Employer Sponsored Visa Eligibility: 482, 186, 494 & 407 Requirements

At VJ Consulting and Education, we work with applicants across all major employer-sponsored visa pathways — 482, 186, 494, and 407 — and the eligibility questions we address most often are the ones this guide covers.

#Who is eligible for 482 visa?

The Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) visa has three streams, and eligibility hinges on which stream you enter. The Specialist Skills stream is for high earners (salary above $135,000) with no occupation list restriction. The Core Skills stream covers occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and requires a salary at or above TSMIT ($73,150). The Labour Agreement stream applies where a formal labour agreement exists between an employer and the Department.

Across all streams, you must:

• Have at least 2 years of relevant full-time work experience
• Hold skills or qualifications relevant to the nominated occupation
• Meet English language requirements (see the dedicated section below)
• Be under 45 years of age (some exemptions apply)
• Have a sponsoring employer with an approved Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) status

→ Deep Dive: Eligibility for Employer Sponsored Visas

#Who is eligible for 186 visa?

The Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) is a permanent visa with three streams: Temporary Residence Transition (TRT), Direct Entry (DE), and Labour Agreement. Each has distinct eligibility criteria.

For all streams, your employer must be an approved nominator, your occupation must appear on the relevant list, and your salary must meet or exceed TSMIT ($73,150). English requirements also apply.

One of our clients, a French engineer who received his 186 PR in 2025, described the approval as follows:

→ Deep Dive: Eligibility for Employer Sponsored Visas

#Can I switch from 482 to 186?

Yes — transitioning from a 482 to a 186 via the TRT stream is the most common employer-sponsored pathway to permanent residence, but three conditions must all be met simultaneously. In VJ Consulting and Education's experience, applicants who plan the 482-to-186 TRT transition early — tracking work periods and employer nomination timelines from the outset — tend to navigate the process considerably more smoothly than those who begin preparing only near the three-year mark.

First, you must have held your 482 (or its predecessor, the 457) for a cumulative period meeting the work requirement. Second, you must have worked for your nominating employer in the nominated occupation for at least 3 years immediately before the nomination is lodged. Third, you must be under 45 years of age at the time of application (with limited exemptions for certain healthcare occupations).

The switch is not automatic — your employer must lodge a fresh nomination application, and you lodge a separate 186 visa application. Both attract government fees.

Tip: If your employer changes structure (e.g., through a merger or acquisition), confirm whether the new entity is the same "employer" for TRT eligibility purposes — this is a frequent complication our team encounters.

→ Deep Dive: Eligibility for Employer Sponsored Visas

#What are the requirements for employer sponsorship?

Employer sponsorship has two sides: the employer's obligations and the applicant's obligations. Both must be satisfied before a visa can be granted.

Employer (sponsor) requirements:

• Must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) — approval lasts 5 years
• Must be actively and lawfully operating a business in Australia
• Must demonstrate a genuine need for the position
• Cannot transfer sponsorship costs to the employee (it is illegal to charge workers for nomination or sponsorship fees)

Applicant requirements:

• Nominated occupation must appear on the relevant skills list
• Must meet minimum salary (TSMIT: $73,150 or the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher)
• Must satisfy experience, English, age, and health/character requirements

One of our clients, a head chef in Melbourne on a 482, shared a cautionary experience:

This arrangement is unlawful. Employers cannot recover sponsorship or nomination costs from visa holders.

→ Deep Dive: Employer-Sponsored Visas: How to Find a Sponsor

#Do I need skills assessment for 482?

It depends on the stream and your occupation. Skills assessment is not universally required for the 482, but it is required in specific circumstances.

Where required, your nominated occupation determines the relevant assessing body — for example, Engineers Australia for engineering roles, VETASSESS for many professional occupations, and TRA for trade roles. The assessment must be positive and, in most cases, must not have been completed more than 3 years before the visa application.

Tip: Even when a formal skills assessment is not mandated by the Department, some employers and their migration agents request one as supporting evidence. Confirm with your registered migration agent before investing in an assessment.

#What is the minimum salary for 482?

The salary floor for a 482 visa is determined by two figures — the TSMIT and the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) — and you must be paid the higher of the two.

The TSMIT ($73,150) was increased from $53,900 effective 1 July 2023 — a significant jump that made many previously eligible positions ineligible overnight. It is indexed annually, so the figure at the time you apply may differ.

Salary comparisons must be made on a like-for-like basis: base salary plus guaranteed loadings. Superannuation does not count toward the threshold.

Tip: If your nominated salary is very close to the TSMIT, build a buffer. A mid-year pay review that drops below the threshold — even temporarily — can create compliance issues for your sponsor.

#Can I change employer on 482?

Yes, but the process depends on which 482 stream you hold and is not as simple as updating your employer in ImmiAccount. Your visa is tied to a specific nomination, not just the visa grant.

