Australia · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
Official route — published facts
Read off the responsible authority's own page. Only what it publishes appears here — a field we could not confirm is left out rather than estimated.
- Route
- Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
- Streams
- Core Skills · Specialist Skills · Labour Agreement
- Employer sponsorship
- Required — an employer must sponsor or nominate you
- Salary floor
-
- AUD 79,423 — Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) (applies 2026-07-01 → 2027-06-30) Applies to nominations lodged in this window; indexed each 1 July.
- AUD 146,576 — Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) (applies 2026-07-01 → 2027-06-30)
- Maximum stay
- Up to 5 years
- Annual cap
- No published cap found — this is not the same as the route being uncapped.
Meeting the income threshold is not sufficient on its own: the employer must also pay at least the annual market salary rate — what an Australian doing equivalent work at the same place would earn. Paying below it means the nomination is refused.
Official page: Department of Home Affairs ↗ · Read 2026-08
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Australia uses a points-tested and employer-sponsored visa system. Common routes include the employer-sponsored Skills in Demand / Temporary Skill Shortage visa and points-tested skilled visas. The Department of Home Affairs administers visas, often via SkillSelect.
Work and skilled-migration visas are administered by the Department of Home Affairs. Employer-sponsored visas require an approved sponsor; points-tested skilled visas are also available.
- Employer-sponsored work visas require the employer to be an approved sponsor.
- Points-tested skilled visas (e.g. Skilled Independent) assess age, English, skills and experience.
- Many skilled visas require a skills assessment by the relevant assessing authority.
- 1
Choose a skilled visa route
Decide between employer-sponsored routes (the Skills in Demand / subclass 482 and the Employer Nomination Scheme 186) and points-tested independent routes (subclass 189/190).
- 2
Have your occupation and skills assessed
Confirm your occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list and obtain a skills assessment from the assessing authority.
- 3
Employer sponsors or you submit an EOI
For sponsored routes the employer becomes an approved sponsor and nominates you; for points-tested routes submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect.
- 4
Lodge the visa application
Lodge the visa application with the Department of Home Affairs, meeting the English, health and character requirements.
- 5
Complete health, character and biometrics
Complete the medical examination, police checks and biometrics as required.
- 6
Receive the decision and enter
On grant, enter Australia within the visa conditions; several routes provide a pathway to permanent residence.
- Skilled visa route chosen (sponsored 482/186 or points-tested 189/190)
- Occupation on the relevant skilled list
- Skills assessment from the assessing authority
- Employer nomination or SkillSelect EOI
- English, health and character requirements met
- Visa application lodged with Home Affairs
- Medical + police checks + biometrics
- PR pathway considered
- Department of Home Affairs — Immigration
Visas, work and skilled migration.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an employer sponsor?
Not always — points-tested skilled visas don't require a sponsor, but employer-sponsored routes do and are often faster for in-demand roles.
What is a skills assessment?
Most skilled visas require your occupation to be assessed by the relevant assessing authority against Australian standards before you apply.
Can skilled visas lead to permanent residence?
Yes — several skilled and employer-sponsored streams have direct or transitional pathways to permanent residence.
Government portals
- Australian Government — Australian Government's official entry point — quick access to all department services
- Dept of Home Affairs — Student/work visas, skilled migration (189/190/491 subclasses), and citizenship applications
- Australian Tax Office (ATO) — TFN application, tax refunds, GST, superannuation, and personal income tax lodgment