The Skills in Demand (SID) visa, subclass 482, replaced the former Temporary Skill Shortage visa from 7 December 2024. It now has three streams, Core Skills, Specialist Skills, and Labour Agreement, and can lead to permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), typically after around two years with the sponsoring employer.
Introduction: What Changed in December 2024
Employers looking to sponsor overseas workers now do so under the Skills in Demand (SID) visa, which kept the subclass number 482 but replaced the previous Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) framework from 7 December 2024. The reforms restructured the visa into three distinct streams and reduced the minimum work experience requirement to one year.
What Are the Three Streams Under Subclass 482?
Core Skills Stream
For occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List, a list of roles the government has identified as being in need. This is the stream most employers sponsoring skilled workers in trades, healthcare, and similar occupations will use.
Specialist Skills Stream
For high-income specialist roles, not tied to an occupation list, with a targeted fast turnaround for processing. This stream is intended for highly skilled workers earning above a set income threshold.
Labour Agreement Stream
For positions covered by a labour agreement between the employer and the Australian Government, typically used where an industry or region has negotiated tailored migration arrangements.
What Employers Need to Do
Sponsoring a worker under the SID visa generally involves three stages:
- Sponsorship: The business applies for approval as a standard business sponsor.
- Nomination: The employer nominates the specific position it wants to fill, including the occupation, stream, and salary.
- Visa application: The worker applies for the visa itself, linked to the approved nomination.
Sponsors also take on ongoing obligations once a visa is granted, including paying the nominated salary, keeping records, and cooperating with any compliance checks.
What Is the Pathway to Permanent Residency?
A subclass 482 visa can lead to permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS), subclass 186, which has its own streams:
- Temporary Residence Transition: For existing subclass 482 holders, typically available after around two years working for the sponsoring employer
- Direct Entry: For applicants without prior employer-sponsored status in Australia, generally requiring a positive skills assessment and around three years' relevant experience
- Labour Agreement: For positions covered by a labour agreement
Why Getting This Right Matters
Sponsorship, nomination, and visa applications each have their own eligibility criteria, and errors at any stage can delay a hire or put a visa at risk. For employers, getting the occupation, stream, and salary settings right from the outset avoids costly delays and protects your sponsorship record for future applications.
Sponsoring an overseas worker is only one part of hiring correctly. If this is also your first Australian employee, our compliance checklist for hiring your first employee in Victoria covers the award, super and payroll obligations that apply alongside the visa process.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Skills in Demand visa?
The Skills in Demand (SID) visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa from 7 December 2024. It kept the same subclass number, 482, but restructured it into three streams: Core Skills, Specialist Skills, and Labour Agreement.
2. What are the streams under the subclass 482 visa now?
Core Skills, for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List; Specialist Skills, for high-income roles not tied to an occupation list; and Labour Agreement, for positions covered by a labour agreement with the Australian Government.
3. Can an employer-sponsored visa lead to permanent residency?
Yes, commonly through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), often after around two years working for the sponsoring employer on a subclass 482 visa.
4. What does an employer need to do to sponsor a worker?
The employer generally needs approval as a standard business sponsor, then must nominate the specific position before the worker can apply for the visa itself.