The 482 visa
It replaced the TSS visa in December 2024. The main streams:
- Core Skills: occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
- Specialist Skills: highly paid specialist roles, with faster processing
- Labour Agreement: employers with a labour agreement with the government
Income thresholds are indexed every July.
Moving to 186 permanent residence
After two years with the sponsoring employer, the employer can nominate you for permanent residence through the 186 transition stream, generally if you are under 45. Time with different sponsoring employers can usually be combined.
Hong Kong passport holders
Hong Kong SAR passport holders can be granted 482 visas of up to five years.
Australia Employer Sponsored at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Investment | No investment required |
| Sponsorship | An Australian employer must sponsor you |
| Work visa | Up to four years (five for Hong Kong passport holders) |
| Permanent residence | Through 186 after two years of work |
Australia Employer Sponsored application process and timing
- Assessment and employer match (Varies): We assess your occupation, pay and experience and confirm the employer and role.
- Sponsorship and nomination (Several months): The employer applies to become an approved sponsor and nominates the role.
- 482 visa application (Usually a few months): Lodge the 482 visa application and move to Australia with your family to work and live.
- 186 permanent residence (After two years of work): After two years with the sponsoring employer, apply for permanent residence through the 186 transition stream.
Main Australia Employer Sponsored requirements
- Nomination for a full-time role by an approved Australian sponsor
- Pay that meets the relevant income threshold and market salary rate (from July 2026, about AUD 79,000 or more in the Core Skills stream)
- For the Core Skills stream, an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
- At least 12 months of relevant work experience in the past five years
- English, skills, health and character requirements met
- For 186 permanent residence: two years with the sponsoring employer, generally under 45
Key benefits of Australia Employer Sponsored
- No investment required
- Move to Australia on a work visa first, then transition to permanent residence
- Your spouse and children can be included, and your spouse can work
- Hong Kong passport holders can be granted 482 visas of up to five years
- Faster processing in the Specialist Skills stream
More questions about Australia Employer Sponsored
Can the 482 visa lead directly to permanent residence? Yes. After two years with the sponsoring employer, the employer can nominate you for permanent residence through the transition stream of the 186 Employer Nomination Scheme.
Does changing employer affect my application? A new employer must nominate you again. Under the current rules, time with different sponsoring employers can generally be combined towards the two years needed for 186.
Next step
Every family’s background, funds and timeline are different. Global Immigrate’s professional consultants can assess, free of charge, whether this programme suits you and compare other options. You can also request the full programme brochure on the programme page.
Learn more: Australia Employer Sponsored Immigration (482 / 186)