Working Visa

Quick answer

EMI International helps workers and employers with Australian work visas: the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa from 7 December 2024; the permanent Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186); and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) for recent graduates.

• Visas covered: Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand), 186 and 485
• Best for: Employer-sponsored workers, employers hiring overseas talent and recent graduates
• Complex cases: Position changes, refusals and sponsorship issues
• First step with EMI: Free 45-minute in-person consultation in Sydney CBD

Last reviewed: September 2026, against current Department of Home Affairs policy. General information only, not legal advice.

Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)

The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa for new applications from 7 December 2024. It keeps subclass number 482 and allows Australian employers to sponsor skilled overseas workers for up to 4 years.

Application Steps

1. Sponsorship (employer): become an approved standard business sponsor
2. Nomination (employer): nominate the position, salary and genuine need, and pay the SAF levy
3. Visa application (worker): show skills, at least 1 year of relevant work experience, English, health and character

Three Streams

Stream	Who it is for	Minimum salary (from 1 July 2026)
Specialist Skills	Highly paid roles in most occupations (not trades, machinery operators or labourers); no occupation list	AUD 146,576 (SSIT)
Core Skills	Occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)	AUD 79,423 (CSIT)
Labour Agreement	Positions under a labour agreement or DAMA	As set by the agreement

• Salary must also meet the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher
• All streams offer up to 4 years' stay and a pathway to permanent residence
• If employment ends, workers generally have up to 180 days at a time (365 days in total) to find a new sponsor
• No age limit for the 482 itself

Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Levy

Employer	Subclass 482 (per year of stay)	Subclass 186 (one-off)
Turnover under AUD 10 million	AUD 1,200	AUD 3,000
Turnover AUD 10 million or more	AUD 1,800	AUD 5,000

Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) — Permanent

A permanent residence visa for skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer.

Three Streams

• Temporary Residence Transition: for 482 (or former 457) holders who have worked full-time in the nominated occupation for approved sponsors for at least 2 years in the 3 years before nomination — the time can be with more than one sponsor
• Direct Entry: positive skills assessment and at least 3 years of relevant work experience
• Labour Agreement: sponsorship under a labour agreement

Other Key Requirements

• Under 45 when applying (limited exemptions apply)
• Competent English (for example IELTS 6.0 in each band, or equivalent)
• Salary at least the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate

Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)

Lets international students who have completed at least 2 academic years of CRICOS-registered study in Australia stay and work after graduation.

Streams

Stream	Stay	Skills assessment?
Post-Vocational Education Work	Up to 18 months	Required
Post-Higher Education Work — bachelor's or coursework master's	Up to 2 years	Not required
Post-Higher Education Work — research master's or PhD	Up to 3 years	Not required
Second Post-Higher Education Work (regional study)	1–2 extra years	Not required

Key Requirements

• Under 35 when applying (under 50 for research master's/PhD graduates and Hong Kong or BNO passport holders)
• In Australia when applying, within 6 months of course completion, holding or having recently held a student visa
• English: IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 5.5 (or equivalent), taken within 1 year

Visa	Main applicant charge (from 1 July 2026)
Subclass 482	AUD 4,015
Subclass 186	AUD 6,140
Subclass 485	AUD 5,750

Government charges shown are base application charges for the main applicant from 1 July 2026 and change regularly. Confirm current amounts with the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What replaced the TSS 482 visa?

The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa from 7 December 2024. It keeps the subclass number 482 and is employer sponsored.

Can an employer-sponsored visa lead to permanent residence?

Yes. The Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) is a permanent visa, and eligible 482 visa holders may transition to it with their employer's nomination.

What happens if my job title changes while I am on a sponsored visa?

A change of position can affect a nomination or permanent residence application. EMI has handled cases where a 186 visa was approved despite a position change; see the case study linked below.

Related: Case study: 186 ENS approved after a position change

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