Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482): Specialist Skills Stream

AUD4,015 for the main applicant and each dependant aged 18 or over, and AUD1,005 for each dependant under 18. Concessions apply in limited circumstances, including a lower cost for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens from 1 July 2026. You will also pay for English tests, health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

For the period your employer nominates you, up to 4 years (5 years for Hong Kong passport holders). The visa cannot be extended: to keep working for your employer, they lodge a new nomination and you apply for a new visa, or your employer may sponsor you for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).

You can include your partner and dependent children, and some other dependent relatives, in your application. Family members can live, study and work in Australia. They can also apply later as subsequent entrants.

In or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance. If applying in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a Bridging visa A, B or C.

You must start work within 90 days of arriving (or of the grant, if you are already in Australia), and work only in your nominated occupation for your sponsor or an associated entity. If you stop working for your sponsor, you have up to 180 days to find a new sponsor or leave Australia.

Your employer lodges a nomination for you first. The salary must meet the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (AUD146,576 for nominations from 1 July 2026).

With an Australian sponsor, you work in your nominated occupation for that business or an associated entity. With an overseas sponsor, you work only for that business. Some occupations are exempt.

You must show you have the skills to perform the occupation, with at least 1 year of relevant experience in it or a related field. Medical practitioners need their qualifications recognised for registration in Australia.

Some applicants must complete a mandatory skills assessment, depending on their occupation and passport. Exemptions may apply.

If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a Bridging visa A, B or C, and have substantially complied with the conditions of your last visa.

You and your family are personally responsible for healthcare costs, so you must keep adequate health insurance for your whole stay (unless a reciprocal healthcare agreement covers you).

You and family members applying with you must meet the health requirement, and those aged 16 or over must meet the character requirement. Permanent and provisional visa applicants, and family members applying with them, must have health examinations with an approved panel physician. Temporary visa applicants might need them, depending on the visa and their circumstances. For the character requirement, Home Affairs may ask for police certificates and Form 80.

Nobody in your family may have asked for, offered, received or provided a benefit in return for a sponsorship-related event.

Previous visa refusals or cancellations are considered, and any debts to the Australian Government must be repaid or arranged.

Applicants aged 18 or over must agree to respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws.

Work in your nominated occupation for your sponsor, study and travel as often as you like. You must start work within 90 days and meet all visa conditions.

Let Home Affairs know about changes to your contact details, passport, employer, employment (including promotions and hours), relationship status or the birth of a child.

You have up to 180 days to find a new sponsoring employer or make arrangements to leave Australia.

You cannot extend this visa. Your employer can lodge a new nomination for a new visa, or may sponsor you for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).

If you leave Australia permanently, you may be able to claim your superannuation.

For highly skilled roles that cannot be filled through the Core Skills or Specialist Skills streams, the Global Talent Scheme pilot may be an option for eligible employers.

AUD330 per nomination, plus the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy of AUD1,200 a year (annual turnover under AUD10 million) or AUD1,800 a year (AUD10 million or more) for the nominated stay. Lodge the nomination before, or at the same time as, the worker's visa application.

12 months from approval, or earlier if it is withdrawn, the visa is decided, or your sponsorship approval ends or is cancelled.

You must meet your standard business sponsor obligations for as long as you sponsor the worker. Compliance support.

You must be unable to find a suitably skilled Australian citizen or permanent resident for the role. Labour market testing rules.

For salaries under AUD250,000, show you will pay at least the Annual Market Salary Rate, and at least the Specialist Skills Income Threshold.

The role must be genuine, and the worker engaged under a written contract to work only for your business (or an associated entity, for Australian sponsors), unless exempt.

You cannot supply the worker to unrelated businesses under standard business sponsorship.

Conditions must be no less favourable than for an Australian doing the same work in the same place, with no discriminatory recruitment and no unreasonable adverse information.

You may be able to sponsor the worker for permanent residence through the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream.