482 Visa Requirements 2026: The Full Checklist for Applicants

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) lets an approved Australian business sponsor a skilled worker. Most applicants ask the same question first: do I qualify? This checklist walks through each requirement in plain English. As a result, you can see where you stand before you lodge.

For an overview of the visa and its three streams, read our guide to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). This post covers the requirements only.

The 482 visa requirements checklist

The subclass 482 visa carries both employer requirements and applicant requirements. First, an approved business must sponsor you. Then that business must nominate a genuine position. Finally, you must meet the criteria below. Because these steps connect, one gap can hold up everything.

1. An approved sponsor and an approved nomination

You cannot apply for a 482 visa on your own. Instead, an Australian business must first become an approved sponsor. That business must also nominate the role you will fill, and the Department must approve that nomination. Therefore your application depends on your employer doing their part properly.

The rules also test whether the job is real. Specifically, your intention to perform the occupation must be genuine, and so must the position. As a result, thin or invented roles attract scrutiny.

An employer in a designated regional area may instead sponsor under a labour agreement. For example, a Designated Area Migration Agreement can unlock occupations the standard streams do not reach. To understand that route, see our guide to Designated Area Migration Agreements.

2. An occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List

Your occupation must appear on the relevant list. For the Core Skills stream, that means the Core Skills Occupation List. The list runs to roughly 456 occupations, each tied to an ANZSCO code. Consequently, the exact code your employer nominates matters enormously.

Next, check any caveats on your occupation. Some roles carry conditions about business size, salary or work setting. Because a caveat can rule you out quietly, review it early.

3. Skills, qualifications and registration

You need the skills, qualifications and employment background to perform the tasks of the nominated occupation. For certain occupations and applicant groups, a formal skills assessment applies. In addition, some roles require Australian licensing or registration before you start work. Therefore, arrange any mandatory registration early. Medical practitioners face a further rule, because an Australian registration authority must recognise their qualifications.

4. At least 12 months of relevant work experience

The work experience rule is precise, so read it carefully. You must have worked in the nominated occupation or a related field. Moreover, that work can be full-time, part-time or casual. The total must equal at least 12 months of full-time work.

Timing matters just as much. The work must fall within the five years ending immediately before the day you apply. As a result, older experience outside that window does not count.

5. Salary: the income threshold and the market rate

Your pay must satisfy two separate tests, and both apply together. First, your guaranteed annual earnings must meet the income threshold for your stream. Second, your earnings must match the annual market salary rate for the role. In other words, your employer cannot pay you less than an Australian doing equivalent work.

The market salary rate follows a set method. Where an Australian worker does equivalent work at the same place, their earnings set the benchmark. Otherwise, the rate comes from awards, agreements or reliable market information.

The income thresholds also change. Specifically, they are indexed on 1 July each year. For that reason, always confirm the current figure on the Department of Home Affairs website, or ask us to check it for your role.

6. English language ability

Most Core Skills and Specialist Skills applicants must sit an approved English test. The approved tests include IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET, CELPIP General, LANGUAGECERT Academic and MET. For IELTS, you need at least 5.0 in each of the four components. Your test day must fall within three years of providing the evidence.

Helpfully, the current rules allow component re-sits. So if you miss one component, you can re-sit that component on a later day rather than repeating the whole test.

Several groups are exempt. For instance, citizens holding a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States do not need a test. Applicants who completed at least five years of full-time study taught in English are also exempt. Finally, an exemption applies to some applicants employed by an overseas company who will earn at least AUD 96,400.

7. Health, character and insurance

You must satisfy the health and character requirements. First, you complete health examinations when the Department asks. Then you provide police certificates. Separately, you must hold adequate health insurance arrangements for your intended stay. Because these checks take time, start them early.

What the visa costs

The base application charge for the subclass 482 visa is $4,015. Adult family members added to your application pay $4,015 each, and children under 18 pay $1,005 each. A lower schedule applies to applicants holding a passport from a Pacific-regional country, where the base charge is $3,290. There is no second instalment.

Employers carry separate costs, including sponsorship and nomination charges. Those sit with the business rather than with you.

How long the visa lasts

Many people assume a fixed period applies. In fact, the visa period generally runs for the period of stay proposed in the approved nomination. So your employer’s nomination shapes how long you can stay. A separate five-year rule applies to holders of specified Hong Kong passports and British National (Overseas) passports.

Documents to prepare

Because decision makers work from the papers in front of them, complete files move faster. Gather these items before you lodge:

• Passport and identity documents
• Evidence of your work experience, with dates and hours
• Qualifications, transcripts, and any licence or registration
• A skills assessment, where your occupation requires one
• Your English test result, unless an exemption applies
• The nomination details and position description
• Health insurance evidence and police certificates

Common mistakes to avoid

Small errors cause long delays. First, applicants often lodge before the nomination is ready. Then the visa simply waits. Second, some assume that clearing the income threshold is enough. However, the market salary rate test still applies separately.

Third, many people miscount their work experience. Remember that the 12 months must sit inside the five years before you apply. Finally, the occupation code trips people up, because neighbouring ANZSCO codes look alike. Therefore, careful code selection protects the application from the start.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for the 482 visa without a job offer?

No. You need an approved sponsor and an approved nomination first. Therefore the job comes before the visa application.

How much work experience do I need?

You need work in the nominated occupation or a related field totalling at least 12 months of full-time work. That work may be full-time, part-time or casual. It must fall within the five years before you apply.

How long can I stay on a subclass 482 visa?

Generally, the visa runs for the period of stay proposed in the approved nomination. Holders of specified Hong Kong passports and British National (Overseas) passports receive five years.

How much does the 482 visa cost?

The base application charge is $4,015, with $4,015 for each adult family member and $1,005 for each child under 18. Applicants holding a Pacific-regional country passport pay a base charge of $3,290.

Do I have to sit an English test?

Most applicants do, unless an exemption applies. For example, passport holders from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States are exempt.

Sam Kanjo, Migration Lawyer, Skyline Migration Lawyers, Melbourne.

This article provides general information only. It is not legal or migration advice for your situation. Migration law changes often, and fees and income thresholds are indexed. For advice about your circumstances, please contact a registered migration lawyer or agent.