The Skills In Demand (SID) Subclass 482 Visa
The Skills In Demand Visa, allows you to live and work temporarily in Australia.
This visa is intended to help employers who cannot fulfil their need for highly skilled Australian workers from the local job market. Its validity period is up to four years.
There are three SID Subclass 482 Visa streams
Specialist Skills Stream:
Designed for individuals in most ANZSCO occupations with high level expertise This stream targets those earning $135,000 (plus Super) or more annually, but excludes categories such as trade workers.
Core Skills Stream:
This stream aligns closely with the previous TSS visa parameters, maintaining the income threshold at $73,150 (plus Super). Importantly, not all occupations under the (old) TSS are eligible here. Employers should verify if the occupations they need to nominate are listed on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).
Labour Agreement Stream:
This stream will allow employers to nominate lower-skilled workers whose occupations are not on the CSOL by entering into a Labour Agreement with the Australian government.
Work Experience Requirements
Applicants need only one year of full-time employment (or its part-time/casual equivalent) within the five years preceding their application, in addition to the qualification listed in the ANZSCO.
Visa Application Charges and Processing
Visa application fees are around $3,115.
English Language Requirements
Applicants must achieve an IELTS score of level 5 overall, ensuring they possess the necessary language skills to integrate effectively into Australian workplaces.
The SID Visa Application Process involves three separate steps:
1. An employer must be or become an approved Business Sponsor or be a party to an approved Labour Agreement.
2. An employer must lodge a nomination application, nominating an employee for a SID Visa.
3. The nominated employee must lodge an application for a Subclass 482 SID visa.
Pathway to Permanent Residence
The best pathway to permanent residence once you hold a Subclass 482 SID Visa is via the Subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) pathway.
Since 7 December 2024, there is no longer a requirement to work for the same employer for two years prior to be able to apply for the Subclass 186 TRT permanent residence visa. The new requirement is that you must hold a Subclass 482 SID Visa for two years, during which time you can work for the same employer or multiple sponsoring employers.
Q: What Are the Requirements to Become An Approved Business Sponsor?
To become an approved Standard Business Sponsor (SBS), a business must:
- Be lawfully operating a business in Australia;
- Attest to having a solid record of, or a demonstrated commitment to, employing local labour, and will declare that they will not engage in discriminatory recruitment practices; and
- Have no adverse information about the organisation’s operation known to the Department of Home Affairs (or it is reasonable to disregard such information).
Eligible Organisations
The following types of entities are eligible to be approved to become standard business sponsors:
- Sole traders;
- Partnerships;
- Proprietary (PTY) companies;
- Public companies;
- Government departments;
- Statutory authorities;
- Not-for-profit organisations; and
- Educational institutions
Providing that an organisation can prove that it is lawfully operating and can satisfy the financial requirements, there are no restrictions on the size of an organisation to become an approved sponsor.
If approved, the sponsorship will be valid for five years. During that time, the organisation can sponsor multiple expatriate workers for SID Subclass 482 and Subclass 494 visas.
Have a look at our employer specific page here.
Q: How does an employer become a party to a Labour Agreement?
A Labour Agreement is a confidential contract that an employer negotiates with the Department of Home Affairs.
It involves negotiation with many different stakeholders, including unions.
Labour Agreements are complex matters and require experienced migration specialists’ input if an application is to be successful.
Q: What criteria do I need to meet to apply for a SID Visa?
At least one year experience in your nominated occupation – and you must meet the skills requirements for the occupation contained in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), and you may need a skills assessment in your nominated occupation.
You must:
- Meet the English requirements, which are an IELTS average of 5 with no score less than 4.5, or an equivalent English test, unless you hold a passport from:
- UK
- Ireland
- Canada
- New Zealand
- United States
- Meet the medical and character requirements.
- Be licensed in your occupation if required by law.
Need help?
Whether you are a visa applicant, or an employer seeking to employ overseas workers, there are many pitfalls and traps in the Subclass 482 SID visa system. Talk to us today, and find out how the team at AHWC Immigration Law, can smooth the pathway to the SID visa.
We have literally assisted thousands of visa applicants, and employers!
AHWC Immigration Law is a leading Australian immigration law firm.
Contact us today and book your consultation!