If like thousands of other skilled migrant workers, you dream of living and working in Australia, then you may want to consider the popular employer-sponsored Temporary Skill Shortage visa also known as the TSS or 482 visa.
This temporary visa provides an opportunity for skilled and experienced workers to migrate to Australia to work, bring their family, and potentially stay in Australia longterm, offering a pathway to permanent residency. This introductory guide provides an overview of some of the key aspects of the 482 visa that you should know if you are starting out.
What is the Temporary Skill Shortage visa subclass 482?
The 482 Visa also referred to as the TSS Visa, was designed to help Australian employers fill gaps in their labour force by employing foreign workers when they can’t find anyone from the local labour market.
How long is the 482 visa granted for?
The 482 visa is a temporary visa, it is granted for up to two or four years depending on the occupation and how long the employer plans to sponsor the worker for. 482 visa holders have the option to apply for additional 482 visas as long as you still meet the visa requirement and you have an employer willing to nominate to sponsor you again.
Renewing the 482 visa can be done whilst in or outside Australia but the number of times you can renew it will depend if your nominated occupation is on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or the Medium to Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
Which occupations can be sponsored
Like other Australian visas, only certain occupations can be nominated to be sponsored through the TSS visa, providing a pathway to permanent residency for eligible TSS visa holders.
To check which occupations can be sponsored through the TSS visa, you can follow the below steps:
- Go to the Department of Home Affairs website - Skilled Occupation List
- Scroll down to the ‘Skilled Occupation list’ search bar
- If you know your correct occupation title as listed by ANZSCO or know the ANZSCO code, you can type it in the top ‘search’ bar
- If you are not sure, then in the ‘Select Visa’ search bar, select ‘482 - Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) - Short Term Stream’ and ‘482 - Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) - Medium Term Stream’ so that every occupation available for the 482 visa is listed.
If your occupation is not listed, it is worth contacting a MARA Registered Migration Agent to double check as other occupations are sometimes listed in Labour or DAMA agreements.
If it is listed, it’s worth writing down the occupation title and ANZSCO code as you may need it when checking the requirements for your occupation.
What can TSS visa holder do with this visa?
With a TSS Visa, TSS Visa holders can work and live in Australia. This visa enables you to include your family or partner as secondary visa applicants. They will be allowed to work and study whilst in Australia.
As the primary visa applicant, you are expected to work full-time for the employer sponsoring you, and you can only work in your nominated occupation.
What are the main visa requirements?
Requirements vary based on the occupation and which occupation list it belongs to. To apply for this visa, the general requirements are that you:
- Have been nominated for a position by an approved sponsor.
- Have the necessary skills and qualifications for the position.
- Meet English language requirements.
- Satisfy health and character requirements.
- Have at least two years of relevant work experience.
In addition, based on your nominated occupation, some visa requirements may vary such as the number of years of experience and level of qualifications. To get a better idea of the requirements for you, it's worth reading the full ANZSCO description for your occupation.
If an English test or Skills Assessment is required, it will depend on your nationality, nominated occupation and if you have relevant Australian qualifications.
How to find the ANZSCO description for your nominated occupation?
Follow the below steps to find the ANZSCO description for your nominated occupation:
- Go to the ANZSCO Search page
- Either type your ANZSCO occupation title or ANZSCO number (see point 3 above)
- You should then see your occupation listed, click on it.
- You will then be redirected to the full ANZSCO description for the occupation.
Here it will state what level of qualification is required, if additional work experience can substitute formal qualifications, if more than 2 years of experience is needed, and the tasks that you should have performed during your work experience.
Getting the 482 visa application process right!
All too often people waste a lot of time and effort by trying to find a job at the start of the process, instead of checking their visa options and making sure they are eligible to meet the visa conditions.
Once you have decided the best visa option for you, making sure you can gather all of the required documents is crucial. Gathering your documents and completing English tests or Skills Assessments (if required), can take months to complete. In most cases, employers are only interested in applicants who are able to lodge their visa application as soon as they are offered the job. This is why unless you can prove to employers you are visa ready, they often do not proceed with your job application.
Our recommendation and Visa Jobs process is as follows:
- Gather all required documents
- Have them assessed by a Registered Migration Agent to prove you are Visa Ready
- Find an eligible employer (must be a Standard Business Sponsor) willing to support your TSS visa application or other skilled visa pathways.
- Employer lodges their Nomination Application
- Your visa application is lodged
Want to live and work in Australia? What next........
The TSS visa is such a popular visa as it is a feasible way for so many skilled workers to come to Australia to live and work. In comparison to other Australian work visas, the costs are generally lower and visa processing times are often shorter. For a lot of people, this visa is a quick way to migrate to Australia, plus for some, it can lead to permanent residency and citizenship.
If you are interested in the TSS visa and need help, contact Visa Jobs today. Our experienced and friendly team can explain more about the visa application process, answer your questions, guide you through the document gathering stage, help find you employers, and connect you with our recruitment and Registered Migration Agent partners.