With the significant changes introduced in December 2024, including the new 482 Skills in Demand Visa (Specislist Skills, Core Skills and Labour Agreement Streams), the introduction of the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and the inclusion of many occupations eligible for Direct Entry on the 186 visa, we have been receiving a lot of questions about these updates.
In this blog, we will answer your questions to help you understand the changes and how they may affect you.
To make this easier to follow, I’ll address the questions in separate sections:
- Skills in Demand Visa questions
- 186 Visa Direct Entry questions
- Changes for current TSS 482 Visa holders questions
SKILLS IN DEMAND VISA:
Is the new Skills in Demand Visa points-based or is it an employer sponsored visa?
The Skills in Demand Visa is an employer sponsored visa, and it is not points-based. Only the 491 visa, 190 visa and 189 visa currently use a point system.
Can I be sponsored anywhere in Australia, or does the new 482 Skills in Demand Visa require regional sponsorship?
Your role can be located anywhere, it does not necessarily have to be a regional area of Australia. Different to the TSS visa, there is no longer a regional occupation list and none of the occupations on the CSOL are required to be regional, though occupations like farmer are still more likely to be based in regional Australia.
Can any occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List apply for the 482 Skills in Demand Visa?
Yes, though some occupations have a caveat (essentially an additional condition or restriction that must be met).
How many years of experience do I need to apply for the 482 Skills in Demand Visa?
You need at least 1 year of relevant work experience within the last 5 years.
Does the one year of experience need to be in Australia, or can it be overseas?
Overseas work experience can count if it can be sufficiently proven.
Does the work experience need to be full-time, or can it also include part-time or casual work?
The good news is that the work experience can include part-time or casual work in the last 5 years, as long as the hours you have worked is equivalent to 1 year of full-time relevant work experience.
Do I need a skills assessment to apply for the 482 Skills in Demand Visa?
This depends on your occupation. For some occupations, a skills assessment is required for passport holders from certain countries, unless an exemption applies.
Will the Department of Home Affairs release a Specialist Skills List and a Labour Agreement List as well?
At this stage, we only have details of a Core Skills Occupation List for the Skills in Demand Visa. We will post updates of any changes in this area.
Café or Restaurant Manager has been removed from the list. Can café or restaurant managers be sponsored as Hotel or Motel Managers? If not, what are the visa options now?
We wouldn’t recommend doing so, as Café/Restaurant Managers and Hotel Managers are different occupations. Café or Restaurant Managers may still have General Skilled Migration options, or a pathway through the employer sponsored 494 visa for those working in regional areas of Australia.
Is there an age limit for applying for the new 482 Skills in Demand Visa?
No, there is no age limit to apply for the 482 visa. However, the age requirement for 186 PR Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream is “under 45”.
What is the annual salary requirement for the new 482 Skills in Demand Visa?
The minimum income threshold depends on which stream you’re applying through - $73,150 for the Core Skills stream and $135,000 for the Specialist Skills stream.
How long do I need to hold a 482 Visa to apply for Permanent Residency (186 TRT Pathway)?
You need to hold a 482 visa for 2 years before you can apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 186 TRT stream.
Do I still need my employer to nominate me for the 186 PR after two years?
Yes, you will need your employer to nominate you for the 186 visa in the TRT stream.
Can I move to another employer and still apply for PR after holding a 482 Skills in Demand Visa for two years?
Yes, under recent changes from 7 December 2024, the time you spend working on the 482 Skills in Demand Visa can roll over, which means you can change employers and still count the time you worked for your previous employer on a 482 Skills in Demand Visa towards your 2 years of experience on a 482 visa that is required for the 186 TRT visa.
What visa options do I have if my occupation is not on the Core Skills Occupation List?
If your occupation is not on the Core Skills Occupation List, you can consider other General Skilled Migration visas such as the 189 visa, 190 visa and 491 visa which don’t require your occupation to be on the CSOL and instead looks at the Short Term, Medium to Long Term and Regional Occupation Lists.
186 VISA DIRECT ENTRY STREAM:
Can any occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List apply for the Direct Entry 186 visa?
Yes, the entire Core Skills Occupation List is available for the 186 Direct Entry stream visa.
Do I still need an employer to sponsor me to apply for the 186 Direct Entry visa?
