Australia Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) for Indians: streams, salary, English, fees and PR
The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa and is still employer-sponsored. Indians can apply once an approved Australian employer nominates them in the Core Skills, Specialist Skills or Labour Agreement stream and pays at least the market rate and the income threshold. You also need 1 year of relevant experience, English unless exempt, and health and character checks.
What is the Australia Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa and can Indians apply?
The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa and is still employer-sponsored. Indians can apply once an approved Australian employer nominates them in the Core Skills, Specialist Skills or Labour Agreement stream and pays at least the market rate and the income threshold. You also need 1 year of relevant experience, English unless exempt, and health and character checks.
The short answer: what the 482 visa is now
The Department of Home Affairs calls the visa the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), often shortened to SID. It took over from the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa and kept the same subclass number, which is why searches for "TSS 482" and "482 visa" lead to the same thing. When we checked in October 2026, the Department's old TSS web address opened the Skills in Demand page.
Nothing about the visa works without an employer. You cannot apply on your own skills alone: an Australian business must first be (or apply to be) an approved sponsor, then lodge a nomination for your job. This guide is the deep dive on that one visa. For other Australian routes such as MATES or the graduate visa, read our Australia work visa overview.
Every figure below is quoted as shown by immi.homeaffairs.gov.au in October 2026. Thresholds and charges change, often on 1 July, so confirm on the official page before you or your employer pay anything.
The three streams compared
The Department's pages show three streams: Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement. Some older articles describe an "Essential Skills" stream; no such stream appears on the Department's 482 pages that we read in October 2026.
Point
Core Skills stream
Specialist Skills stream
Labour Agreement stream
Which jobs
Occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
Any ANZSCO occupation in Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 (excluding Major Groups 3, 7 and 8)
An occupation covered by a labour agreement between the employer and the Commonwealth
Salary rule
Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) and no less than the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)
Nominated salary must meet the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT)
Set by the terms of the labour agreement
Work experience
At least 1 year relevant experience in the occupation or a related field
Same 1-year rule as Core Skills
At least 12 months full-time or equivalent in the last 5 years, unless the agreement says otherwise
English
Minimum test scores unless exempt (see below)
Same table and exemptions as Core Skills
Generally the same as other 482 streams unless the agreement gives a concession
Maximum stay
Up to 4 years (5 for Hong Kong passport holders)
Up to 4 years, for the period the employer nominates
Up to 4 years, depending on the agreement
Salary: the income thresholds for 2026-27
The salary page on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au lists the thresholds by the date the employer lodges the nomination, not the date you apply for the visa. Thresholds are indexed every 1 July.
Meeting the threshold is not enough on its own. The employer must also show it worked out the Annual Market Salary Rate correctly and will not pay you less than an Australian doing the same work at the same workplace.
The Core Skills page says the AMSR rule applies where the salary is under AUD250,000 a year.
Non-monetary benefits such as housing or a car do not count towards the threshold, according to the salary page.
If a job offer quotes a salary below the threshold for the year the nomination is lodged, the Department says it will refuse the nomination. Treat such an offer as a warning sign.
Nomination lodged
Core Skills (CSIT)
Specialist Skills (SSIT)
1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027
AUD79,423
AUD146,576
1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
AUD76,515
AUD141,210
7 December 2024 to 30 June 2025
AUD73,150
AUD135,000
English scores the Department accepts
As shown by the Department's 482 English page in October 2026, Core Skills and Specialist Skills applicants who are not exempt must reach the minimum score in every component of one accepted test, taken within 3 years before they apply. For tests taken on or after 13 September 2025, the table includes:
The same page also lists LANGUAGECERT Academic, the Michigan English Test and TOEFL iBT, and says TOEFL takers from 21 January 2026 must select the Australia option at registration.
Exemptions on that page include holding a passport of Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States, or having completed at least 5 years of full-time study at secondary level or above where most classes were in English (with transcripts and contact-hour details).
Another exemption covers employees of an overseas business nominated by that business or an associated entity, with guaranteed annual earnings of at least AUD96,400.
Most Indian passport holders therefore need a test unless the 5-years-of-study exemption fits. Check the official page before booking, because the table changes.
5 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking
Skills assessment and work experience for Indian applicants
Experience must be at least 1 year in the nominated occupation or a related field, gained full-time, part-time or casual within the last 5 years. Part-time or casual work must add up to at least 12 months full-time, and it does not need to be continuous.
Some applicants must have a mandatory skills assessment, by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS depending on the occupation, under the instrument IMMI 18/039. Where it is mandatory it must be commenced before you lodge, or the application is not valid, and it must have been done or started within the 3 years before you apply.
