Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) Employer-Sponsored Visa: Core Eligibility and Nomination Guide
Three Subclass 482 SID streams, 12-month pre-lodgement work experience, FY 2026-27 CSIT (AUD 79,423) and SSIT (AUD 146,576) excluding superannuation, and nomination caveats as at November 2026
- My employer offered sponsorship. Is meeting the English test and 1-year experience requirement enough for a smooth Subclass 482 SID grant?
- Does an AUD 80,000 total package inclusive of superannuation satisfy the FY 2026-27 CSIT minimum salary threshold of AUD 79,423?
- My current visa expires in a few weeks. Can I lodge my Subclass 482 visa right after nomination lodgement using the TRN before nomination approval?
Replacing the former TSS visa on 7 December 2024, the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) visa grants up to 4 years of stay (up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders) with no upper age limit and a primary base Visa Application Charge of AUD 4,015 as at 2 November 2026. Applicants must already have completed at least 12 months of full-time equivalent skilled work experience within the 5 years immediately preceding visa lodgement and hold IELTS 5.0 (or PTE Academic 36) in each component unless exempt. For nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, employers must guarantee base annual monetary earnings (excluding 12% statutory superannuation) of at least CSIT AUD 79,423 under the Core Skills stream (456 CSOL occupations; Cafe or Restaurant Manager 141111 excluded) or SSIT AUD 146,576 under the Specialist Skills stream, while matching or exceeding the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) and bearing all SBS (AUD 420), nomination (AUD 330), and SAF levy (AUD 1,200 or AUD 1,800 per year) charges under ss 245AR-245AS of the Migration Act 1958.
Park & Co Lawyers · General Legal Consultation Guide Consultation Guide
The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) visa turns on three decisive pillars: 1 year of skilled work experience completed prior to lodgement, approval of the employer's nomination, and strict compliance with the FY 2026-27 income threshold (CSIT AUD 79,423). This guide provides general information current as at 2 November 2026, and legal assessments may vary depending on an individual's immigration history and specific facts. We do not guarantee any specific outcome for any matter.
1. Three Streams of the Subclass 482 SID Visa and Baseline Applicant Criteria
Having replaced the former TSS visa on 7 December 2024, the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482, or 482 SID) visa is Australia's flagship employer-sponsored work visa administered by the Department of Home Affairs, permitting stays of up to 4 years (up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders). As at 2 November 2026, the primary applicant base Visa Application Charge (VAC) is AUD 4,015 across all streams. While the Subclass 482 visa itself imposes no upper age limit, applicants planning a future transition to permanent residency via Subclass 186 ENS must keep in mind the general under-45 age requirement at that stage:
- Core Skills stream: Applies to occupations listed on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL, comprising 456 occupations) and requires guaranteed annual earnings of at least CSIT (AUD 79,423). Notably, Cafe or Restaurant Manager (ANZSCO 141111) is excluded from the CSOL and cannot proceed under the standard Core Skills stream, requiring assessment of alternative pathways such as the regional employer-sponsored Subclass 494 visa.
- Specialist Skills stream: Open without occupation-list restrictions to managerial and professional occupations excluding trades, machinery operators/drivers, and labourers (excluding ANZSCO Major Groups 3, 7, and 8), provided guaranteed annual earnings reach at least SSIT (AUD 146,576).
- Labour Agreement stream: Applies where nominations are made under an industry labour agreement, a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA), or a company-specific labour agreement.
2. Calculating the 1-Year Skilled Work Experience Requirement and Qualification / Pro-Rata Rules
The Subclass 482 SID work experience criterion requires at least 1 year (12 months) of full-time equivalent work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field at the same skill level accrued within the 5 years immediately preceding the visa application date. Unlike certain legacy concessions, the full 12 months of experience must already be completed at the time the visa application is lodged; you cannot make up a shortfall using months worked while awaiting processing after lodgement.
Paid part-time and regular casual employment may be aggregated on a pro-rata basis against standard full-time industry hours (typically 38 hours per week), whereas unpaid placements and volunteer work are excluded. Crucially, because ANZSCO skill-level definitions frequently treat experience as skilled only after completion of the relevant formal degree or trade qualification, counting pre-qualification or overseas work requires careful benchmarking against ANZSCO skill descriptors and mandatory skills assessment rules (applicable to designated trades and nationalities). Unless exempt, applicants must also present recognised English test scores taken within the preceding 3 years achieving at least IELTS 5.0 in each component or PTE Academic 36 in each component.