Yes, you will still need an Australian employer to sponsor you to apply for the 186 visa in the Direct Entry Stream but this employer does not need to be the same employer as you had for a 482 visa, if you previously held a 482 visa.
Do I need skills assessment to apply for the 186 Direct Entry?
Yes, you will need to have a positive skills assessment in the relevant occupation to apply for a 186 Direct Entry visa.
How many years of experience do I need to apply for the 186 Direct Entry?
You will need to have at least 3 years of full-time work experience (or full time equivalent) to apply for the 186 Direct Entry visa.
Does the required three years of work experience include pre- or post-qualification experience? Can the experience be from both Australia and overseas?
For 186 Direct Entry stream, your work experience must be at the skill level. Generally, this means that it should have been completed after you obtained your relevant qualification. Your experience can be in Australia or overseas to meet the 3 years requirement for the 186 Direct Entry stream.
Does the 186 visa Direct Entry stream require a salary of at least $73,150?
Yes, the 186 nomination requires the nominated salary to be at least the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) which is currently $73,150.
What is the age requirement to apply for the 186 Direct Entry visa?
The age requirement for 186 Direct Entry stream visa is “under 45”. This means that people who are 45 years old or older may not be eligible. There are some very limited exemptions for New Zealanders and their partners, as well as some science workers and researchers.
CURRENT 482 VISA HOLDERS:
Finally, let’s address questions from those already holding a Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 visa:
I’m on a 482 visa. Can I change employers?
Yes, it is possible to change employers while on the 482 visa. Since 1 July 2024, applicants are able to find other work after their employment ends. They can work up to 180 days with another employer. They will need their 482 nomination to be “transferred” to the new employer to work more than 180 days.
If I change employers, will I still be able to apply for PR after two years of holding a 482 visa?
With new changes from 7 December 2024, progress towards Temporary Residence Transition stream is “portable”. So, you can change employers without losing progress toward PR. However, employers may still require their employees to work 2 years for them prior to offering to sponsor their 186 visa.
Can I change employers if my occupation is not on the Core Skills Occupation List?
If your 482 visa was under the Medium- or Short-Term stream 482 visa and your occupation is no longer on the Core Skills Occupation List , it is no longer possible to have a new nomination approved to transfer you to a new employer. Since the 1 July 2024 changes to 482 visa conditions, it is still possible to work for another employer for up to 180 days if your employment ceases, however a new nomination may not be possible. This can cause problems later if you wish to apply for 186 visa in the Temporary Residence Transition stream, as your nominator for the 186 TRT must have been the most recent nominator for your 482 visa.
Do I still need my employer to nominate me for the 186 PR after two years?
Yes, the 186 visa requires an employer nomination. The employer will need to provide a range of business documents as part of the nomination and they will need to pay at least the Skilling Australians Fund levy of either $3,000 or $5,000.
I’m already on a 482 visa. Can I now apply for the 186 Direct Entry if my occupation is on the list?
Yes, holding a 482 visa does not prevent you from applying for 186 visa in the Direct Entry stream. You would still need to meet all the Direct Entry stream requirements, including skills assessment. Many 482 visa holders might choose to wait 2 years until they meet the Temporary Residence Transition stream requirement if they are close and do not have a skills assessment yet.
I’m on a 482 visa, but my occupation has been removed from the Core Skills Occupation List. Can I still apply for the 186 Transition Pathway after two years?
Yes, since November 2023, the Temporary Residence Transition stream of the 186 visa only requires that your occupation on the ANZSCO. This means those with a 482 visa based on an occupation on the ANZSCO are able to be sponsored for 186 Temporary Residence Transition pathway after 2 years, even if their occupation is not on the CSOL.
These were the main questions about the recent changes to employer-sponsored visas. If you have any more questions, feel free to leave them in the comments on our YouTube video and we’ll do our best to answer them.
Do you need help applying for an Australian visa?
If you need assistance applying for the new 482 Skills in Demand Visa, for the 186 Direct Entry Visa or any other Australian Visa, please book an appointment.
We been assisting businesses and applicants with Australian immigration matters and visas since 2011.
Sources:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/employer-nomination-scheme-186
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skills-in-demand-visa-subclass-482
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Documents/core-sol.pdf
