Subclass 482, 186 and 494 · Skilled
Employer sponsored.
Employer-sponsored visas allow Australian businesses to fill positions with skilled overseas workers when suitably qualified Australians are not available. Because these pathways involve obligations on both the employer and the visa holder, a registered migration agent is often engaged to manage both sides of the application.
Find a migration agent for your employer sponsored application.
Registered migration agents for employer sponsored
939 businesses with specialisation in skilled visas.
Australian Study and Visa Services Pty Ltd
Perth, WA
Visaenvoy
Melbourne, VIC
AustraliaMigrate Pty Limited
Chatswood, NSW
VISAINFO Pty Ltd
Sydney, NSW
Immigration Affairs
Sydney, NSW
PAX Migration Australia
Adelaide, SA
Work Visa Lawyers
Hindmarsh, SA
Smart Study Australia PTY LTD
Sydney, NSW
Australian Immigration Agency Pty Ltd
Brisbane City, QLD
Innovative Education & Migration Pty Ltd
Glen Waverley, VIC
LC Migration
Canberra City, ACT
Migrationways Australia Pty Ltd
Melbourne, VIC
About the employer sponsored
Australia's employer-sponsored visa framework centres on three main subclasses: the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494). The 482 replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa in late 2024 and introduced a restructured stream architecture intended to make sponsorship more accessible across a wider range of industries and skill levels. The 186 is the primary pathway to permanent employer-sponsored residence, while the 494 targets regional areas and includes its own route to permanence through the subclass 191.
The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) operates across three streams. The Specialist Skills stream covers high-earning workers — generally those earning above a designated salary threshold — and carries fewer occupation restrictions. The Core Skills stream applies to positions on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and is the most commonly used pathway for skilled trades, professional and technical roles. The Essential Skills stream is designed for lower-wage roles in sectors experiencing sustained workforce shortages, such as aged care and accommodation, and applies only where a formal labour agreement is in place. Each stream has distinct criteria for minimum salary, skills assessment requirements and visa duration.
Before lodging a nomination under the 482 or 186 (Direct Entry stream), a sponsoring employer must generally satisfy labour market testing obligations. This requires the employer to demonstrate — through documented advertising — that no suitably qualified and experienced Australian citizen or permanent resident was available for the position. The testing must be conducted within a specified period before lodgement and must meet the Department of Home Affairs' advertising standards. Beyond nomination, approved sponsors carry ongoing obligations: maintaining records, cooperating with inspections, paying the nominated worker no less than the market salary rate and meeting Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy obligations. Failure to comply with sponsorship conditions can result in sanctions, cancellation of approval status and prohibition from future sponsorship.
A registered migration agent provides value on multiple fronts in an employer-sponsored matter. Employers need guidance on sponsor approval, occupation assessment, labour market testing documentation and SAF levy calculations. Visa applicants need advice on skills assessments, English language requirements and health and character obligations. Agents also advise on pathway planning — in particular, how time spent on a 482 visa in the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the 186 can count toward the two-year employment requirement for a permanent nomination. Selecting the wrong stream, lodging incomplete documentation or missing a compliance step can delay or derail the entire process for both employer and employee.
Reviewed by MIGI editorial team
Subclasses covered
Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand
<p>This temporary visa lets an employer sponsor a suitably skilled worker to fill a position they can’t find a suitably skilled Australian to fill.</p>
Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme
<p>This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer, live and work in Australia permanently.</p>
Subclass 494 — Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa
<p>This visa enables regional employers to address identified labour shortages within their region by sponsoring skilled workers where employers can't source an appropriately skilled Australian worker</p>
Subclass 187 — Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme
<p>This visa allows skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer in regional Australia, live and work in Australia permanently.</p>
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the 482, 186 and 494 visas?
The 482 (Skills in Demand) is a temporary visa, generally valid for two to four years, that allows an employer to sponsor an overseas worker for a specific position. The 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) is a permanent visa available through three streams: Temporary Residence Transition (for existing 482 holders), Direct Entry (for workers applying from outside Australia or without recent 482 status) and Agreement (where a labour agreement applies). The 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) is a temporary visa for regional employers, valid for five years, with a pathway to permanence through the subclass 191 after three years of regional work and income.
How does the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) work?
The Skills in Demand visa has three streams — Specialist Skills, Core Skills and Essential Skills. An employer must first be approved as a standard business sponsor, then lodge a nomination for a specific position, and finally the overseas worker lodges a visa application. Requirements vary by stream: the Specialist Skills stream applies to high-earning roles and has no occupation list restriction; the Core Skills stream requires the occupation to appear on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL); and the Essential Skills stream requires a formal labour agreement between the employer and the Department of Home Affairs.
Can an employer-sponsored visa lead to permanent residency?
Yes. The most direct route is through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) via the Temporary Residence Transition stream. To be eligible, the applicant must have worked for the nominating employer in the same or a closely related occupation for at least two years on a 482 (or predecessor TSS) visa and meet salary and skill requirements. The subclass 494 visa also leads to permanence via the subclass 191 (Permanent Residence — Skilled Regional) after three years.
What is labour market testing and do employers have to do it?
Labour market testing (LMT) requires an employer to advertise the position and demonstrate that no suitable Australian worker applied before nominating an overseas worker. Under the 482 and the Direct Entry stream of the 186, LMT is generally mandatory unless a bilateral agreement or specific exemption applies. Advertising must meet Home Affairs standards — typically two advertisements published in the four months before lodgement, using channels with national reach. Agents help employers structure their recruitment records to satisfy these requirements.
What happens if I change employers while on a 482 visa?
A 482 visa holder is tied to the nominating employer and the approved occupation. If the employment ends — whether through resignation, redundancy or termination — the visa holder has a grace period (currently 60 days) to find a new sponsoring employer, return to their home country or move to a different visa. A new employer must lodge a fresh nomination before the visa holder can begin work for them. Changing roles without a new nomination, or working for an employer who is not an approved sponsor, can constitute a breach of visa conditions.
