Skill Shortage Visa (TSS Visa) Subclass 482

Short-term Stream

The short-term TSS (Subclass 482) Visa stream allows applicants to stay for up to 2 years or up to 4 if an International Trade Obligation (ITO) applies.

General

• Applicants must have a minimum of 2 years of work experience in the relevant field
• Occupation must be listed on the Short-Term Skilled Occupations List (STSOL)
• Applicants must meet genuine temporary entrant requirement
• This visa does not provide a transitional pathway to Permanent Residency
• Immediate family members may be included, with the support of the employer

English

The primary applicant for the TSS Visa must meet the minimum English requirement.

You will need to take an English test unless one of the following applies:

• you are a passport holder from Canada, Ireland, UK, USA or NZ
• you have completed at least 5 years of full-time study in at least a secondary level institution and where the medium of instruction was English.

If you need to take an English test, you can take one of the below tests:

Do you need to increase your English score before you can apply? Click here for details about short English courses for the PTE test.

Stay Period

Short-Term TSS Visa holder can stay in Australia for:

• 2 years in most cases
• 4 years if an ITO applies but the maximum length will depend on the actual ITO relevant to your circumstances
• 5 years if you are a Hong Kong passport holder

Extending your stay

If your Short-term 482 (TSS) visa is expiring soon and you would like to continue working for your employer, you may be eligible to renew your visa for another 2 years.

If you are already on your second 482 Temporary Skill Shortage Visa, you cannot renew. Generally, if your occupation is listed on the STSOL, you will have limited permanent visa options, however, you may find a pathway to permanent residency through one of the below subclasses:

• 190 visa (State Nominated)
• 491 visa (Regional Sponsored)
• 494 visa (Employer-Sponsored Regional)  

MEDIUM / LONG TERM STREAM

The medium-term TSS (Subclass 482) Visa stream allows applicants to stay for up to 4 years, with the option to apply for another TSS Visa or Permanent Residency.

General

• Applicants must have a minimum of 2 years work experience in the relevant field
• Occupation must be on Medium Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) (For non-regional applications)
• Applicants don’t need to meet genuine temporary entrant requirement
• Applicants have a transitional pathway to Permanent Residency after 3 years
• Immediate family members may be included, with the support of the employer

English

The primary applicant for the TSS Visa must meet the minimum English requirement.

You will need to take an English test unless one of the following applies:

• you are a passport holder from Canada, Ireland, UK, USA or NZ
• you have completed at least 5 years of full-time study in at least a secondary level institution and where the medium of instruction was English.

If you need to take an English test, you can take one of the below tests:

Do you need to increase your English score before you can apply? Click here for details about short English courses for IELTS and PTE.

Stay Period

Medium-term TSS Visa holder can stay in Australia for up to 4 years

Extending your stay

If your Medium-term 482 (TSS) visa is expiring soon and you would like to continue working for your employer:

• your employer will need to submit a new nomination
• you can apply for a new 482 TSS visa

You may also be eligible to apply for one of the below permanent visas if your occupation is listed on the Medium Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL):

• 189 visa
• 190 visa
• 187 visa (RSMS visa)
• 186 visa (ENS visa)

TSS Visa holders under the medium-term stream may also be eligible to apply for a 186 Visa or 187 Visa through the Temporary Residence Transition Stream

LABOUR AGREEMENT STREAM

The Labour Agreement TSS Visa stream allows applicants to stay for up to 4 years, which may have the option to apply for another TSS Visa or Permanent Residency. This TSS stream may be utilised in exceptional circumstances where a business can demonstrate a need that cannot be met by Australian workers and standard visa programs are not available. These agreements are negotiated between an employer and the Department to enable an employer to recruit overseas workers that may have a:

• Specified age
• Specified Occupation
• Skill level
• English language
• Salary

General

• Applicants may have a transitional pathway to Permanent Residency, depending on their employer’s labour agreement terms.
• Immediate family members may be included, with the support of the employer

