TSS – Temporary Skills Shortage Visa

TSS-Visa-482

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The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482) provides skilled workers with opportunities to be sponsored by Australian employers to address local skill shortages.

What is a TSS Visa (Subclass 482)?

The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482) helps deliver the shortage of skilled workers for Australian employers who need help finding qualified workers among Australian citizens.

The nomination must be under the ‘Migration Skilled Occupation List’ and be sponsored by an approved organisation. With this visa, you can stay in Australia for two to four years.

The visa involves a short-term stream, a medium-term stream, and a labour agreement stream. There are no age restrictions for this type of visa. 

Temporary Skill Shortage visa

Which employer can sponsor you?

Understanding your employer’s requirements for sponsoring a 482 visa holder is important to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory obligations. 

A business that wants to sponsor you must meet the following requirements:

  • Skilled Occupation List: The occupation the business wants to sponsor you for must be on the Skilled Occupations List.
  • Labour Marketing Testing: Employers must attempt to recruit qualified local candidates in a non-discriminatory manner before sponsoring.
  • Salary Level for applications lodged until 30 June 2023: Pay an Australian market salary (remuneration at or above $53,900 plus superannuation; and remuneration and other terms and conditions no less favourable than that offered to an equivalent Australia employee)
  • Salary Level for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2023: Pay an Australian market salary (remuneration at or above $70,000 plus superannuation; and remuneration and other terms and conditions no less favourable than that offered to an equivalent Australia employee)

Short-Term TSS

Occupations on the STSOL List (Short-Term Skilled Occupations) will be eligible for visas up to two years. Visas might be renewable once, for a further two years. The cost for the short-term stream is AUD $1455. 

With this visa, you can travel to and from Australia as many times while the visa is valid.  

If you are on a short-term stream for this visa, your nomination must be listed under the Short-term Skilled Occupation List.

Medium-Term TSS

Occupations on the MLTSSL (Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List) will be eligible for up to four years (with eligibility for permanent residency after two years). It costs AUD $3035 for a medium-term stream.  

With this visa, you can travel to and from Australia as many times while the visa is valid.  

If you are on a medium-term stream, your nomination must be under the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL). 

Labour Agreement Stream

The labour agreement stream is for skilled workers nominated by employers with a Labour Agreement. Labour agreements are developed between the nominated employer and the Australian Government. This visa costs AUD $3035 and allows you to live and work in Australia for a maximum of four years. 

Subsequent entrant

Typically, family members will apply at the same time and combined with the visa application of the main applicant. However, suppose family circumstances change after the main applicant has applied for a TSS visa or after they have been granted a subclass 482 visa. In that case, family members must apply separately as a subsequent entrant to join the primary visa holder. 

With this visa, family members can live and work in Australia. They are also able to study in Australia but will not be able to receive government assistance. The cost for a subsequent entrant application is AUD $1,455.

Subsequent entrants will be able to travel to and from Australia as many times while the visa is valid. 

Visa applicant requirements for Short and Medium-Term TSS

  • Must be nominated to work in an occupation on the list of eligible short or medium-term skilled occupations
  • At least two years of relevant work experience in your nominated occupation or field 
  • Have the relevant skills assessments, if required, for your nominated occupation 
  • Meet the minimum standard of English language proficiency unless exempt from needing to prove this 
  • Work only for your sponsor 
  • Must pass the police check and meet the health and character requirements 
  • Provide and submit all the required documents 

Check your eligibility here (Short-term TSS)

Check your eligibility here (Medium-term TSS)

Visa applicant requirements for the labour agreement stream 

  • Meet the minimum standards of English language proficiency unless exempt from needing to prove this 
  • Work only for your sponsor 
  • Be nominated to work in an occupation under the terms of a Labour Agreement 
  • Have at least two years of relevant work experience in your nominated occupation or field 
  • Have a relevant skills assessment if required for your nominated occupation 

How do you apply for a TSS Visa?

Step 1 

Before you can apply for a TSS visa, your proposed employer must lodge a nomination application for you. They can only do this if they are an approved sponsor or have at least lodged an application to become a standard business sponsor.

You will need the Transaction References Number (TRN) for the nomination application that your employer has lodged on your behalf when submitting your application at step 3. 

You will also need to obtain a skills assessment, organise an English proficiency exam, and undertake a health assessment. 

Click here to check the health requirements.

Click here to check the skills assessment requirements.

Step 2

You will need to gather your documents when submitting your application. The documents are necessary to prove identity, skills, character, work experience, health and English language skills.

Click here to see the details. 

Step 3 

After gathering your documents, you can apply for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa through ImmiAccount. 

Click here to see how to apply online in ImmiAccount.

Step 4 

The Australian Government will let you know once your application and documents have been received. 

Processing times

Use the visa processing time guide tool here to indicate processing times for your visa. This tool displays processing times for recently processed applications. Keep in mind the tool serves as a general guide and may not reflect the exact timeline of your application. 

Click here to check the processing times.

Each application is evaluated individually, and processing times can differ due to individual circumstances, including: 

  • Whether all necessary supporting documents have been lodged 
  • How quickly you respond to additional information requests 
  • How long it takes to perform checks on the supporting information provided 
  • How long it takes to obtain additional information from external agencies, especially concerning health, character and national security 

You must ensure that all relevant documents are attached to your application. 

Step 5 

If your visa is granted, the Government will send you an email. They will include your visa grant number, visa conditions, and the date your visa starts. 

If your visa is rejected, the Government will explain why it was refused and whether you can review the decision. Remember that fees will not be refunded.  

English language requirements

Applicants for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) must prove their English language proficiency by achieving a specified score in an approved English language test unless they qualify for exemptions.

The following tests are used to determine your level of English language proficiency:

  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
  • Occupational English Test (OET)
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL iBT)
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic test
  • Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test

The test must have been completed within three years of lodging a valid visa application, and the required test scores outlined in the ‘Test Results’ section must have been met.

Exemptions 

Exemptions from the English proficiency requirement for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) include:

  • Passport holders from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, or the United States.
  • Individuals who have completed a minimum of five years of full-time study in English at a secondary or higher institution. 
  • Those whose occupation in Australia involves working at a diplomatic or consular mission or an Office of the Authorities of Taiwan.
  • Applicants whose occupation requires a licence, registration, or membership, provided they have already demonstrated English proficiency equal to or greater than the visa requirement for obtaining it.
  • Employees of an overseas business nominated to work in Australia will earn at least AUD $96,400 annually.

Test results

Short-term stream test results

For the short-term stream, the required scores are outlined 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: 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: 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 test results

For the medium-term stream, the required scores are outlined 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: 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: 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 test results 

Your English language proficiency must be adequate for your nominated occupation, as outlined in the Labour agreement between your employer and the Commonwealth.

Visa conditions

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and obey all Australian laws. 

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the 482 visa is still valid. However, the time spent outside does not extend the visa. 

Unfortunately, the TSS visa cannot be extended if you want to keep working in Australia for your current employer. You will need to apply for a new visa, and your employer must re-submit a new nomination. 

Disclaimer: Any posted material is not intended to be immigration advice and does not purport to represent all requirements for a successful application or applications. No person should act on the basis of the material contained in any post without obtaining advice relevant to their situation, and without considering and taking professional advice from a Registered Migration Agent where necessary. 

Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs

Last Update: 4 January 2024

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