Where an assessment is not mandatory, the Department still wants evidence: qualification certificates, any registration or licence, employer references on letterhead with dates of service, and a CV covering at least the last 5 years.
A skills assessment is not the same as registration with a professional regulator. Where an occupation needs Australian registration or licensing, you must show you hold it or can meet it, and medical practitioners need their qualifications recognised. Indian nurses should read our guide for Indian nurses in Australia.
The Department uses the 2022 version of ANZSCO for the 482 visa, including the CSOL. Match your exact ANZSCO code to the job, not just the job title on your offer letter.
The Core Skills page states there is no age requirement for this visa.
What your employer must do: sponsorship, nomination and labour market testing
Become an approved Standard business sponsor, or at least have applied to become one, before it can nominate you.
Lodge a nomination for your position and occupation. The Department must approve the nomination before it can grant your visa.
Carry out labour market testing unless exempt. The Department's page says most nominations need at least 2 advertisements in Australia, in English, run for at least 4 weeks within the 4 months before the nomination is lodged. The advert must show the salary if annual earnings are below AUD96,400.
Pay its own costs. The Department's cost of sponsoring page says employers must pay all sponsorship and nomination costs, including the Skilling Australians Fund levy, and cannot pass them on to the worker or the worker's family.
Give you the Transaction Reference Number (TRN) of the nomination, which you need when you lodge the visa application.
Fees: what the visa and the employer pay
Figures below are as shown on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au in October 2026. The Department says its Visa Pricing Estimator does not include the second instalment or other costs, so use it for your exact case.
Cost
Who pays
Amount shown by the Department
482 visa, Core Skills stream, main applicant and each dependant aged 18+
Applicant
From AUD4,015
482 visa, Core Skills stream, each dependant under 18
Applicant
AUD1,005
Becoming an approved sponsor
Employer
AUD420
Nominating a worker for the 482
Employer
AUD330
Skilling Australians Fund levy, business turnover under AUD10 million
Employer
AUD1,200 per year or part year of the nomination
Skilling Australians Fund levy, turnover AUD10 million or more
Employer
AUD1,800 per year or part year (the Department's example: AUD7,200 for 4 years)
English test, health checks, police certificates, biometrics
Confirm the stream, your ANZSCO occupation and the salary against the threshold for the year the nomination will be lodged.
Check whether your occupation needs a mandatory skills assessment and, if so, start it before you lodge.
Take an accepted English test if you are not exempt, and keep the result no older than 3 years.
Arrange police certificates from every country where you spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16, including India. Our police clearance certificate guide explains the Indian PCC process.
Your employer becomes (or applies to become) a sponsor and lodges the nomination, then gives you the TRN.
Lodge the visa application online in ImmiAccount with your documents, and include family members now, because the Department says you cannot add them after you submit.
Do health examinations when asked (the Department suggests doing them before lodging) and keep adequate health insurance for the whole stay.
After grant, start work within 90 days of entering Australia (or of grant, if you are already there). The visa is linked digitally to your passport and conditions can be checked in VEVO.
Documents to prepare
Passport bio pages, and proof of any change of name.
Skills assessment reference number, if mandatory, or evidence of an exemption.
Degree and diploma certificates, plus any Australian registration or licence evidence for your occupation.
Employer references on company letterhead with the referee's name, title, contact details, your position and dates of service.
A CV with full employment and education history for at least the last 5 years.
English test result, or proof of an exemption.
Health insurance evidence for you and any family members.
Indian and other overseas police certificates, and military records if you served in any armed forces. Form 80 or Form 1221 only if the Department asks.
For family: marriage certificate or de facto evidence, children's passports and birth certificates, and consent documents where needed.
Processing time: read the Department's notice, not an agent's promise
The Department says to use its visa processing time guide, which reflects recently decided applications and is not specific to you. A notice on its site in October 2026 said 482 applications are prioritised under Ministerial Direction 121, and it was processing applications lodged in: February 2026 for construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources sectors; July 2026 for the Specialist Skills stream; January 2026 for applicants who were in Australia; and October 2025 for primary applicants outside Australia whose applications are not combined with another person's.
For many Indian applicants applying from India in other sectors, the last line is the one that applies, and it implies a wait of many months. The Department also says delays come from incomplete applications, slow replies to requests and external health and character checks. It states that it does not charge a fee to fast-track a visa, and that anyone offering this is running a scam.
From 482 to permanent residence: the 186 transition route
The 482 pages say your employer may be able to sponsor you for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186). As shown by the Department's Temporary Residence Transition stream page in October 2026:
You must hold a 457, 482 or eligible bridging visa, and usually have worked full-time in eligible sponsored employment for at least 2 years in the 3 years before you apply.
