In this guide
- Start with the business need
- Stage 1: Employer sponsorship
- Stage 2: Nominating the position
- Labour market testing
- Salary and employment conditions
- Stage 3: The worker’s application
- What costs should the employer consider?
- What happens after lodgement?
- Plan for retention early
- When the standard 482 pathway does not fit
- Assess the pathway before recruitment commitments
The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) is a key pathway for Australian employers who cannot source appropriately skilled workers locally.
It is not a single form lodged by the worker. A typical matter involves the employer’s sponsorship position, the nomination of the role and the worker’s visa application. Each stage has separate requirements and evidence.
Start with the business need
Before choosing a stream or discussing timing, define the workforce problem:
- the role and its actual duties
- the location and work arrangements
- the proposed salary
- how long the role is expected to continue
- whether local recruitment has been attempted
- whether a candidate has already been identified
- whether the business may want to retain the worker permanently later
This information shows whether the 482 pathway is suitable or whether another employer-sponsored option should be considered. If you are still at the stage of asking whether sponsorship is possible at all, start with can my business sponsor an overseas worker?
Stage 1: Employer sponsorship
An employer may need to become an approved sponsor or use another approved arrangement. The business will generally provide information about its lawful operations, structure, workforce and capacity to meet its sponsorship obligations.
Existing sponsors should confirm that their approval is still current and that the proposed arrangement fits within it.
Stage 2: Nominating the position
The nomination connects the employer, the role and the proposed worker. The business needs to establish that the position is genuine and meets the occupation, salary, employment and other nomination requirements that apply at the time.
Select the occupation by comparing the actual duties with the relevant occupation description. Choosing a title because it sounds close can create problems if the daily responsibilities do not align.
Labour market testing
Labour market testing may require the employer to advertise the position and provide evidence that the local labour market was tested in the prescribed way.
The content, platform, timing and retention of evidence all matter. If advertising is incomplete or out of date, the nomination may need to be delayed while compliant advertising is completed. Plan this before setting a target lodgement date.
Salary and employment conditions
The salary must satisfy the current program requirements and be consistent with the Australian market rate for the role. Terms and conditions should be no less favourable than those provided to an equivalent Australian worker.
Income thresholds and policy settings can be indexed or changed. Check the figures when the nomination is prepared, rather than copying them from an old article or a previous application.
Stage 3: The worker’s application
The proposed worker may need to demonstrate relevant skills, work experience, English language ability, and any licensing or registration, and meet health and character requirements.
Some occupations or circumstances involve a skills assessment. Regulated occupations can also require separate professional registration before the person can perform the role, even once a visa is granted.
What costs should the employer consider?
The overall budget can include sponsorship and nomination charges, the SAF levy where applicable, professional fees, recruitment and labour market testing, and onboarding costs. The worker’s visa application can also involve separate government and document costs.
Employers should understand which costs they must pay and which amounts cannot lawfully be transferred to the worker. There is a full breakdown in what it actually costs to sponsor an overseas worker.
What happens after lodgement?
The Department may request further information or make enquiries about the business, the position or the applicant. Raise any change to the role, the business or the worker’s circumstances with the adviser managing the matter.
Processing times vary and should be checked close to lodgement. Avoid committing to a start date until you understand the legal and practical risks.
Plan for retention early
Some employers treat the temporary visa as the finish line. In practice, retention planning should begin much earlier.
If the business may later support a permanent pathway such as the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), it should understand the likely requirements, timing and the records that may matter. Not every worker or role will qualify, and future rules cannot be guaranteed, but early planning reduces last-minute decisions.
When the standard 482 pathway does not fit
If the occupation, salary structure, regional setting or workforce model does not fit the standard program, a Labour Agreement or DAMA may be relevant. These options need their own assessment and should not be treated as automatic concessions.
Assess the pathway before recruitment commitments
Stratton Migration Australia assists employers with sponsorship, nomination and visa strategy, including Skills in Demand (subclass 482) matters, Labour Agreements and regional options. See how the process works from first assessment to ongoing obligations.
Employer Sponsorship Assessment – $550 + GST
This is specifically for employers considering sponsoring an existing worker or recruiting an overseas candidate.
Submit an initial enquiry so we can understand the assistance you require and advise which service may be appropriate. Tailored migration advice and eligibility assessments are provided through a paid consultation or assessment under a formal engagement.
Frequently asked questions
Does the employer or the worker lodge the 482 application?
Both are involved. The employer deals with sponsorship and the nomination of the position, and the worker lodges the visa application. The stages are connected, so a problem at one stage can hold up the others.
Is labour market testing always required?
Not always. It is commonly required for a nomination, but exemptions can apply in some circumstances. Whether it applies, and exactly how the advertising must be done, should be confirmed against the requirements in force before the business starts advertising.
How is the market salary assessed?
The nominated salary must meet the applicable income threshold and be consistent with what an equivalent Australian worker in the same workplace and location is paid, or with the market rate for the role where there is no equivalent. Evidence such as enterprise agreements, pay records or salary surveys may be used.
Can a 482 visa lead to permanent residence?
It can, where the worker, the employer and the role meet the requirements of a permanent pathway such as the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) at the time of application. It is not automatic, and future rules cannot be guaranteed, so retention should be planned early rather than assumed.
This article is general information about how Australian migration programs work, current as at 25 September 2026. It is not advice about your circumstances. Government fees, income thresholds, occupation lists and processing settings change regularly; check the current position with the Department of Home Affairs or a Registered Migration Agent before relying on it.
