Temporary Skills Shortages TSS visa 482
TSS 482 visa applicants only need to demonstrate 1 year of full-time work experience (instead of 2 years) in their occupation or related fields to qualify for the visa from 23rd of NOV 2023.
The new visa subclass called Skills in Demands Visas 482 will replace TSS visas from December 2024. The new visa will include 3 streams:
- Specialist Skills Stream: This stream is designed for highly skilled migrants earning at least $135,000 in any occupation except trades workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers
- Core Skills Stream: This stream is designed for skilled employees who earn from 73,150 to 135,000 annually. The applicants’ occupations need to lie on the Core Skills Occupation List which will be introduced soon.
- Labour Agreement stream: The TSS Labour Agreement stream will be renamed the Skills in Demand Labour Agreement stream.
As Skills in Demand 482 visa will replace TSS visa, the short-term and medium-term streams of the TSS visa will close to new applications from December 2024.
Core Skilled Occupation List
The Australian Government will issue a new occupation list called Core Skilled Occupation List. This will replace the current occupation list called ANZSCO to better reflect the emerging and fast changing in Australia labour markets.
Core Skilled Occupation List is under reviewing and now progress to Stage 6. It will be officially released once the final stage (Stage 8) is completed.
VETASSESS Skills Assessment
From 20 November, VETASSESS will increase their assessment fees for professional and general occupations.
- A full skills assessment will increase from $1033 to $1070.
- An assessment for visa subclass 485 will increase from $392 to $406.
VETASSESS will pause accepting applications for its Priority Processing service on 1 December 2024.
Other skills assessment processes will be also delayed and paused during Christmas holidays.
The Introduction of the Skills in Demand Visa
In December 2024, the Australian government will officially phase out the TSS visa, replacing it with the new Skills in Demand visa. This change is part of the broader migration reform strategy aimed at better addressing Australia’s labour needs while providing skilled migrants with clearer and more secure pathways to permanent residency.
The Skills in Demand visa will include three streams—Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and Essential Skills—each tailored to meet different segments of the Australian job market.
- Specialist Skills Pathway: This stream is to attract top talent in critical fields, targeting professionals with highly specialised expertise. Applicants under this pathway must earn a minimum of AUD $135,000 annually.
- Core Skills Pathway: The Core Skills stream is the new mainstream pathway for most skilled migrants, focused on professionals whose occupations are on the newly established Core Skills Occupation List. This list will be introduced in December 2024 or early 2025 and will be updated regularly to ensure it reflects the evolving needs of the Australian economy. Applicants must meet a salary threshold of AUD $73,150 to be able to apply for this stream.
- Essential Skills Pathway: This stream will target lower paid workers but having essential skills. In defining essential skills, the Australian Government may consider sectors and occupations that are vital to supporting the living standards of Australians but there are persistent shortages, such as Aged Care. Details for this stream are still being finalised, but it will highlight the government’s focus on sectors that have faced chronic labour shortages.
Conclusion
Employer Sponsored Visas are getting more popular in Australia as the quotation for these visa subclasses appears to increase recently. If you wish to know your eligibility for these visas, contact our experienced migration agents today at 07 3003 1899 or hello@solmigration.com. With more than 20 years of experience, we will provide you with the best visa option for you.