Canberra, 07/12/2024 — Úc.
On December 7, 2024, the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa officially took effect in Australia, replacing the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa for new applications. This is the biggest change to the employer-sponsored temporary work visa category since TSS was introduced in 2018.
Three Streams of Skills in Demand
According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs, the Skills in Demand visa has three streams: Core Skills, Specialist Skills, and Labour Agreement (later to be renamed Essential Skills). All three streams share a uniform four-year validity period and a pathway to permanent residence via the Employer Nomination Scheme.
The Core Skills stream is expected to be the pathway granting the most visas. Candidates must hold an occupation on the new Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), published at the same time the visa launched. The CSOL consolidates the previous occupation lists and is updated by Jobs and Skills Australia according to labour market needs.
Experience and Salary Requirements
One key change is that the required relevant work experience has been reduced to one year, down from two years under the previous TSS. This broadens the pool of eligible candidates.
The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) for the 2024-2025 financial year is 73,150 AUD per year, applying to nominations lodged from December 7, 2024. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) for the Specialist Skills stream is 135,000 AUD per year. These thresholds will be adjusted annually based on average earnings data.
Processing Time and Transition
The Australian Department of Home Affairs states that applications lodged before December 7, 2024 will be processed under the old TSS rules. Applications lodged after this date will follow the new Skills in Demand rules. Nominations lodged before December 7, 2024 but without an accompanying visa application may be linked to a Skills in Demand visa.
Expected processing times can be as fast as 7 working days for the Specialist Skills stream, with the Core Skills stream targeting 21 working days. The Skills in Demand visa offers a clearer pathway to permanent residence, including the ability to apply for a permanent visa through the Employer Nomination Scheme after 2 years working under the nomination.
References
- Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs
- Australian Government, Federal Register of Legislation
This article is compiled from government sources. Immigration regulations and figures may change over time; you should check current information on the official website before making a decision.
