What is a TSS 482 visa?

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The TSS 482 visa is available for an applicant who wants to live on a temporary basis in Australia and work full time for the sponsoring employer in the nominated position. (TSS 482 visa is the replacement of the 457 visa)

Applicants for 482 visa may include dependent family members in their application.

Applying for the 482 visa has three steps - Sponsorship, Nomination and Visa application.

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Who can apply for TSS 482 visa?

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To apply for a TSS 482 visa, you must be an overseas skilled worker which means your occupation must be included within the relevant occupation list and you must have an employer (the sponsor) who agrees to hire you. Your member of the family unit can join your 482 visa application.

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What are the steps to get a TSS 482 Visa?

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The TSS 482 visa involves a three-step process:

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Step 1:  Sponsorship application by the employer

Step 2:  Nomination application for a skilled position by the employer

Step 3:  482 Visa application by the proposed employee

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Sponsorship

 

Before you can apply for a TSS 482 visa, your proposed employer will need to lodge a nomination application for you. They will only be able to do it if they are an approved sponsor or have at least lodged an application to become a standard business sponsor. The cost of a sponsorship application is AUD 420, and the sponsorship is valid for five years from the date it is approved.

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Nomination

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Existing approved sponsors or applicants to be an approved sponsor can nominate an overseas worker for a particular position in their organization/workplace.

​The cost of a nomination application is AUD330, and all relevant documents must be attached while submitting the nomination application.

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The nomination is generally valid for up to 12 months from the nomination approval date, or until the earliest of the following occurs:

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• Your 482 visa is being approved.

• If there is a request to withdraw the nomination application - the day The Department of Home Affairs receives your written notification to withdraw the nomination application.

• Three months after the completion date of the standard business sponsorship unless a new sponsorship application was lodged before that ceasing date and it remains unfinalized.

• The day on which the approval as a sponsor is cancelled.

• The day on which the labour agreement ceases.

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TSS 482 Visa

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There are three optional streams for this visa type:

• Short-term stream

• Medium-term stream

• Labour agreement stream

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Eligibility criteria for Short-term stream

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• Your occupation must be included on the Short-term Skilled Occupation list (STSOL) for a TSS 482 visa.

• You have worked in your nominated occupation, or a related field, for at least two years before applying for the 482 visa.

• You must be aware that it is a short-term visa and agree to enter and stay as a short-term visa holder (known as a 'Genuine Temporary Entrant' (GTE).

• You will be working directly for your employer (the sponsor) or an associated entity of your sponsor.

• Your visa will usually be for maximum two years or four years if an International Trade Obligation (ITO) applies.

• You must meet the English language requirements described below.

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Eligibility criteria for Medium-term stream

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• Your occupation is listed on the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL) for a 482 visa.

• You have worked in your nominated occupation, or a related field, for at least two years before applying for this visa.

• You will be working directly for your employer (the sponsor) or an associated entity of your sponsor. Some of the medical occupations are exempt from this requirement.

• You must meet the English language requirements described below.

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Eligibility criteria for Labour agreement stream

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In this specific stream, the future employer has entered into a labour agreement with the Department of Home Affairs and interested to sponsor an overseas worker.

 

You will be eligible to apply under this stream if your occupation is included in a labour agreement which your employer has entered into with the Department.

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Moreover, you have worked in your nominated occupation, or a related field, for at least two years before applying for this visa. (unless this is not required under the labour agreement).

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You must also meet the English language requirements described below.

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What you need to know about TSS 482 visa before applying?

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• This visa allows you to travel to and from Australia for the duration of your visa and for the primary visa holder, to work in Australia for an approved sponsor in his nominated occupation.

• The visa allows the family member of the main applicant to work and study in Australia.

• You must be nominated for a position by an approved sponsor, and that nomination has been approved.

• Applicants who have specific occupations are required to hold a positive skills assessment at the time their 482 application is submitted. Particular occupations are required to have a skill assessment while others don’t. The Department is also able to use its discretion to request a skills assessment as part of the visa application process even where it is not mandatory.

• You can apply to a 482 visa while being in Australia only if you hold the following visa types: hold a substantive visa /a subclass 010 (Bridging A) visa/ a subclass 020 (Bridging B) visa or a Subclass 030 (Bridging C) visa.

• You can apply for 482 from outside Australia as well.

• You must comply with any conditions that apply or applied to your last visa to get your 482 visa approved.

• Every applicant for the 482 visa is obligated to meet health and character requirements.

• There is no age requirement for this visa.

• To meet the two years experience required for the 482 visa, you must verify that your work experience should have been undertaken on a full-time basis in the last five years. This period does not, however, need to be continuous.

• Members of your family unit can be added to 482 visa application of the primary applicant.

• Applicants holding a substantive visa with a no further stay condition might still be able to lodge an application in Australia for this visa in certain circumstances.

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What are the English language requirements for TSS 482 visa?

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Short-term stream

 

For the short-term stream, the required results are as follows:

• IELTS overall band score of at least 5.0 with a score of at least 4.5 in each of the test components.

• OET score of at least ‘B’ in each of the four components

• TOEFL iBT total score of at least 35 with a score of at least 3 for each of the test components of listening and reading, and a score of at least 12 for each of the test components of speaking and writing

• PTE Academic overall test score of at least 36 with a score of at least 30 in each of the test components

• CAE overall test score of at least 154 with a score of at least 147 in each of the test components

 

Medium-term stream

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For the medium-term stream, the required results are as follows:

• IELTS overall band score of at least 5.0 with a score of at least 5 in each of the test components

• OET score of at least 'B' in each of the four components

• TOEFL iBT total score of at least 35 with a score of at least 4 for each of the test components of listening and reading, and a score of at least 14 for each of the test components of speaking and writing

• PTE Academic overall test score of at least 36 with a score of at least 36 in each of the test components

• CAE overall test score of at least 154 with a score of at least 154 in each of the test components

 

Labour agreement stream

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You must demonstrate the level of English language proficiency specified in the Labour agreement.

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Who can be exempted from the English language requirements evidence for TSS 482 visa?

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You are not required to demonstrate your English language proficiency if you fall into one of the following categories:

• You hold a passport from the following countries - Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the USA.

• You have completed at least five years of full-time study in a secondary or higher education institution where instruction was conducted in English.

• You are nominated for an occupation which will be performed at a diplomatic or consular mission of another country or an Office of the Authorities of Taiwan located in Australia.

• You are an employee of an overseas business which is coming to Australia to work for that company or their associated entity, and the position has guaranteed annual earnings of at least AUD96,400.

• Your occupation requires you to hold a licence, registration or membership and:

  • To be granted that licence, registration or membership you must demonstrate a level of English language proficiency that is equivalent to or better than the level described for Short-term stream or Medium-term stream, and you have been granted that licence, registration or membership.

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What is the processing time for the various TSS 482 visa streams?

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Short-term stream from 19 days to 40 days.

Medium-term stream from 15 days to 28 days.

Labour Agreement stream from 24 days to 41 days.

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Changes to the TSS 482 visa

 

There are frequent changes to the TSS 482 Visa, Short-term Skilled Occupation list (STSOL), Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and the Regional Occupation List (ROL).

 

We keep up to date with the latest changes

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