Requirements assessed at the decision or grant stage.
Approved nomination and genuine position
Stream
Requirement at decision
Primary applicant
The identified nomination must be approved and still in effect, and the nominator must have been an approved work sponsor when it was approved. The applicant's intention to perform the nominated occupation, and the position itself, must be genuine.
[cl 482.212(1)–(2)]
Visa compliance and sponsorship integrity
Stream
Requirement at decision
Onshore applicants
A primary or secondary applicant in Australia must have substantially complied with the conditions of their last substantive visa and any later bridging visa.
[cl 482.211][cl 482.311]
Sponsorship conduct and adverse information
For both primary and secondary applicants, prohibited sponsorship-payment conduct in the previous 3 years and adverse information about the relevant nominator or associates must be absent or reasonably disregarded.
[cl 482.213][cl 482.216][cl 482.313][cl 482.316]
Special return criteria
Both primary and secondary applicants must satisfy special return criteria 5001, 5002 and 5010.
[cl 482.218][cl 482.318]
Occupation and employment arrangement
Stream
Requirement at decision
Specialist Skills
Unless the occupation is exempt, the applicant must work in it. If the nominator was an overseas business sponsor, the position must be in that sponsor's business; otherwise it may be in the sponsor's or an associated entity's business.
[cl 482.223(a)–(b)]
Core Skills
Unless the occupation is exempt, the applicant must work in it. If the nominator was an overseas business sponsor, the position must be in that sponsor's business; otherwise it may be in the sponsor's or an associated entity's business.
[cl 482.233(a)–(b)]
Labour Agreement
The nominated occupation must be covered by the work agreement, and the agreement must authorize recruitment, employment or engagement of a person intended to work as a 482 holder.
[cl 482.241(a)–(b)]
Medical practitioner
If the nominated occupation is a medical practitioner, the relevant Australian registration authority must recognize the applicant's qualifications as entitling them to practise.
[cl 482.215]
Skills, qualifications and assessment
Stream
Requirement at decision
Specialist Skills
The applicant must have the skills, qualifications and employment background the Minister considers necessary, and demonstrate those skills if required.
[cl 482.221(2)–(3)]
Core Skills
The applicant must have the skills, qualifications and employment background the Minister considers necessary, and demonstrate those skills if required.
[cl 482.231(2)–(3)]
Labour Agreement
The work agreement controls the required skills, qualifications, employment background and demonstration method. A suitable, current formal assessment is also required where the agreement says so.
[cl 482.242A(1)–(3)]
English requirements
Stream
Requirement at decision
Specialist Skills
Meet any language-test requirements specified by legislative instrument and demonstrate English if requested.
[cl 482.222(1)–(2)]
Core Skills
Meet any language-test requirements specified by legislative instrument and demonstrate English if requested.
[cl 482.232(1)–(2)]
Labour Agreement
Meet any language-test and English-demonstration requirements in the work agreement.
[cl 482.243(1)–(2)]
Work experience
Stream
Requirement at decision
Specialist Skills
At least 12 months full-time-equivalent work in the nominated occupation or a related field during the 5 years before application.
[cl 482.221(1)(a)–(c)]
Core Skills
At least 12 months full-time-equivalent work in the nominated occupation or a related field during the 5 years before application.
[cl 482.231(1)(a)–(c)]
Labour Agreement
The applicant must satisfy either the standard 12-month full-time-equivalent test within the 5 years before application, or the occupation-and-visa-specific period (if any) set by the work agreement.
[cl 482.242(a)–(b)]
Health and insurance
Stream
Requirement at decision
Primary applicant
Meet the applicable public-interest criteria, including PIC 4007, and have adequate health-insurance arrangements for the intended stay.
[cl 482.217(1)][cl 482.214]
Secondary applicant
Meet the applicable public-interest criteria, including PIC 4007, and have adequate health-insurance arrangements for the intended stay.
[cl 482.317(1)][cl 482.314]
Family members
Stream
Requirement at decision
Family-member link
A secondary applicant must be a family member of the relevant Subclass 457 or 482 primary visa holder.
[cl 482.312(1)–(2)]
Nomination or sponsor agreement
The secondary applicant must be listed in the primary applicant's nomination or have the relevant approved work sponsor's written agreement.
[cl 482.315(a)–(b)]
Secondary criteria
Each secondary applicant must separately meet the applicable health, character and other public-interest criteria.
[cl 482.317(1)–(3)]
Purpose and stay period
Item
Requirement
Stay period
The visa usually runs for the stay period in the approved nomination. A qualifying Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holder receives 5 years; secondary applicants generally follow the primary visa, subject to the dependent-child age rules.
[cl 482.511]
Application and grant location
Item
Rule
Visa granted
In or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance
[cl 482.411]
Salary requirements
Item
Requirement
Income threshold
For Specialist Skills and Core Skills nominations, annual earnings and the annual market salary rate must meet the applicable threshold unless an exception applies. From 1 July 2026, SSIT is AUD $146,576 and CSIT is AUD $79,423; both are subject to indexation.
[reg 2.72(15)–(16)][reg 1.03 · current CSIT/SSIT][F2026L00874 · 2026 threshold indexation]
AMSR (annual market salary rate)
The annual market salary rate must be determined under the current legislative method, and the nominee's annual earnings must generally be at least that rate and the applicable income threshold.
[reg 2.72(15)–(17A)][IMMI 18/033 · AMSR method]
Employment terms
Where the rule applies, non-salary employment conditions must be no less favourable than those for an Australian citizen or permanent resident doing equivalent work at the same location.
[reg 2.72(18)][reg 2.79(3)]
LMT (labour market testing)
Where labour market testing applies, the sponsor must complete it within the prescribed period and manner and provide the required evidence. International-trade and other statutory exceptions may apply.
[s 140GBA][reg 2.72AA][LIN 18/036 · LMT method and evidence]