What Is the Subclass 482 Visa?

What Is the Subclass 482 Visa?

The Subclass 482 visa, now known as the Skills in Demand visa, is a temporary employer-sponsored visa that allows an Australian business to sponsor a suitably skilled overseas worker where the business cannot find an appropriately skilled Australian worker to fill the role.

The Subclass 482 visa is commonly used by Australian employers experiencing labour shortages across industries such as NDIS, disability support, aged care, allied health, hospitality, construction, childcare, logistics, recruitment, labour hire and regional businesses.

However, 482 visa sponsorship is not simply a form-filling process. It requires a proper assessment of the business, the nominated position, the salary, the worker’s skills, the occupation, labour market testing and the employer’s ongoing sponsor compliance obligations.

What Are the Main Streams of the Subclass 482 Visa?

The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa includes different streams depending on the occupation, salary level, sponsorship arrangement and family circumstances.

The key streams include:

• Core Skills stream;
• Specialist Skills stream;
• Labour Agreement stream; and
• Subsequent Entrant stream for eligible family members of certain 457 or 482 visa holders.

The Core Skills stream is commonly used by many employers. For this stream, the worker must generally be nominated in an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, meet the relevant skills requirements, and be paid the Annual Market Salary Rate, also known as AMSR.

Who Can Sponsor a Worker on a Subclass 482 Visa?

An Australian business may be able to sponsor a worker on a Subclass 482 visa if it is already an approved Standard Business Sponsor or becomes approved as one.

The Department of Home Affairs states that a Standard Business Sponsor is assessed as suitable to sponsor applicants for the Skills in Demand visa subclass 482 and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional subclass 494 visa.

Before sponsoring a worker, an employer should consider:

• Is the business lawfully operating?
• Is there a genuine need for the position?
• Is the occupation eligible?
• Does the role match the nominated occupation?
• Does the salary meet AMSR and the relevant income threshold?
• Has labour market testing been completed, if required?
• Does the worker have the required skills, experience, English, registration or licensing?
• Can the business comply with sponsor obligations?

What Are the Three Main Stages of a 482 Visa?

Most 482 visa sponsorship matters involve three main stages.

1. Sponsorship Application

The business must be approved as a sponsor unless it already holds valid sponsorship approval.

This stage focuses on whether the business is suitable to sponsor overseas workers and whether it can meet its sponsorship obligations.

2. Subclass 482 Nomination Application

The employer must nominate a specific position.

This is often the most important part of the Subclass 482 visa process. The Department may consider whether:

• the role is genuine;
• the occupation is eligible;
• the duties match the nominated occupation;
• the salary is correct;
• AMSR has been properly assessed;
• the business has capacity to employ the worker;
• labour market testing has been completed, unless an exemption applies;
• the position fits within the business operations;
• any caveats or occupation-specific restrictions apply.

For many employers, the nomination stage is where risk arises. Therefore, the business should carefully review the position description, employment contract, salary evidence, AMSR evidence, labour market testing and business evidence before lodging.

3. Visa Application

The worker applies for the visa and must show they meet the relevant visa criteria.

This may include evidence of:

• qualifications;
• work experience;
• English language ability;
• health checks;
• character checks;
• registration or licensing, if required;
• capacity to perform the nominated role.

What Salary Must Be Paid for a Subclass 482 Visa?

Salary is one of the most important issues in a Subclass 482 nomination.

For the Core Skills stream, employers must consider the Core Skills Income Threshold, also known as the CSIT, and the Annual Market Salary Rate, also known as AMSR.

This means an employer should not simply offer the minimum visa threshold if the market salary, award rate, enterprise agreement rate, or equivalent Australian worker salary is higher.

Relevant AMSR evidence may include:

• modern award or enterprise agreement rates;
• equivalent Australian worker contracts;
• payslips;
• employment contracts;
• salary surveys, where appropriate;
• job advertisements, where appropriate;
• industry data;
• position descriptions;
• business records.

For award-covered industries such as aged care, disability support, hospitality, childcare and construction, it is important to check both migration salary requirements and employment law obligations.

What Is Labour Market Testing for a 482 Visa?

Labour market testing generally involves advertising the role in Australia to show that the business has attempted to find a suitable Australian worker before sponsoring an overseas worker.

The Department confirms that labour market testing applies to the Skills in Demand visa subclass 482 Core Skills stream and Specialist Skills stream unless an International Trade Obligation exemption applies.

Employers should be careful with:

• where the role is advertised;
• how long the advertisement runs;
• whether the salary is included, if required;
• whether the duties match the nominated occupation;
• whether evidence of advertising is saved properly;
• whether the advertisement was placed within the required timeframe (28 days consecutively in the last 4 months for standard 482 vsia program, labour agreement LMT may vary);
• whether an ITO exemption applies.

