employment requirement

The visa applicant must be employed by the sponsoring business or an associated entity (unless the occupation is specifically exempted). This ensures:

• A direct employer-employee relationship exists
• The sponsor maintains control over the employee’s work
• Labour hire arrangements require specific labour agreements

Application documentation

Essential documents for employees

Identity and personal documents:

• Current passport (biodata pages and any visa pages)
• Birth certificate
• National identity card (if applicable)
• Police clearances from all countries resided in for 12+ months in the past 10 years
• Military service records (if applicable within the past 10 years)

Qualification and experience documents:

• Post-secondary qualifications (certificates and transcripts)
• Skills assessment (if required for your occupation)
• Employment references covering sufficient experience period
• Recent payslips from current employer (3 copies)
• Professional training certificates or licences

Relationship documents (if applicable):

• Marriage certificate or de facto relationship evidence
• Form 888 statutory declarations from two Australian citizens or permanent residents
• Evidence of cohabitation (bills, correspondence addressed to both partners)
• Joint financial documents (bank statements, shared bills)
• Joint memberships (health insurance, clubs)
• Evidence of joint travel (flight tickets, itineraries)
• Joint invitations or correspondence

Health documents:

• Health examination results (arranged through approved panel physicians)
• OVHC policy details

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