English

Applicants must meet the English level specified in their employer’s labour agreement

Stay Period

Labour Agreement TSS Visa holders can stay in Australia for up to 4 years

Extending your stay

If your Labour Agreement 482 (TSS) visa is expiring soon and you would like to continue working for your employer:

• your employer will need to submit a new nomination
• you can apply for a new 482 TSS visa
• You may also be eligible to apply for one of the below permanent visas, depending on the terms of your employer’s Labour Agreement (The employer will need to hold a valid labour agreement when offering permanent sponsorship):

• 187 visa (RSMS visa)
• 186 visa (ENS visa)

You can include your family in your Application

Subclass 482 (TSS) Visa applicants can add family members to their application before lodgement or after approval. To be eligible to include family members, applicants must meet the below criteria:

• your employer agrees to extend sponsorship
• your family members meet the eligibility criteria

TSS visa holders and applicants may be able to include the below family members to their application as secondary applicants

• partner
• dependent child
• partner’s dependent child

Family members must meet the health and character requirements.

TSS Visa secondary applicants can enter and remain in Australia for the duration of the main applicant’s TSS Visa (Subclass 482).

Secondary applicants can live, work and study while residing in Australia.

Family members can be included at the time of 482 visa application or after the visa has been approved.

More about adding family members to your TSS Subclass 482 visa.

Employer Sponsored Visa 482

Employers must become a Standard Business Sponsor or have a labour agreement with the department, in order to sponsor overseas workers on a Employer Sponsored visa 482.

OPERATIONS

To become an approved sponsor, the business must be legally established in Australia and currently operating. The business can be in or outside Australia.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Employers must also pass a non-discriminatory workforce test, to ensure they aren’t discriminating against Australian workers at the nomination stage and have a demonstrated a strong commitment employing local labour.

TSS NOMINATION

An approved Business Sponsor can nominate a position within their business to be filled by an overseas skilled worker. There are strict criteria which must be met in order to receive a successful Nomination outcome.

EMPLOYEE SALARY

TSS Visa holders must earn a minimum annual salary equal to or above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) which is currently $53,900 plus Superannuation. The salary must also be within the market rate for that occupation.

LABOUR MARKET TESTING (LMT)

The business must demonstrate that they have tested the labour market by advertising locally for the nominated position.

TRAINING LEVY

The new Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy has been introduced with the TSS Visa. The SAF levy is payable in full at nomination stage and has made hiring overseas workers considerably more expensive.

The payable levy is determined by the turnover of the nominating business:

Small Businesses (Turnover less than $10 million) will pay $1,200 per year, per nominated TSS Visa holder
Other Businesses (Turnover more than $10 million) will pay $1,800 per year, per nominated TSS Visa holder
For example, a business with a turn over $10M nominates an applicant for a four year TSS Visa would pay $7,200 upfront at the nomination stage.

What is the Training Levy (SAF)?
The Department states that the SAF levy provides a tangible demonstration of how the TSS visa supports training opportunities for Australians. The business does not receive any training by paying the SAF.

Can the employee pay the SAF?
No – Under no circumstances can the sponsored employee pay for SAF levy

Are there any exemptions to the SAF?
No – Unfortunately, the business must pay the SAF to sponsor any TSS workers

What is a 482 visa?

The 482 visa is a temporary skill shortage visa, allowing a skilled worker to temporarily live and work in Australia if nominated by an approved employer who hasn’t been able to find an appropriately skilled Australian worker.

Can I change employer on a 482 visa?

You can change your employer on a 482 visa, as long as the new employer is willing to sponsor you and lodge a new nomination for you. You are not allowed to start working for this new employer until the change has been approved. Until it has been approved, you have to continue working for your previous employer or make sure that any gap in employment is less than 60 consecutive days.

Can I get Medicare on a 482 visa?