Incorrect labour market testing can create problems for a Subclass 482 nomination.

What Occupations Are Eligible for the Subclass 482 Visa?

Occupation eligibility depends on the relevant stream and the applicable skilled occupation list.

The Department’s Core skills occupation list identifies occupations for Skills in Demand visa subclass 482 Core Skills stream.

Employers should not rely only on a job title. Instead, the actual duties, skill level, qualifications and responsibilities must align with the nominated occupation.

In practice, issues may arise where:

• a disability support provider selects an occupation that does not properly match the worker’s actual tasks;
• a construction business uses a job title that does not reflect the trade or technical duties;
• an allied health clinic fails to consider registration or licensing requirements;
• a small business cannot properly evidence the genuine need for the position.

What Are Sponsor Obligations?

Approved sponsors have ongoing obligations.

The Department provides guidance on sponsorship obligations for Standard Business Sponsors, including obligations relevant to sponsors of Skills in Demand subclass 482 workers.

Sponsor obligations may include:

• keeping proper records;
• providing records when requested;
• notifying the Department of certain changes;
• ensuring the sponsored worker works in the nominated occupation;
• complying with workplace laws;
• paying the correct salary and employment conditions;
• not recovering certain sponsorship-related costs from the worker;
• cooperating with monitoring or Department requests.

Sponsor compliance should be considered before lodging a sponsorship or nomination application. It should also be monitored after the visa is granted.

Can Small Businesses Sponsor a Worker on a 482 Visa?

Yes, a small business may be able to sponsor a worker on a Subclass 482 visa.

However, small businesses often need strong evidence to show that the role is genuine, the business is operating lawfully, and the business has capacity to employ the worker.

Relevant evidence may include:

• financial statements;
• BAS statements;
• business activity records;
• contracts or invoices;
• organisational chart;
• position description;
• employment contract;
• evidence of business growth;
• recruitment evidence;
• explanation of why the role is required.

A small business should obtain advice before lodging, particularly if the position is newly created, the business has limited trading history, or the role is difficult to align with an eligible occupation.

What If the Role Is Not Available Under the Standard 482 Pathway?

If the role is not available under the standard Skills in Demand visa pathway, a labour agreement may be considered.

Labour agreement options may include:

• company-specific labour agreements;
• industry labour agreements;
• Designated Area Migration Agreements, also known as DAMAs;
• project agreements;
• aged care labour agreements.

These pathways are more complex and generally require substantial evidence that the need cannot be met through the Australian labour market or standard skilled visa programs.

Common 482 Visa Mistakes Employers Make

Common Subclass 482 visa mistakes include:

• assuming any role can be sponsored;
• selecting the wrong occupation;
• advertising incorrectly;
• failing to meet salary or AMSR requirements;
• failing to check award coverage;
• using a non-compliant employment contract;
• lodging weak genuine position evidence;
• overlooking caveats;
• failing to consider the worker’s skills or English requirements;
• not planning for future permanent residency options;
• treating sponsorship as only a migration issue and not an employment compliance issue.

A poorly prepared nomination can lead to delays, requests for further information, refusal risk and sponsor compliance issues.

How Tolic Lawyers Can Assist With Subclass 482 Visas

At Tolic Lawyers, we assist employers and skilled workers with Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa matters, including:

• Standard Business Sponsorship applications;
• Subclass 482 nomination applications;
• Skills in Demand visa applications;
• employer sponsorship strategy;
• occupation and ANZSCO assessment;
• salary and AMSR review;
• labour market testing guidance;
• employment contract review;
• sponsor obligations and compliance;
• labour agreement options;
• DAMA and regional pathways;
• visa refusal and review matters.

We work with employers across sectors including NDIS, aged care, disability support, allied health, hospitality, construction, childcare, logistics, recruitment and regional industries.

Need Help With a Subclass 482 Visa?

If your business is considering sponsoring a worker, it is important to obtain advice before lodging.

A properly prepared sponsorship, nomination and visa application can help reduce risk and ensure the business understands its obligations from the outset.

Book a consultation with Tolic Lawyers to discuss your Subclass 482 visa sponsorship options.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It has been prepared on a best-efforts basis and is accurate to the best of our knowledge as at 14 May 2026.

Migration law, employment law, salary thresholds, occupation lists, sponsorship obligations, visa criteria and Departmental policy can change regularly and without notice.

You should not rely on this article as legal advice or as a substitute for advice about your specific circumstances. Employers, sponsors and visa applicants should obtain tailored legal advice before sponsoring a worker, lodging a nomination, applying for a visa, preparing employment documents, or making any employment or sponsorship-related decision.