If you want to change employers, the new employer must:

1. Be an approved Standard Business Sponsor
2. Lodge a fresh nomination for you in an eligible occupation
3. Offer a salary that meets or exceeds TSMIT ($73,150)

You do not need to apply for a new visa — you can remain on your existing 482 once the new nomination is approved. However, there is a 60-day grace period if you cease employment — you must have a new nomination approved or leave Australia within 60 days of becoming unemployed.

Tip: If your goal is a 186 TRT, changing employers resets your 3-year continuity clock with the new employer.

→ Deep Dive: Employer-Sponsored Visas: How to Find a Sponsor

#What is TSMIT?

The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) is the minimum annual earnings floor that all temporary employer-sponsored workers in Australia must be paid. Its purpose is to ensure sponsored workers are not exploited through below-market wages.

TSMIT applies to the 482 and 494 visas in their Core Skills and equivalent streams. For the Specialist Skills stream, the relevant floor is $135,000, which is higher than TSMIT. TSMIT does not include superannuation contributions.

The 2023 increase from $53,900 to $73,150 was the largest single adjustment in the threshold's history and immediately rendered many existing job offers ineligible. New nominations lodged after 1 July 2023 must satisfy the new rate even if the underlying job offer was made before that date.

Tip: The TSMIT is reviewed annually. Before lodging a nomination, always check the current figure on the Department of Home Affairs website rather than relying on figures cited in older migration guides.

#Who is eligible for 494?

The Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) visa is a 5-year temporary visa designed specifically for regional Australia. Eligibility requirements largely mirror the 482 Core Skills stream, with the key additional condition that both the employer and the work location must be in a designated regional area.

After 3 years on a 494 and meeting residence and income requirements, holders may apply for the Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence — Skilled Regional) visa.

A migration agent responding to questions about regional pathways noted that the Queensland DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreement) can expand occupation eligibility for the 494 beyond the standard CSOL — a useful option for employers in regional Queensland struggling to find local workers.

→ Deep Dive: Eligibility for Employer Sponsored Visas

#What occupations qualify for 482?

Occupation eligibility for the 482 visa depends on the stream: Among the applicants VJCE has assisted, occupation list eligibility is one of the first — and most frequently misunderstood — hurdles, making it well worth confirming your ANZSCO classification with a registered migration agent before lodging any sponsorship paperwork.

The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) replaced the previous MLTSSL and STSOL in late 2023. It contains several hundred occupations across engineering, healthcare, IT, hospitality, construction, and other sectors. ANZSCO codes govern how occupations are classified — your actual job title is less important than whether your duties match the ANZSCO description.

Some occupations are available nationally; others are restricted to certain states or available only through DAMAs (Designated Area Migration Agreements) which allow regional employers to sponsor workers in occupations not on the standard CSOL.

Tip: Occupation matching is one of the most common grounds for nomination refusal. If your job duties span two ANZSCO codes, your migration agent should document the primary occupation carefully and ensure the nomination reflects the dominant function of the role.

→ Deep Dive: Employer-Sponsored Visas: How to Find a Sponsor

#Can small businesses sponsor 482?

Yes — there is no minimum size requirement for a Standard Business Sponsor. A business with one employee can, in principle, become an approved SBS and sponsor a 482 or 186 applicant, provided the business is lawfully operating and the position is genuine.

However, small businesses face additional scrutiny in two areas:

1. Genuineness of the position — the Department will assess whether the role is commercially necessary or whether the sponsorship appears to be primarily for the applicant's benefit
2. Financial capacity — the business must demonstrate it can pay the nominated salary at the TSMIT floor ($73,150) and sustain the employment

One of our clients, a small IT firm applicant, described the difficulty after their employer's sponsorship fell through due to insufficient documentation of business operations.

Tip: If you are being sponsored by a small or newly established business, ensure the nomination package includes audited financials, evidence of existing revenue, and a clear position description. Pre-lodgement preparation reduces refusal risk significantly.

→ Deep Dive: Employer-Sponsored Visas: How to Find a Sponsor

#What English level do I need for 482?

The minimum English requirement for the Subclass 482 Core Skills stream is Competent English, which corresponds to the following test scores:

The Specialist Skills stream raises this to Proficient English (IELTS 7.0 overall, no band below 7.0, or equivalent), because higher-earning roles are presumed to require stronger communication.

Exemptions from English testing apply to passport holders from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland — these applicants are deemed to have Competent English by virtue of citizenship.

Tip: Test results are typically valid for 3 years from the date of sitting. If your score is approaching expiry, resit before lodging your nomination to avoid delays or complications at the visa application stage.

#How long do I need to work for 186 TRT?

The answer is precisely 3 years — and the counting rules matter more than most applicants expect. For the Subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream, you must have worked for your nominating employer in the nominated occupation for at least 3 years in the 2 years immediately before the nomination is lodged — correcting a common misconception that you need 3 consecutive years at any point.

