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The Skills in Demand (SID) visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa on 7 December 2024. The SID visa allows an approved sponsor to fill labour shortages in recognised occupations while providing foreign workers with a valuable opportunity to gain further work experience and a potential pathway to permanent residence. It is valid for up to four years and is split into three streams: Core Skills, Specialist Skills, and Labour Agreement.
The Specialist Skills stream is available for applicants in most occupations under the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), excluding trade workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers. For the Core Skills stream, the applicant’s occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). The Labour Agreement stream applies to employers who have entered into a work agreement with the Department of Home Affairs.
Applications submitted before 7 December 2024 will be processed under the previous TSS visa rules, while applications after that date will be assessed under the new SID visa requirements. However, if your employer lodged a TSS nomination before 7 December 2024 but you have not applied for a TSS visa, your nomination and application can still be linked to an SID visa.
In order to be successful with an application for a 482 visa, primary SID visa applicants must fulfil the following requirements:
Applications submitted before 7 December 2024 will be processed under the previous TSS visa rules, while applications after that date will be assessed under the new SID visa requirements. However, if your employer lodged a TSS nomination before 7 December 2024 but you have not applied for a TSS visa, your nomination and application can still be linked to an SID visa.
In order to be successful with an application for a 482 visa, primary SID visa applicants must fulfil the following requirements:
There are a number of benefits to the 482 visa, which can allow skilled foreign workers to earn a good income in Australia while expanding their skills and experience and gaining a pathway to permanent residency. It also greatly benefits employers in light of widespread labour shortages throughout Australia, who can address these shortages with highly skilled workers from overseas. Further benefits for SID visa holders include:
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There are a number of technical aspects to the Skills in Demand visa subclass that may require additional evidence in certain circumstances. Some occupations can be difficult to match with previous work experience, or may have additional requirements, such as skills assessments, that must be addressed before an application can be made. Here is a snapshot of some of the documents that you will be asked to provide:
The SID visa involves a three-stage process as outlined below.
In order to nominate workers on an SID visa, an employer must first apply to become a standard business sponsor. The main criteria for the approval of an SBS application include that the applicant business:
The second stage of the process is also completed by the employer and involves nominating a position within their business to be filled by an overseas worker. Each worker will need to have an approved nomination to work in an occupation listed on the skilled occupation lists.
The visa application involves an assessment of the applicant’s suitability for the nominated role, including:
Australian Migration Lawyers can help both visa applicants and sponsoring employers prepare thorough applications to ensure that you have the best chance of success at all stages.
Once you have been granted the SID visa, you have a direct pathway to permanent residency through the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa.
It is also possible for SID holders to apply for permanent residency through the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa, which does not require sponsorship by an employer, or Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visas, subject to meeting the criteria for those applications. Further information can be found on our website for those visa subclasses.
If you are successful in obtaining permanent residency after your SID visa, you may eventually be eligible to apply for Citizenship upon meeting the general residence requirements, which will provide benefits including:
There are requirements for the SID visa that, while they may appear simple on the surface, are greatly influenced by the Department of Home Affairs policy. These policies can change frequently and with minimal warning and are not always clear to independent applicants or employers looking to benefit from the SID programme.
At Australian Migration Lawyers, we provide valuable guidance and support to make the entire process as seamless as possible. We have a high success rate with our applications and have dealt with a wide array of complex occupations and situations.
There are two main costs associated with an SID visa application.
Our fees will vary depending on the circumstances of your application. Some applications will be more complex than others, so our fees will be quoted accordingly. We work on a fixed-fee basis rather than billing hourly to provide our clients with certainty about the total costs associated with their visa application. We strive to be flexible, so we offer payment plans based on financial need.
Book a consultation with one of our qualified lawyers to get a quote.
The relevant fees for the Department of Home Affairs in relation to an SID application are as follows:
Alternatively, you can use our online Fee Calculator for an instant estimate: click here
Applying for a visa to Australia can be complex. With help from an Australian Migration Lawyer, we can untangle this complexity, and help you apply for the right visa.
