Skills in Demand Visa (482) Guide 2026: Core vs Specialist Stream, Salary Thresholds and PR

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) lets an approved Australian employer sponsor you to work in Australia for up to 4 years. It has two main streams: Core Skills, for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List paid at least AUD 79,423, and Specialist Skills, for highly paid roles earning at least AUD 146,576. These thresholds apply to nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, and the visa can lead to permanent residency through the subclass 186.

Key points

• The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024.
• Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT): AUD 79,423. Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT): AUD 146,576.
• There is no age limit, and you need at least 1 year of relevant work experience.
• The visa charge rose to AUD 4,015 for the main applicant on 1 July 2026.
• Since 19 September 2026, priority-sector and Specialist Skills applications are processed first.

How the Skills in Demand visa works

The process has three parts, and the employer leads the first two:

1. Sponsorship. The employer becomes an approved standard business sponsor (or has applied to become one).
2. Nomination. The employer nominates you for a specific position, salary and occupation.
3. Visa application. You apply for the visa, showing your skills, experience, English, health and character.

Home Affairs says you can work in Australia for your sponsor for up to 4 years, or up to 5 years if you hold a Hong Kong passport (Core Skills stream page). You must work in your nominated occupation for your sponsor or, for Australian businesses, an associated entity.

Core Skills vs Specialist Skills

	Core Skills stream	Specialist Skills stream
Occupation	Must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)	Any ANZSCO occupation in Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6
Excluded	Occupations not on the CSOL	Trades workers (Group 3), machinery operators and drivers (Group 7), labourers (Group 8)
Income threshold (nominations 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027)	AUD 79,423 (CSIT)	AUD 146,576 (SSIT)
Labour market testing	Required	Check the stream page
Processing priority under MD 121	Priority 1 if in a priority sector, otherwise 3 to 5	Priority 2 (or 1 if in a priority sector)
Stay	Up to 4 years (5 for Hong Kong passport holders)	Up to 4 years (5 for Hong Kong passport holders)

There is also a Labour Agreement stream for employers with a labour agreement with the government.

Core Skills stream

Your employer must nominate you for an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List. The employer must also do labour market testing to show they could not find an Australian citizen or permanent resident to fill the job.

Specialist Skills stream

The Specialist Skills stream is not tied to an occupation list. Any occupation in ANZSCO Major Groups 1 (managers), 2 (professionals), 4 (community and personal service workers), 5 (clerical and administrative workers) or 6 (sales workers) can qualify, as long as the salary meets the SSIT.

Salary thresholds: CSIT and SSIT

Home Affairs indexes the thresholds every 1 July. The figures below come from the official salary requirements page and apply based on the date the nomination is lodged.

Threshold	7 Dec 2024 – 30 Jun 2025	1 Jul 2025 – 30 Jun 2026	1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027
Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)	AUD 73,150	AUD 76,515	AUD 79,423
Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT)	AUD 135,000	AUD 141,210	AUD 146,576

Two points to note:

• The annual market salary rate (AMSR) also applies. If the salary is under AUD 250,000, the employer must show they will pay at least what an Australian worker would get for the same job in the same location. The salary must meet both the AMSR and the threshold.
• Use the official figures. Some websites quote different thresholds for 2026–27. The Home Affairs page lists AUD 79,423 and AUD 146,576.

Who can apply: your requirements

Based on the Home Affairs stream pages, as the main applicant you must:

• Be nominated by an approved sponsor for an eligible position.
• Have at least 1 year of relevant work experience in your nominated occupation or a related field.
• Have the skills to do the job, including a positive skills assessment if one is mandatory for your occupation or passport.
• Meet the English language requirement unless exempt.
• Meet health and character requirements.

There is no age limit for this visa.

Costs from 1 July 2026

Charge	Amount
Main applicant	AUD 4,015 (was AUD 3,210)
Each family member 18 or over	AUD 4,015
Each child under 18	AUD 1,005

These are the visa application charges in the Home Affairs pricing table for applications lodged from 1 July 2026. Employers also pay the nomination fee, sponsorship costs and the Skilling Australians Fund levy. Reported industry analysis says these employer charges did not change on 1 July 2026. Check the Visa Pricing Estimator before you lodge. Other personal costs include English tests, health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Processing order under Ministerial Direction 121

Since 19 September 2026, Skills in Demand applications are processed in this order (processing priorities):

1. Applications relating to construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources, or Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests.
2. Applications in the Specialist Skills stream.
3. Applications where the applicant was in Australia when they lodged.
4. Applications where the primary applicant was outside Australia and applied alone (no family on the application).
5. All other applications.

So a Core Skills applicant outside Australia with family, in a non-priority sector, is processed last.

From 482 to permanent residency

The usual PR route is the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186). According to the TRT stream page, you must:

• Have a total of 2 years of eligible sponsored employment in the 3 years before you apply. This must be full-time, in Australia, while holding a 457, 482 or eligible bridging visa, in the occupation your visa was granted for.
• Be nominated by your employer.
• Have at least Competent English, with no exemption for this stream.
• Usually be under 45 when you apply, unless an exemption applies (for example, some academics, scientists, regional medical practitioners and high-income earners).

The 186 nomination must also meet the CSIT (AUD 79,423 from 1 July 2026). The 186 base fee is AUD 6,140 from 1 July 2026. Employer-sponsored permanent places rose to 58,040 in 2026–27, so this is now the largest single skilled category.

If your employer is not willing to sponsor you for PR, compare your options in our Australia PR pathways guide and the 189 vs 190 vs 491 comparison.

What to do next

1. Check whether your occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List, or whether your salary could meet the SSIT.
2. Confirm your prospective employer is (or will become) an approved sponsor.
3. Find out whether your occupation or passport requires a mandatory skills assessment.
4. Ask your employer early whether they plan to support a 186 nomination after 2 years.
5. Use a registered migration agent or lawyer if the nomination or salary details are complex.

More Australia guides are on the Australia hub, and rule changes are on our updates page.