Skills in Demand Visa 482 2026 — Requirements, Salary & Mistakes | AGS

Since 7 December 2024, the old TSS 482 has been fully replaced by the Skills in Demand (SID) visa – subclass 482, and from 1 July 2026 the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) has risen to AUD $79,423. Many employers and applicants are still relying on outdated information — a common reason nominations get refused. Here is the full 2026 breakdown of requirements, salary rules, and the mistakes to avoid.

What is the Skills in Demand (SID) visa 482?

The Skills in Demand (SID) visa – subclass 482 is an employer-sponsored temporary visa that replaced the old TSS 482 system from 7 December 2024. An Australian employer nominates a skilled position, and the employee must demonstrate the skills, experience and English required for the relevant stream. The visa can generally be granted for up to 4 years.

The three main 482 streams

SID is split into streams based on salary level and occupation type. The most common are the Core Skills stream (occupation on the CSOL, salary at or above CSIT) and the Specialist Skills stream (higher salary threshold, not restricted to a fixed occupation list). A separate Labour Agreement stream applies under industry- or employer-specific arrangements with the Australian Government.

Employer Requirements

An Australian business sponsoring a foreign worker under the 482 must satisfy several requirements at once — it is not simply a matter of having a vacancy.

Labour Market Testing — the step most often done poorly

Employers must conduct Labour Market Testing (LMT) and satisfy salary and employment requirements before lodging a nomination, subject to applicable exemptions. LMT is not a formality — employers should retain full evidence: advertisements, dates, platform, position description, applications received, and reasons suitable candidates were not selected.

Employee Requirements

An applicant cannot simply apply independently for a normal 482. There must be an employer nomination for an eligible skilled position, and the applicant must also meet the following.

Skills and experience

For the Core Skills stream, applicants generally need at least 1 year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field. A relevant skills assessment may also be required depending on the occupation.

English requirements (tests taken on or after 13 September 2025)

What happens if you lose your job?

If employment with the sponsoring employer ends, applicants generally have up to 180 consecutive days at a time to find a new eligible sponsoring employer, arrange to leave Australia, or apply for another appropriate visa if eligible. Moving to a new employer generally requires a new nomination, and possibly a new visa application.

Salary 2026 — Important Change from 1 July 2026

From 1 July 2026, skilled visa income thresholds increased by 3.8%.

Worked example

If the market salary for an occupation is $90,000 and CSIT is $79,423:

• $75,000 → below CSIT, does not qualify
• $79,423 → meets CSIT but potentially below AMSR
• $82,000 → potentially still below AMSR
• $90,000+ → potentially satisfies both, subject to full nomination assessment

Visa Application Costs — More Than Just the Government Fee

The current Home Affairs starting charge for subclass 482 is AUD $4,015 for the primary applicant (concessions apply in limited circumstances). This is not necessarily the total cost — real cases typically also involve:

• Applicant-side costs: additional applicant charges, English test, health examination, police certificates, biometrics, skills assessment (where applicable), translation, migration service fee
• Employer-side costs: Standard Business Sponsorship, nomination, SAF levy, legal assistance, recruitment/advertising for LMT
• Professional fees: not government-set — a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer sets their own fee, covering sponsorship assessment, nomination preparation, visa application and case management

5 Common 482 Mistakes in 2026

1. Assuming any job can be sponsored

Not every position qualifies. Check in order: occupation → duties → ANZSCO classification → stream → salary → applicant skills.

2. Assuming $79,423 automatically qualifies

This is one of the biggest mistakes in 2026. $79,423 is the CSIT, not necessarily the required salary for every occupation — the employer also needs to satisfy the AMSR.

3. Using an old 482/TSS checklist

The old TSS 482 system changed to Skills in Demand 482. Outdated information on occupation lists, streams, work experience, salary or visa conditions can lead to incorrect advice — always use the current SID framework.

4. Weak Labour Market Testing evidence

Simply saying "we couldn't find an Australian worker" is not enough where LMT is required. Keep advertisements, dates, platform, position description, applications received, and reasons suitable candidates were not selected.

5. Experience that doesn't match the nominated occupation

Having a degree is not automatically enough. An applicant with a Bachelor of Business and one year of experience in an unrelated field does not automatically meet the relevant work experience requirement for the 482.

482 in One Simple Diagram

• 1
  Business becomes an Approved Sponsor

  Legally established, currently operating, registered as a Standard Business Sponsor.
• 2
  Eligible occupation confirmed & Labour Market Testing

  Check occupation eligibility, run LMT for at least 4 weeks / 2 advertisements (unless exempt).
• 3
  Market salary + salary threshold met, Nomination lodged

  Salary must be ≥ CSIT and ≥ AMSR before the employer lodges the nomination.
• 4
  Employee prepares: Skills, Experience, English

  Demonstrate relevant skills, experience, and required English test scores.
• 5
  Skills Assessment (if required) + Health & Character

  Health examination, police certificates, and skills assessment depending on occupation.
• 6
  482 visa application lodged → Consider 186 PR pathway

  Once granted, applicants may later consider a pathway to the subclass 186 permanent visa if eligible.