Australia Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482): 2026 Salary Thresholds, Streams and PR Path

From 1 July 2026, an Australian employer who wants to sponsor you on a Core Skills visa must pay you at least A$79,423 a year. In 2025-26 the minimum was A$76,515, and the year before that it was A$73,150. The floor goes up every July, and it is the first number to check when a job offer arrives.

That figure belongs to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024. For most skilled workers who can't score high on the points test, it is the most realistic route to Australian permanent residence. This guide covers the streams, the 2026-27 salary floors, costs, wait times and the PR path.

In this guide

1. Skills in Demand Visa at a Glance
2. How the Skills in Demand Visa Works
3. Salary Rules: The Two Numbers Your Offer Must Beat
4. Who Is Eligible
5. Costs and Fees in 2026
6. How to Apply, Step by Step
7. How Long Processing Takes
8. Life on the Visa and the Path to PR
9. Common Mistakes and Refusal Reasons
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Before You Apply

Skills in Demand Visa at a Glance

How the Skills in Demand Visa Works

The 482 is a sponsored visa. You can't apply on your own. An Australian business has to become an approved sponsor, nominate a specific position, and then you apply for the visa linked to that nomination.

The redesign sorts workers mainly by salary. Higher earners get faster processing and fewer occupation limits. You can bring your partner and children. Your partner gets full work rights, and children can attend school, although many states charge fees for temporary visa holders' children in public schools.

The three streams

Specialist Skills stream. For highly paid professionals earning at least the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT), which is A$146,576 for nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. Almost any occupation qualifies, but trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers are excluded even if they earn that much.

Core Skills stream. The stream most applicants use. Your occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), which has around 450 occupations, and your salary must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) of A$79,423.

Labour Agreement stream. For employers who have negotiated a custom agreement with the government, often in aged care, agriculture, hospitality or remote regions. Salary and English rules can differ from the standard settings.

A fourth "Essential Skills" pathway for lower-paid roles was proposed when the visa was designed. As of 2026 it had not opened as a general stream. Lower-paid roles mostly go through labour agreements instead.

Salary Rules: The Two Numbers Your Offer Must Beat

Your employer has to pay you the higher of two figures: the income threshold for your stream, and the annual market salary rate (AMSR). The AMSR is what an Australian worker in the same job and location earns. If local nurses in that hospital earn A$95,000, you can't be offered A$80,000 just because it clears the CSIT.

The thresholds are indexed each July in line with Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings. They apply to the date the nomination is lodged, not the date your visa is granted.

Source: Home Affairs salary requirements page. The threshold counts guaranteed annual earnings only. Superannuation (12% from July 2025), overtime that isn't guaranteed, and benefits like free housing or a car don't count toward it.

Typical salaries in common 482 occupations

The ranges below are approximate gross annual salaries drawn from Jobs and Skills Australia occupation data and 2026 job advertisements. Pay varies a lot by state, city versus regional, and seniority.

Notice that a chef on A$72,000 would have cleared the 2024 threshold but not the 2026 one. Employers sometimes reuse older offer templates, so check the number yourself.

Who Is Eligible

To get a 482 visa you generally need:

• A nomination from an approved sponsor for a genuine full-time position
• At least one year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a closely related one, typically within the last five years (this was cut from two years under the old TSS rules)
• The qualifications and skills to do the job, and in some cases a positive skills assessment, especially for trades and for applicants from certain countries
• English at the required level, broadly around an overall IELTS 5.0 or an equivalent score on another accepted test, with some exemptions for passport holders from English-speaking countries and for some high earners
• Health insurance for the whole family for your entire stay
• Health checks and police certificates

There is no age limit on the 482 itself, but the main PR route generally requires you to be under 45. If you are 42 or older, plan the timing carefully.

Costs and Fees in 2026

Visa charges rose by roughly 25% on 1 July 2026. The table shows the current official charges from the Home Affairs visa pricing table.

A family of four (two adults, two children) pays A$10,040 in visa charges alone before medicals and insurance. Some employers reimburse this. Many don't. Ask before you sign.

How to Apply, Step by Step

1. Find a sponsoring employer. Search job boards for roles that mention visa sponsorship, approach employers in shortage sectors directly, and check that your occupation is on the CSOL if you'll be in the Core Skills stream. Home Affairs publishes the list on its skill occupation list page.
2. Employer becomes a standard business sponsor. Sponsorship approval lasts five years. Many large employers already hold it.
3. Employer tests the local labour market. For most nominations, the job must be advertised in Australia (including on Workforce Australia) in the months before nomination, unless an exemption applies.
4. Employer lodges the nomination. This is where the salary threshold is locked in. Get a copy of the nomination details so you know your guaranteed salary.
5. Prepare your documents. Passport, CV, references with duties and dates, payslips or tax records proving experience, qualifications, English test results, and skills assessment if needed.
6. Lodge your visa application in ImmiAccount. You can usually lodge right after the nomination. Pay the charge and add family members.
7. Complete health checks and biometrics. You'll get instructions after lodging. Book early, because clinic waits in some countries run to several weeks.
8. Wait for a decision. Respond quickly to any request for information. Don't resign or sell belongings until the visa is granted.

