Australia offers several immigration options to foreigners who wish to travel and work in the country. This includes skilled visas, for workers who are qualified to work or train in an eligible skilled occupation.
In any case, before starting a visa application, it is important to assess the eligibility and the application requirements.
482 visa Australia: requirements
What is the Australia 482 visa?
The subclass 482 (“Skills in Demand”) is a skilled visa which enables employers to address labor shortages by bringing in skilled workers where appropriate local workforce cannot be found.
Learn more about how to convert 400 Visa in 482 Visa in our dedicated article.
Applicant’s eligibility
To be eligible for a 482 visa, the applicant must meet certain requirements.
First, the prospective employer will need to submit a nomination application for the candidate. The employer will only be able to do this if they are an approved sponsor or have at least applied to become a standard business sponsor.
Secondly, the candidate must be nominated to fill an occupation that is on the Skills Occupation List. Additionally, they must demonstrate they have the skills and experience necessary to perform such occupation. Some applicants must undertake a skills assessment to demonstrate this.
Furthermore, the worker must have at least 1-year relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or at a same skill level in a related field. Such experience can be gained on a full-time, part-time, or casual basis within the last 5 years. However, work carried out on a part-time or casual basis must be equivalent to at least 12 months full-time work. The period of work does not have to be continuous.
Moreover, when applying for the Skills in Demand visa, applicants are required to demonstrate that they meet certain minimum standard of English language proficiency, by taking and achieving a specific result in an English language test, unless exempt.
Finally, among the other requirements, applicants must not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.
If you think that you are not eligible for a 482 visa, we invite you to check our article on Australian skilled work visas.
Is there an age limit for a 482 visa?
There is no age requirement for this visa, which is one of its main advantages.
How long does a 482 visa last?
The visa has a maximum duration of 4 years – but Hong Kong passport holders may stay up to 5 years.
What jobs are on a 482 visa in Australia?
The job must be on the Skilled Occupation List which is updated regularly by the government.
It can happen that an occupation is removed from the list after a visa application has already been filed. Pending visa applications are usually not adversely impacted by the subsequent removal of the occupation from the list. At the same time, individuals who already hold a skilled visa will not be negatively impacted by a removed occupation.
However, there may be impacts if the visa holder changes occupation or employer or if the occupation is no longer on the combined list of eligible occupations.
What are the “character” requirements?
To apply for an Australian visa, the applicant must meet the so-called “character” requirements as defined by section 501 of the Migration Act 1958. This is mainly to check the applicant’s criminal conduct, whether they have been charged or convicted in any country. If it is ascertained that the applicant has committed serious criminal offences, the visa is unlikely to be granted.
Moreover, the applicant must meet the health requirement. In fact, Australia enjoys some of the best health standards worldwide. To maintain such standards, most visa applicants are required to meet minimum health standards.
Last but not lease, the applicant must have adequate means to support themselves (and any family members) while in Australia.
482 visa Australia: application
The visa is digitally linked to the applicant’s passport, a visa sticker is not applied on the passport.
How to apply for subclass 482 visa Australia
The application must be filed while the applicant is still outside Australia. The application is filed online through the ImmiAccount and it is possible to include family members, provided that they meet the health and character requirements.
After the visa application, the authorities have a right to ask you to provide a police certificate, a military certificate, or a letter of good conduct from an employer.
The family members are in any case not permitted to work in Australia. Therefore, the main applicant must be able to show that the entire family has enough means to support themselves while in Australia.
What documents do I need for a 482 visa?
The documents to be provided include documents confirming the applicant’s identity, “character”, skills, work experience, health and English language proficiency.
All non-English documents must be translated into English. The original and the translated documents must be attached into the application. The documents don’t have to be certified.
The translation requirements change according to whether the translation is made in Australia our outside the country. In fact, translators in Australia must be accredited by a national authority (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters). Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited but, on each translation, they must include their full name, address and phone number, qualifications and experience in the language they are translating.
Moreover, all documents (English and originals) must be scanned in color.
How long 482 visa takes?
The Australian government has a processing time guide for each visa type, as it may vary a lot according to the type of visa applied. There is no standard processing time.
Currently, on average 90% of 482 visa applications is processed within 61 days from the application.
It is possible to check the status on one’s application on the ImmiAccount and the applicant will be contacted when the process is finalized. Of course, the visa can take longer if the application is incomplete.
If the visa is granted, the government will notify it by e-mail. The e-mail will contain the visa grant number, the date when the visa starts and the main visa conditions. It is recommended to keep a copy of the e-mail when in Australia.
482 visa Australia: fees
TSS visa
There is often confusion between the Skills in Demand (SID) visa and the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa. On December 7, 2024, the SID has replaced the TSS, which is now repealed.
All TSS nominations and visa applications that were lodged prior to the implementation of the SID visa are being processed using the requirements in force at the time the application was submitted.
However, if your employer has lodged a TSS nomination and you have not lodged your associated TSS visa application before that date, if the nomination is approved it will be deemed a SID nomination and you can apply for the SID visa.
Application costs
The application costs are AUD 415.00 for the main applicant. There is also a fee for each family member who is included in the application.
In addition to the fee, it is also necessary to consider the costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
Health insurance
Last but not least, it is generally recommended to take out an health insurance to cover any unforeseen medical treatment the visa holder may need in Australia.
In fact, in case of no reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia, the visa holder will be personally liable for all the healthcare costs while in the country. So, the insurance can help to limit one’s financial liability.
Are 482 visa holders eligible for medicare?
Italy and Australia have signed a reciprocal agreement for healthcare. Accordingly, Italians may access Australian medicare for up to 6 months.
To learn more, we invite you to check our article on how the Italian-Australian healthcare agreement works.