Organise a consultation time to speak with one of our lawyers. You can meet with us in person, via Zoom or telephone. Following this, we will send you paperwork that confirms our engagement to represent you.
We will prepare written submissions in support of your visa application. This will be based on your individual circumstances, and supported by evidence where appropriate.
We submit your application to the relevant body (Department of Home Affairs, courts or tribunal). We will continue to update you concerning the status of your application.
We will keep you informed about your application, and notify you of the outcome. If you receive an unfavourable outcome and we can reapply, we will!
The processing time for an SID visa can take between one month and three months, subject to the approval of the sponsorship and nomination. Processing times are subject to the complexity of the case, the completeness of your application, and the caseload being processed by the Department.
According to recent government data, 90% of SID applications under the Core Skills and Labour Agreement streams were processed in four months, while 90% of Specialist Skills applications were processed in 65 days.
At Australian Migration Lawyers, we aim to submit high-standard, comprehensive applications that are as complete as possible to help reduce delays and seek a successful outcome.
Our legal team at Australian Migration Lawyers is skilled in Australian migration law.
As lawyers, we cannot issue guarantees that your SID visa will be granted. The decision rests with the Department of Home Affairs, not any one representative, lawyer, or migration agent. However, our sound understanding of the law means that we are able to put the best case forward to seek a successful outcome.
We offer professional migration advice and support, no matter where you are based. Those located in Australia have the choice of meeting with us at one of our offices or online, and for those offshore, we are available to you online.
Read our most commonly asked questions about the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa.
Most SID visa holders, including any secondary applicants, will have a direct pathway to PR through the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa. Previously, this pathway was only available to some TSS visa holders. However, under the new SID visa, all holders are eligible to apply for permanent residency after two years, provided they meet the eligibility criteria under the employer-sponsored programme.
Subclass 482 visa holders can also apply for permanent residency under the subclass 189 skilled independent or subclass 190 skilled nominated visas, subject to meeting the relevant criteria.
Please contact us to see how we can outline your pathway to PR and your options as an SID visa holder.
The 482 visa can be granted for up to four years or up to five years for Hong Kong passport holders. You can apply for another 482 visa after it expires, but most visa holders will be eligible for permanent residency at the end of their SID visa.
When an employment relationship ends, the employer is obligated to inform the Department. An SID visa holder then has a period of 180 days to find a new employer and arrange for a nomination transfer. This involves an approved sponsor lodging a new nomination for the same occupation in relation to the existing visa. Once the nomination is approved, the SID visa will continue for the remainder of the original period.
Unlike the previous TSS system, changing employers on an SID visa will not reset the time counted towards your eligibility for permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (186 visa). This means you can change jobs and still count the time you worked for your previous employer on a 482 visa towards your two or three years of experience required for the 186 visa.
If you cannot find a new employer before the completion of the 180-day period, you will need to leave Australia to avoid becoming an unlawful non-citizen. Please contact us for further assistance if you have ceased employment with your original sponsor.
Subclass 482 visa holders are not permitted to perform any work for another employer or in an occupation other than that which was listed in the nomination. Doing so may result in your visa being cancelled. Work is defined in the legislation as any activity that would normally attract remuneration, so some types of volunteer work may be permitted. However, we recommend that you contact us to ensure that you are not breaching any of your visa conditions.
The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) has replaced the previous occupation lists in the TSS visa. Employers can sponsor any occupation on this list for the SID’s Core Skills stream. For the Specialist Skills stream, the applicant must be a high-earning professional. Trade workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers cannot be sponsored for this stream. Applicants must also meet the minimum salary threshold. The requirements for the Labour Agreement stream are unchanged from the previous framework. A full list of the relevant occupations can be found in legislative instrument LIN 24/089.
The costs for nominating a worker will vary depending on the duration of the visa and the turnover of the business. For all nominations, there is a fee of $330. There is also a Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, which will be charged as follows:
Tell us a little about your situation, and one of our migration lawyers will contact you as soon as possible.