As a rule, you will not receive access to Australian medicare on a 482 visa. You are responsible for your own health costs and must get adequate health insurance. However, Australia does have reciprocal healthcare agreements with some countries that will cover some of your medical costs if you are from one of these countries. If you are, you can apply to be exempt from the requirement to purchase health insurance. Currently, these countries are New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Malta, Slovenia and Norway. If you’re from any other country, you cannot apply to get Medicare.

How to renew a 482 visa?

You cannot renew the 482 visa you currently have, but you can apply for a new one if you wish to stay longer. This would require that your employer makes a new nomination and that you apply for a new visa the same way you did for your first.

Can I apply for pr with a 482 visa?

Not all 482 visa holders are eligible to apply for permanent residency. Your eligibility will depend on a number of factors including your occupation, age, English proficiency and more.

Is 482 a permanent visa?

The 482 visa is not permanent. A short-term stream allows you to stay for two years and a medium-term stream lets you stay for four years. However, you may be able to apply for a new visa when your 482 is due to expire.

Can I study on a 482 visa?

Yes, you can study in Australia on a 482 visa.

Can a 482 visa be extended?

Technically your 482 visa cannot be extended, but you can apply for a new one when it is about to expire. On a short-term stream visa, which lasts two years, you can apply for a further two years without leaving Australia. You would have to go offshore to extend it further. The medium-term stream lets you stay for up to four years, and can be renewed an unlimited amount of times.

Can a 482 visa be transferred?

You can transfer to a new company or a new role in the same company while on a 482 visa, as long as your employer submits a new nomination for you.

Can I drive for Uber on a 482 visa?

Most people will not be allowed to drive for Uber on a 482 visa, as a condition of your visa is that you work only for your sponsor company or associated entity in the nominated role. However, certain occupations are exempt from this requirement. If you belong to one of these occupations, you may be allowed to drive for Uber in Australia.

Can my spouse work on a 482 visa?

Yes! The spouse or partner of a person with a 482 visa is allowed to work and study in Australia.

Do I need a skills assessment for a 482 visa?

This depends on your occupation. Some people need a positive skills assessment, while people in other occupations or who are exempt can provide other evidence that they can perform the nominated role. Consult ASM to find out if you need a positive skills assessment.

How long does a 482 visa take to process?

The processing time varies. You may wait between one month to over a year.

How long is a 482 visa valid for?

There are three kinds of 482 visas: the short-term stream lets you stay for up to 2 years, the medium-term stream lets you stay for up to 4 years, and the rare labour agreement stream also lets you stay for up to 4 years. Hong Kong passport holders can stay up to 5 years on any stream.

How much does a 482 visa cost?

The short-term stream costs from AUD1,290, the medium-term stream costs AUD2,690 and over, as does the labour agreement stream.

How to apply for a 482 visa?

A 482 visa is applied for on the Australian Government Immigration and citizenship website. Before applying, you must make sure an employer nominates you, that you fulfil the requirements for a 482 visa, and that you have all the necessary documents for your situation. This can include English exams, health exams and skills assessments. We recommend appointing a registered migration agent to apply for any employer sponsored visa

Is a 482 visa holder a resident for tax purposes?

Someone with a 482 visa can be either a resident or a non-resident for tax purposes, independently of whether they are a resident for immigration purposes. You will be a resident for tax purposes if you reside in Australia (meaning you stay here permanently or for a considerable amount of time), you have a place you consider to be your permanent home, or you spend over half the year (183 days) in Australia. Other things can also make you a resident, so the easiest way to find out is by using an online tool.

What are the requirements for a 482 visa?

There are several requirements for a 482 visa. You must be nominated by an approved employer, you must work for them, you need to have worked in this field for at least two years and have the relevant skills, qualifications and background to do so, and you might also need to have a positive skills assessment. You will also need to meet certain health and character requirements, have health insurance (unless exempt) and demonstrate a certain level of English proficiency. You cannot have any debt to the Australian government and you might not be eligible if you have had a previous visa cancelled or application refused. If you are currently in Australia, you must have an appropriate visa and you must have complied with the conditions for any current and previous visas. You must also be willing to sign the Australian Values Statement.