Documents checklist

• Passports for you and each family member
• Signed employment contract matching the nominated position
• Reference letters with exact dates, hours and duties, backed by payslips or tax records
• Qualification certificates, English results and any skills assessment
• Police certificates from every country where you lived 12 months or more in the past 10 years
• Relationship and birth certificates for dependants, plus proof of health insurance

How Long Processing Takes

Home Affairs processes 482 applications under a ministerial direction that sets priorities. In early October 2026 the department said it was working on:

• Specialist Skills stream applications lodged around July 2026
• Applications in construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources lodged around February 2026
• Applications from people inside Australia lodged around January 2026
• Applications from people outside Australia lodged around October 2025

In plain terms, if you are offshore in a non-priority occupation, expect something close to a year. A nurse or construction worker abroad might wait about eight months. A specialist earning A$150,000 or more could be decided in a few months. These queues move, so check the visa page for the latest dates.

Life on the Visa and the Path to PR

Once you arrive, you must work for your sponsor in the nominated role. You can change employers, but the new employer has to lodge a fresh nomination. If you stop working for your sponsor, you have up to 180 days at a time (and 365 days across the whole visa) to find a new sponsor, switch to another visa, or leave.

That flexibility gives you some protection if a workplace turns out to be exploitative. The Fair Work Ombudsman handles underpayment complaints regardless of visa status.

Moving to permanent residence

The usual route is the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186), Temporary Residence Transition stream. The key rules:

• Two years of work on your 482 in the nominated occupation, and time with different approved sponsors counts toward this
• A 186 nomination from your current employer, again paid at or above the CSIT
• Generally under 45 when you apply, with exemptions for some high earners and specific cases
• Competent English, which is higher than the 482 level (broadly IELTS 6 in each band or equivalent)
• 186 visa charge of A$6,140 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026

The government has signalled that it wants more permanent places going to people already working in Australia. The 2026-27 Migration Program raised Employer Sponsored places to 58,040, up from 44,000 the year before. That suits 482 holders.

Some workers also take the points-tested route once they have Australian experience, because each year worked in Australia adds points. Our guide to Australia's 189, 190 and 491 skilled visas explains how that works.

Common Mistakes and Refusal Reasons

• Salary below the threshold or below market rate. The most common nomination problem. Check both numbers.
• Weak work experience evidence. A reference letter alone often isn't enough. Back it up with payslips or tax records.
• Mismatch between your job history and the nominated occupation. If you were a "store supervisor" and you're nominated as a "retail manager", the duties need to line up.
• Expired or wrong English test. Some tests or older results won't be accepted.
• Undisclosed visa refusals or overstays in any country. Always declare them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum salary for the Skills in Demand visa in 2026?

For nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is A$79,423 and the Specialist Skills threshold is A$146,576. Your employer must also pay at least the market rate for your role if that is higher. The thresholds rise every 1 July.

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

No. Every 482 application needs a nomination from an approved Australian sponsor. If you don't have an employer, look at the points-tested skilled visas, or the Working Holiday visa if you're from an eligible country and under the age limit.

Is the Skills in Demand visa the same as the TSS visa?

It has the same subclass number, 482, but different rules. The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa for applications lodged from 7 December 2024. It uses income thresholds and a new occupation list, cuts work experience to one year, and gives more time to find a new sponsor.

How long does it take to get PR from a 482 visa?

You can usually apply for the subclass 186 after two years of sponsored work, and the 186 itself can take several months to over a year. Realistically, plan on three to four years from arrival to permanent residence. The timeline is shorter if your employer nominates you as soon as you qualify.

Can my partner work in Australia on my 482 visa?

Yes. A partner included in your application gets unrestricted work rights in Australia for the length of the visa. They pay the same A$4,015 charge as the main applicant from July 2026.

Do I need a skills assessment for the 482 visa?

Not always. It depends on your occupation and sometimes your passport country. Trades occupations and applicants from certain countries often need one, so check the requirement for your exact occupation code.

Before You Apply

• Check that your occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List, or that your salary clears A$146,576 for the Specialist stream.
• Gather your work evidence now: reference letters with dates and duties, plus payslips or tax records for every job you'll rely on.
• Take an accepted English test early, aiming higher than the 482 minimum so the same result helps with PR later.
• Budget for the full family cost, around A$10,000 or more in visa charges for a family of four, and ask any employer in writing which costs they will cover.