The Skills in Demand visa (482), explained
The visa that replaced the TSS in December 2024: three income-based streams, a faster pathway to permanent residence, and new thresholds from 1 July 2026.
Reviewed MARN 0317382Jul 2026 published6 min read
The Skills in Demand (SID) visa is Australia's main employer-sponsored work visa. It replaced the old Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 in December 2024. You need a sponsoring employer, an eligible occupation, and a salary that clears the stream's income threshold: $79,499 for the Core Skills stream or $146,717 for the Specialist Skills stream from 1 July 2026. It runs up to four years, and you can be nominated for permanent residence after two.
What changed from the TSS?
If you last looked at the 482 before December 2024, most of what you knew has changed. The Short-term and Medium-term streams, and the STSOL and MLTSSL occupation lists that fed them, are gone. Streams are now set by salary and occupation type, the required work experience dropped from two years to one, and every stream has a pathway to permanent residence. Time to find a new sponsor after leaving a job also doubled, from 60 to 180 days.
The three streams
| Stream | Salary floor (from 1 Jul 2026) | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist Skills | $146,717 (SSIT) | High earners in almost any occupation. Trades workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers are excluded. |
| Core Skills | $79,499 (CSIT) | Occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). This is where most applications sit. |
| Essential Skills | Below CSIT | Lower-paid but essential work, run through labour agreements with tighter rules. |
The thresholds index every 1 July. Your nominated salary also can't be below what an Australian doing the same job would earn, the annual market salary rate.
What you need to qualify
Four things carry most applications. A sponsoring employer approved as a standard business sponsor. An occupation that fits your stream. At least one year of relevant work experience in the past five. And English at the required level. Health, character and a genuine-position test on the employer's side round it out.
The pathway to permanent residence
This is the part that changed most in the applicant's favour. After two years on a SID visa (down from three under the old rules), your employer can nominate you for the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa through the Temporary Residence Transition stream. Periods with different approved sponsors can now count toward those two years, which matters if you change jobs.
What it costs
From 1 July 2026 the visa application charge is $4,015 for the primary applicant, up from $3,210. Your employer pays the nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy on top, and those cannot lawfully be passed to you.
General information only, current at 18 July 2026. Not immigration assistance or advice for your circumstances. Visacorp Pty Ltd — MARN 0317382 · 1799004 · 0104178.
Common questions
Can I change employers on a SID visa?
Yes. Your new employer lodges a fresh nomination, and you have up to 180 days after leaving a job to find a new sponsor before your visa is at risk.
Is my occupation eligible?
For the Core Skills stream, your occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). For the Specialist Skills stream almost any occupation qualifies except trades workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers, provided you earn at least $146,717.
How long until permanent residence?
Two years on the SID visa, then your employer can nominate you for the subclass 186 visa through the Temporary Residence Transition stream.
Does my employer or I pay the costs?
You typically pay the $4,015 visa application charge. The nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy are the employer's by law and cannot be recovered from you.
Unsure where your situation fits?
Twenty minutes with a registered agent is the fastest way to a straight answer.