3. FY 2026-27 Minimum Income Thresholds (CSIT and SSIT) vs Annual Market Salary Rate
Nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 must satisfy annually indexed income thresholds: at least AUD 79,423 per annum (CSIT) for the Core Skills stream and at least AUD 146,576 per annum (SSIT) for the Specialist Skills stream. Statutory employer superannuation contributions (12%) are excluded from these figures.
Accordingly, the employment contract must specify guaranteed base monetary earnings alone of at least AUD 79,423 (or AUD 146,576), with 12% superannuation paid on top. Non-guaranteed overtime and discretionary bonuses are excluded from guaranteed annual earnings. Furthermore, unless guaranteed annual earnings are AUD 250,000 or above, both the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) payable to an equivalent Australian worker and the nominee's guaranteed annual earnings must equal or exceed the statutory floor, and the overseas worker cannot be paid less than the AMSR.
4. Three-Stage Lodgement Sequence, Mandatory Employer Costs, and Occupation Caveats
Employer sponsorship comprises three stages: Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS), Nomination, and Visa Application. In practice, Stage 2 (Nomination) carries the highest refusal risk. Under sections 245AR to 245AS of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), all Stage 1 and Stage 2 government charges, Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levies, and employer-side legal costs must be borne strictly by the sponsoring business; recouping or deducting them from the worker is unlawful:
- Stage 1 - Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS): Establishes that the business is lawfully and actively operating in Australia (government fee AUD 420). Any adverse information within the preceding 3 years, such as Fair Work, taxation, workplace safety, or migration breaches, can trigger refusal.
- Stage 2 - Employer Nomination: Unless exempt under an international trade obligation, the employer must complete Labour Market Testing (LMT) by running at least two national English-language job advertisements for a minimum of 4 weeks within the 4 months prior to nomination lodgement, and must prove Genuine Position against business turnover, staffing hierarchy, and operational need. Alongside the AUD 330 nomination fee, the sponsor pays the upfront SAF levy of AUD 1,200 per nominated year (annual turnover under AUD 10M) or AUD 1,800 per nominated year (annual turnover of AUD 10M or more).
- Stage 3 - Subclass 482 Visa Application and Concurrent Lodgement: Where the worker's current visa expiry is imminent, the Subclass 482 visa can be lodged immediately after nomination submission using the generated Transaction Reference Number (TRN) without waiting for nomination approval, securing an onshore Bridging Visa. However, Chef and Cook nominations subject to Limited Service Restaurant caveats (excluding fast food, counter-order venues, sushi trains, buffets, etc.), as well as director self-sponsorship or family-member nominations, require meticulous operational evidence and structured legal submissions.
5. Information and Documents to Prepare Before Requesting a Consultation
To assess stream eligibility, skilled experience calculation, and nomination viability accurately, please prepare the foundational materials below prior to consultation:
- Current Visa Grant Notice and latest VEVO verification record
- Comprehensive CV stating exact qualification completion dates, employment start/end dates, and weekly paid hours
- Relevant degree/diploma certificates, academic transcripts, and any completed skills assessment outcome
- Recognised English test score report (IELTS, PTE Academic, etc.) taken within the last 3 years
- Employment contracts, payslips, PAYG/STP income statements, and superannuation records proving work experience
- Prospective sponsor's ABN, business description (for restaurants, include menus and table-service model), and organisational chart
- Existing SBS approval letter (if held by the business) and draft employment contract for the nominated role
6. Scope of Legal Services at Park & Co Lawyers
Park & Co Lawyers provides end-to-end legal review and representation across Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS), Employer Nomination (including LMT compliance auditing and Genuine Position legal advocacy submissions), and Subclass 482 SID visa applications. Where an Australian employer is unfamiliar with sponsorship obligations and hesitant to proceed, our solicitors can send a tailored English introduction email explaining the procedural stages and employer responsibilities directly.
Tailored professional fee proposals are provided after reviewing foundational documents, including whether the sponsor holds an active SBS approval, proposed contract terms, and the applicant's experience structure. Enquiries may be submitted via enquiry@parkcolawyers.com or our Official Inquiry Hub (https://parklawyers.com.au/links/). Park & Co Lawyers does not guarantee visa grant, processing times, or any specific outcome.