The nomination must have been approved within 6 months before you apply.
Usually you must be under 45 when you apply, with exemptions for some academics, scientists, regional medical practitioners and high earners.
You need at least Competent English, with test results no more than 3 years old.
The Core Skills Income Threshold also applies to 186 nominations lodged on or after 7 December 2024, according to the salary page.
Family members aged 18 or over with less than Functional English may face a second instalment of AUD4,890.
The 186 visa lets you stay indefinitely, with travel rights for 5 years. Permanent residence is never automatic; it depends on a new nomination and meeting every criterion on the day you apply.
ECR passport holders and eMigrate
Emigration clearance on eMigrate applies to ECR passport holders going for employment to the ECR countries. An MEA overview of overseas employment dated April 2026 lists 19 ECR countries, and Australia is not one of them. Confirm the current list on emigrate.gov.in before you travel, and keep your passport category in mind if you later take a job in a Gulf country.
Scam red flags for Indian applicants
Anyone asking you to pay for a sponsorship or nomination. The Department says it is illegal for a person to pay an employer to sponsor them, including through salary deductions, and it can lead to refusal, cancellation, fines or imprisonment. A 482 criterion also bars applicants who did this in the past 3 years.
An agent who says sponsorship and nomination fees are yours to pay. The Department says employers must pay these and the levy, and cannot pass them on.
Offers of a guaranteed 482 visa, guaranteed PR or a paid fast-track. The Department does not sell fast-tracking.
A salary below the threshold for the nomination year, or a job title that does not match the nominated occupation.
Advice from someone who is not a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person. Only these can give Australian immigration assistance.
There is no India-specific quota or fast lane for the 482 on the pages we read.
The Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement visa charges are shown through the pricing tool; we quote only the Core Skills figure we saw displayed.
The pages do not list which employers are hiring Indians or how to find a sponsor. The Department does not match workers to jobs.
Processing dates are shown by sector and location only; there is no figure for Indian applicants specifically.
We found no "Essential Skills" stream on the 482 pages in October 2026. If an agent quotes rules for one, ask for the official link.
The labour market testing page does not list nationality-based exemptions, so ask the employer or a registered migration agent whether any exemption applies to your case.
Where Job Spectra fits
Job Spectra is operated by Spectravault Group LLP, with offices in Deira (Dubai), Bengaluru and Sugauli (Bihar). We do not currently hold an eMigrate recruiting-agent registration, we are not an Australian sponsor, and we cannot lodge visas or give Australian immigration advice. We never guarantee a job or a visa, and our no-upfront-job-fees policy is explained in our Trust Center. Use this guide to check what an employer or registered migration agent tells you.
Last reviewed 2026-10-28. Information only, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is the TSS 482 visa the same as the Skills in Demand visa?
Yes. The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa and kept subclass 482. The Department's pages now use the Skills in Demand name, with Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement streams.
What is the minimum salary for a 482 visa in 2026?
As shown by Home Affairs in October 2026, nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 need at least AUD79,423 for Core Skills and AUD146,576 for Specialist Skills, plus the market salary rate. Confirm the current figure on the salary requirements page.
What IELTS score do I need for the 482 visa?
For tests taken on or after 13 September 2025, the Department's 482 English page lists IELTS Academic or General Training with at least 5.0 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking, for both the Core and Specialist Skills streams, unless you are exempt.
Is there an age limit for the 482 visa?
The Core Skills stream page says there is no age requirement. Age matters later: the 186 Temporary Residence Transition route to permanent residence usually requires you to be under 45 when you apply, with some exemptions.
How much does the 482 visa cost for Indians?
The Core Skills page showed a charge from AUD4,015 for the main applicant and each dependant aged 18 or over, and AUD1,005 for each child under 18, in October 2026. English tests, medicals and police certificates cost extra. Employer fees and the levy must be paid by the employer.
Can I apply for a 482 visa without a job offer?
No. An approved or applicant sponsor must nominate you first, and you need the nomination's Transaction Reference Number to lodge the visa application.
How long does a 482 visa take?
The Department publishes no fixed time. Its October 2026 notice showed it was processing October 2025 lodgements for applicants outside Australia, with earlier priority for some sectors and the Specialist Skills stream. Use the official processing time guide.
Can a 482 visa lead to PR in Australia?
It can. After usually 2 years of full-time sponsored work in the 3 years before applying, your employer may nominate you for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Temporary Residence Transition stream, if you meet age, English, health and character rules.
Can I change employers on a 482 visa?
The visa ties you to the nominated occupation and nominating business. A new employer must lodge a new nomination, which the Department's cost page says includes paying the Skilling Australians Fund levy, before you can work for it.