The Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482) is a crucial part of Australia’s immigration program. This visa allows Australian employers to sponsor skilled foreign workers to fill positions that cannot be filled by Australian workers.
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Overview of Subclass 482 Skills in Demand Visa
📅 Since December 2024, the Skills in Demand (SID) visa has replaced the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa in Australia.
This visa aims to address critical skill shortages in the Australian workforce, allowing businesses to access the talent they need to grow and remain competitive globally.
The SID visa is a temporary work visa that allows Australian employers to sponsor skilled foreign workers for positions they cannot fill with an appropriately skilled Australian worker.
📌 Key Features
- Holders of this visa can work in Australia for up to 4 years (or 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders).
- Visa holders can travel freely in and out of Australia during its validity.
- It provides a pathway to permanent residency under certain conditions.
Visa Duration
- Up to 4 years
- Hong Kong passport holders can stay for up to 5 years
Cost (2026)
- From AUD 4,015 for the primary applicant (source: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au)
- AUD 4,015 for each additional applicant aged 18+
- AUD 1,005 for each dependent under 18 years old
- Additional AUD 700 Subsequent Temporary Application Charge (STAC) may apply if you apply while in Australia on another temporary visa
- Cost Concession: From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application
⚠️ Fee update: The visa application charge was significantly raised in the latest fee schedule. Always confirm the current fee on the Department of Home Affairs website before you lodge — use the official Visa Pricing Estimator for a full estimate.
Processing Time
To check the estimated processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool, which provides timelines based on recently processed applications.
- Labour Agreement stream: 3–8 months
- Specialist Skills stream: median 7–11 days
- Core Skills stream: median 21 days
Different Streams of the SID Visa
The Skills in Demand Visa is structured into different streams to meet various industry needs:
1️⃣ Core Skills Stream
- Designed for occupations listed on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), including registered nurses, trade workers, and certain machinery operators.
- Applicants must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT), currently set at AUD 79,499 from 1 July 2026 (indexed annually — up from AUD 76,515).
- Processing time: 21 days on average.
- Cost: From AUD 4,015.
2️⃣ Specialist Skills Stream
- For highly skilled migrants with an annual salary of at least AUD 146,717 from 1 July 2026 (up from AUD 141,210).
- Priority processing within 7–11 days.
- Your occupation must be listed in the ANZSCO classification. Excludes trades workers, machinery operators, drivers, and labourers.
- Capped at 3,000 places per year.
3️⃣ Labour Agreement Stream
Duration: Up to 4 years, or 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders.
For skilled workers sponsored by employers with a valid Labour Agreement with the Australian government. This includes Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) for regional areas and industry-specific labour agreements for sectors such as aged care, agriculture, and hospitality.
Eligibility Criteria for the SID Visa
To qualify for the Skills in Demand visa, applicants must:
Be nominated for a skilled position – The job must be listed on the CSOL for the Core Skills Stream or meet the specific criteria of other streams.
Have relevant work experience – At least 1 year of experience in the nominated occupation or a related field.
Obtain a skills assessment – If required for the occupation.
Meet English language requirements – Unless exempted.
Work exclusively for the sponsoring employer – Unless exempted by specific conditions.
Application Process for the SID Visa
Applying for the Skills in Demand visa involves several key steps:
1️⃣ Employer Nomination – The employer must submit a nomination proving they were unable to find a suitably skilled Australian worker.
2️⃣ Visa Application Submission – Once the nomination is approved, the applicant must submit the visa application with supporting documents, such as proof of skills, work experience, and English proficiency.
3️⃣ Processing and Decision – Core Skills Stream applications have a median processing time of 21 days.
4️⃣ Visa Grant – If approved, the visa is issued, allowing the applicant to live and work in Australia for the specified period.
Source: www.homeaffairs.gov.au
FAQs SID Visa
The main requirements to obtain this visa include a sponsored job offer from an Australian employer, skills and qualifications matching the position, proof of English language proficiency (if applicable), skills assessment in some cases, and meeting health and character criteria.
You can search for a sponsoring employer by browsing job websites, using specialized recruitment agencies, networking with professionals in Australia, or leveraging professional social networks. Employers must be approved by the Australian government to sponsor foreign workers.
The validity period of the SID visa is 4 years.
Yes, it is possible to change employers, but it requires submitting a new SID visa application with a new job offer sponsored by a different approved employer.
Yes, SID visa holders may be eligible to bring their family members to Australia as dependents, subject to certain conditions.