The work must have been:

• In the same occupation as the nomination
• Full-time (or an equivalent aggregate if part-time was permitted)
• With the same legal employer entity (corporate restructures can complicate this)
• While holding an eligible visa (482, 457, or certain other work visas)

One of our clients — a 43-year-old French engineer — had his 186 TRT approved after careful documentation of his 3-year work history with the sponsoring engineering firm:

Tip: Periods of unpaid leave, parental leave, or stand-down may or may not count toward the 3-year requirement depending on the type of leave. Document all leave periods and seek advice before lodging.

#What is Direct Entry 186?

The Direct Entry stream of the Subclass 186 is the pathway for applicants who have not held a 482 or 457 visa — or who have but cannot meet the TRT continuity requirement. It allows qualified workers to obtain permanent employer-sponsored residence without a prior temporary visa.

The Direct Entry stream is available for occupations on the relevant list and where the nominating employer can demonstrate the position is genuine and unable to be filled locally. Skills assessments must be positive and current.

One of our clients pursued the Direct Entry stream after 16 years in Australia, having initially arrived as a student and later re-engaged with a sponsoring employer:

#Can I apply for 186 without 482?

Yes — the Direct Entry stream of the Subclass 186 is specifically designed for this. You do not need to have held a 482 or 457 visa at any point.

What you do need:

• An approved Australian employer willing to nominate you
• A positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience (which can have been gained offshore)
• An occupation on the relevant list
• A salary meeting or exceeding TSMIT ($73,150)
• Competent English
• Age under 45 at the time of application

The Direct Entry stream is less commonly used than TRT because the mandatory skills assessment adds cost, time (often 3–6 months for assessment processing), and complexity. However, for skilled workers with strong offshore experience and an Australian employer willing to sponsor them directly, it is a legitimate and viable route to permanent residence.

Tip: If you are currently onshore on a different visa class (for example, a student visa or partner visa) and have an employer willing to sponsor you, the Direct Entry stream may be accessible without needing to first obtain a 482.

→ Deep Dive: Eligibility for Employer Sponsored Visas

#What happens if my employer cancels sponsorship?

If your employer cancels their sponsorship or ceases to employ you, you have a 60-day grace period during which your visa remains valid but you may not work. Within those 60 days, you must either: VJ Consulting agents generally advise sponsored visa holders to understand their 60-day grace period options well in advance, as acting quickly after a sponsorship cancellation is often critical to maintaining lawful status and exploring alternative pathways.

• Have a new employer approved as your sponsor and have a new nomination lodged, or
• Apply for a different visa that allows you to remain in Australia, or
• Depart Australia

The visa is not automatically cancelled simply because employment ends — cancellation requires a formal decision by the Department. However, you are at risk of a cancellation notice if you remain in Australia beyond the grace period without a lawful basis.

If your employer is threatening cancellation as a form of workplace coercion, this is a serious matter. Sponsored workers have workplace rights in Australia regardless of visa status. Report concerns to the Fair Work Ombudsman or contact us for advice.

Tip: Keep copies of all your employment documents, payslips, and visa records independently. If sponsorship collapses unexpectedly, you need to act within the grace period — having documents accessible accelerates the process.

→ Deep Dive: Visa Refusal and Appeals

#Can I be sponsored by a family member?

Generally, no — not through the standard employer sponsorship framework. The Subclass 482, 186, and 494 visa programs require sponsorship by a lawfully operating business, and the Department scrutinises sponsorship arrangements for genuine commercial purpose.

A company owned or controlled by a family member can technically be an approved sponsor, but the Department will apply heightened scrutiny to the genuineness of the employment arrangement. Key questions the case officer will examine:

• Does the business have a genuine operational need for the role?
• Is the applicant's skill set actually being used in the business?
• Is the salary market-rate and demonstrably affordable by the business?
• Are there arm's-length elements to the employment relationship?

If the business is a shell company, a very recent startup, or exists primarily to facilitate the visa, the nomination is very likely to be refused.

For family-based migration, the correct pathway is the Partner Visa series or other family stream visas — not employer sponsorship.

Tip: If you genuinely work in a family business in a skilled capacity and that business has real operations and revenue, sponsorship may still be possible — but the documentation burden is significantly higher. Engage a MARA-registered agent before lodging.

→ Deep Dive: Employer-Sponsored Visas: How to Find a Sponsor

#Ready to assess your employer sponsorship eligibility?

Employer-sponsored visas involve multiple moving parts — sponsor approval, occupation matching, salary compliance, and visa-specific eligibility criteria that change frequently. A single misstep at the nomination stage can delay your pathway by months or years.

Our MARA-registered migration agents at VJ Consulting specialise in employer sponsorship across the 482, 186, 494, and 407 visa streams. We review your occupation match, salary compliance, skills assessment requirements, and sponsor obligations before anything is lodged.

Book a consultation with our team to get a clear eligibility assessment and a structured plan for your employer-sponsored pathway.