The employer-sponsored work visa — now called Skills in Demand (SID), formerly 482 — is the most common path for skilled professionals who want to work in Australia and, over time, become permanent residents.
What is the Skills in Demand (SID) visa?
The SID replaced the 482 in December 2024. It's a temporary work visa: you work for a specific employer in Australia for up to 4 years, with a real possibility of transitioning to permanent residence. The key word there is "specific" — the visa is tied to the employer sponsoring you.
The 3 streams of the SID visa
| Stream | Minimum salary | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist Skills | A$146,717/year | Highly qualified professionals (doctors, senior engineers, executives) |
| Core Skills | A$79,499/year | Occupations on the CSOL list — most skilled professionals |
| Essential Skills | A$51,222+/year | Sectors with critical shortages (care, construction) — still being rolled out |
Most common occupations on the SID visa
| Field | Occupation examples |
|---|---|
| Information Technology | Software Engineer, Systems Analyst, ICT Business Analyst, Cybersecurity Analyst, Data Scientist |
| Engineering | Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Environmental Engineer |
| Health | Registered Nurse, Medical Practitioner, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Aged Care Worker |
| Construction and Projects | Project Manager, Construction Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor, Building Surveyor |
| Accounting and Finance | Accountant, Auditor, Financial Analyst, Tax Agent |
| Education | Secondary School Teacher, Early Childhood Teacher, Special Needs Teacher |
| Business and Management | HR Manager, Marketing Specialist, Management Consultant, Supply Chain Manager |
The full list of eligible occupations is on the CSOL — Core Skills Occupation List.
Before relying on a specific occupation for your path to PR, see the 3-year data mapping by occupation — some saturate quickly.
How the process works
The company needs government approval as a "Standard Business Sponsor" — and many already have it. Jobs show up on SEEK, LinkedIn and through specialised recruiters.
The Core Skills Occupation List defines who is eligible for the Core Skills stream. Engineering, IT, health, finance and construction are well represented.
For many occupations, you need to prove your qualifications match the Australian standard. Each field has its assessing body — ACS for IT, Engineers Australia for engineering, and so on.
With the employer and skills assessment approved, the application is lodged online via ImmiAccount.
Costs — who pays what?
Cost split: company vs. candidate
Understand this split before accepting any job offer. Before, not after.
| Cost | Approx. amount | Who pays by law |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor fee (company) | A$420 | Company — mandatory by law. If the company asks you to pay it, that's illegal. |
| Skilling Australians Fund (SAF Levy) | A$1,200/year (company under A$10M) or A$1,800/year (over A$10M) | Company — mandatory by law. Illegal to charge the employee. |
| Visa fee — primary applicant | A$3,210 | You pay. |
| Visa fee — adult spouse/partner | A$3,210 per adult dependant | Each adult dependant pays the same fee. |
| Visa fee — dependent child | A$805 per child under 18 | Reduced amount for underage dependants. |
| Skills Assessment | A$300–800+ | You pay — varies by assessing body. |
| Migration agent fees | A$3,000–11,000+ | Varies — depends on complexity and the professional. |
About migration agent fees
The cost of an immigration agent or lawyer isn't fixed by law — it runs from A$3,000 to A$11,000+ depending on the case's complexity, number of dependants and the professional. Larger companies often cover this cost in full.
Before accepting the offer, get three things clear: who pays the fees, what the scope of service is (just the main visa? does it include dependants? the future 186?) and what happens if the visa is refused.
The 4th stream — Labour Agreement
Beyond the 3 main streams, there's a fourth, much less known path:
Labour Agreement stream
It's for workers nominated by employers who hold a formal agreement negotiated directly with the Australian government. These agreements exist for sectors whose needs don't fit the standard streams — certain occupations in specialty-cuisine restaurants, fishing, mining and other niches with very particular shortages.
The big difference: a Labour Agreement can relax requirements like minimum salary, English or experience for specific occupations.
Processing times — SID and 186
| Visa / Stream | Median time (50%) | Time for 90% | Current situation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SID — Specialist Skills | ~7 business days | ~7–14 business days | High priority — fast processing |
| SID — Core Skills | ~21 business days | Variable | Depends on how complete the application is |
| 186 — Health, education and regions | ~2–6 months | — | Priority — being processed faster |
| 186 — Sponsor with Accredited Status | ~2–4 months | — | Expedited processing |
| 186 — All other applications | 12–18 months | 18+ months | High demand — significant backlog |
The real 186 wait — plan ahead
In October 2025, the Department of Home Affairs was processing 186 applications lodged in March 2024 for most occupations. Do the maths: over 18 months of waiting.
And through that whole period you're on a Bridging Visa. Buying property, financing, international travel, renewing your driver's licence — your life planning needs to account for that reality. Talk to your migration agent about how to get through this period.
Bridging Visa during the 186 — you can apply for Medicare
A lot of people don't know this: when you apply for the 186, you automatically receive a Bridging Visa A while awaiting the decision. And since you have an active permanent visa application and work rights, you become eligible to enrol in Medicare.
In practice: while waiting for the 186 — which can take 12–18 months — you can already have access to Australia's public health system.
Action: as soon as you lodge the 186 and receive the Bridging Visa, contact Services Australia and request Medicare enrolment.
The path to PR: SID → 186
This is the most common route to permanent residence via sponsorship:
With the SID/482 visa active, build your track record at the company, improve your English and accumulate Australian experience in your field.
The 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) is permanent. The employer has to formally nominate you to the Department of Home Affairs — that call is theirs.
After the nomination, you apply. Depending on occupation and state, it takes anywhere from 2 months to 18+ months. In the meantime, Bridging Visa with Medicare access.
Strategic tip when negotiating a sponsored job
Ask point-blank: "Does the company intend to nominate for the 186 after 2–3 years?" An evasive answer says a lot — it can mean the sponsorship is just to use your labour temporarily, with no intention of ever making the PR happen. Prefer employers with a proven track record of nominating employees for permanent residence.
On a path that depends on the employer's willingness, staying in control of the process isn't a detail — it's an essential part of the strategy.
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