Official Reference Resources
Further statutory details can be verified via the official Department of Home Affairs pages and Federal Register of Legislation instrument below:
- Department of Home Affairs: Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482) Core Skills Stream
- Department of Home Affairs: Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482) Specialist Skills Stream
- Department of Home Affairs: Nomination Salary Requirements (CSIT AUD 79,423 · SSIT AUD 146,576 & AMSR)
- Federal Register of Legislation: Core Skills Occupation List and Caveats Instrument (LIN 24/089)
- Park & Co Lawyers Official Inquiry Hub
Pre-Consultation & Pre-Lodgement Checklist Checklist
- Current Visa Grant Notice, latest VEVO check, and exact visa expiry date
- Detailed CV specifying qualification completion dates, employment start/end dates, and weekly paid hours
- Degree/trade certificates, academic transcripts, any skills assessment outcome, and valid English test scores (IELTS 5.0 / PTE 36+ each)
- Employment contracts, payslips, PAYG/STP income statements, and superannuation statements verifying at least 12 months FT-equivalent work
- Sponsoring entity ABN, business model details (including menu and table-service photos for hospitality venues), and organisational chart
- Sponsor's existing SBS approval letter (if held) and draft employment contract showing base salary excluding 12% superannuation
In-Depth Practical Commentary & Case Analysis
"My boss offered to sponsor me. Once I have my English score and one year of work experience, can we lodge and get approved straight away?"
This is one of the questions we hear most often in consultations. Let us give you the practical reality upfront: meeting the applicant's personal work experience and English thresholds does not mean a Subclass 482 SID visa will sail through. In practice, far more applications come unstuck at Stage 2, the employer's nomination, than on the visa applicant's own paperwork.
The Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa has firmly replaced the old TSS visa. As at November 2026, the primary base Visa Application Charge sits at AUD 4,015 for up to four years of stay, and the work experience threshold dropped from two years to one year of full-time equivalent experience within the five years before lodgement. On the surface, the barrier looks lower. Look closely at Department of Home Affairs criteria, however, and you will see that the full 12 months must already be completed on the day you lodge. Lodging early and hoping to accrue the missing months while waiting in the processing queue simply does not work.
Did you work 20 paid hours a week on a Student or Working Holiday visa as a part-time or regular casual employee? Those paid hours can be aggregated pro-rata toward the one-year mark, excluding unpaid placements. Even so, ANZSCO skill descriptors require a formal degree or trade qualification for most roles, raising a critical question: was that experience gained after you obtained the required qualification? Applicants routinely add up kitchen or site work performed before completing their qualification, only to face refusal for falling short of skilled experience.
The FY 2026-27 AUD 79,423 Threshold and the Superannuation Trap
Statutory salary floors also index upward every July. For nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) rose to AUD 79,423, while the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) for high-earning professionals sits at AUD 146,576.
Both business owners and nominees frequently stumble over superannuation here. Signing an employment contract for an AUD 80,000 'total salary package' feels safe until you read the regulations: the statutory minimum of AUD 79,423 must be met through guaranteed base monetary pay alone, excluding the 12% statutory superannuation contribution. The Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for an equivalent Australian worker must sit at or above that line as well.
Statutory cost-allocation rules are equally strict. Stage 1 Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) costs AUD 420, Stage 2 nomination costs AUD 330, and the upfront Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy (AUD 1,200 per year for businesses under AUD 10M turnover; AUD 1,800 per year at or above AUD 10M) belongs solely to the employer by law. Asking a worker to reimburse those charges or deducting them from wages is a serious statutory offence.
Imminent Visa Expiry and Honest Venue Diagnostics
Running down to the final weeks of your current visa? Fortunately, you do not have to wait months for Stage 2 nomination approval before lodging your visa. Once the employer completes the four-week Labour Market Testing (LMT) advertising period and submits the nomination, an immediate Transaction Reference Number (TRN) is generated, allowing you to lodge your Subclass 482 visa straight after and secure an onshore Bridging Visa.
Still, the venue model and staffing structure demand an honest legal audit. Take Chef and Cook roles in Korean or Japanese restaurants: venues classified as Limited Service Restaurants, including fast food outlets, food-court counters, sushi trains, and all-you-can-eat buffets, are barred from nomination altogether. Even full table-service restaurants must substantiate through turnover figures and kitchen rosters why an additional qualified chef is genuinely needed. Meanwhile, Cafe or Restaurant Manager has been removed from the CSOL entirely, closing standard Core Skills sponsorship and requiring regional alternatives such as Subclass 494, while historic tax or Fair Work breaches (adverse information) can derail sponsorship from the outset.
If an Australian employer is willing to sponsor you but hesitates because the process feels unfamiliar, our solicitors can send a clear English introduction email outlining each stage and the employer's exact obligations. Park & Co Lawyers advises and acts across SBS, nomination legal submissions, and Subclass 482 visa applications, providing tailored fee proposals once foundational documents are reviewed. Prepare your CV, current Visa Grant Notice, and draft contract, and reach out via enquiry@parkcolawyers.com or the Park & Co Lawyers Official Inquiry Hub.
This article provides general Australian migration law information as at 2 November 2026 and does not constitute legal advice for any individual matter. Legal assessments may vary depending on legislative changes and personal circumstances.