Part A: Short-term stream
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Introduction
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (TSS) is a temporary working visa which allows skilled employees to live in Australia while working full-time for the sponsoring employer in their business in Australia. The nominated position must be an occupation specified on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).
This visa was introduced on 18 March 2018 and replaced the Temporary Work visa subclass 457.
According to the information released by the Department; this visa enables you to
- work in Australia for up to 2 years for your sponsor or work in Australia for up to 4 years if an International Trade Obligation (ITO) applies
- travel to and from Australia as many times as you wan twhile the visa is valid
- apply for permanent residence, if eligible
Please visit or more information about the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).
Please be aware that there is no age requirement for this visa.
Requirement
To be eligible for this visa, you must
- be nominated to work in an occupation on the list of eligible short-term skilled occupations
- have at least 2 years relevant work experience in your nominated occupation or a related field
- have a relevant skills assessment if this is required for your occupation
- work only for your sponsor or associated entity, unless you are exempted
- meet minimum standards of English language proficiency unless you are exempted.
For English language requirement please visit the website below for further information.
The following conditions might be attached to this visa:
Condition 8303
must not become involved in activities disruptive to, or violence threatening harm to, the Australian community or a group within the Australian community.
Condition 8501
Maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia
Condition 8607 – Mandatory for all primary visa holder
- must commence employment within 90 days of:
- arrival in Australia, if you were outside Australia when your visa was granted or
- after your visa was granted if you were already in Australia at the time and
- must not stop working for more than 60 consecutive days
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Sponsor employer
The proposed employer should submit a nomination application for you before you apply for TSS visa. The approved sponsor should apply to become a standard business sponsor.
To become a standard business sponsor, the proposed employer should submit the application (Sponsorship for a Temporary Skill Shortage Visa 482) online via Department of Home Affairs (DHA) with documents to demonstrate the business is lawful and active operating in Australia such as:
- Australian Business Number (ABN) registration certificate or
- Australian Registered Body Number (ARBN) registration certificate
- A copy of the Business Names Details extracts from ASIC
The nomination requirements of this visa include:
- an occupation specified on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)
- Labour Market Testing (LMT) requirements
- Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) and the minimum threshold annual salary is currently AUD$53,900.
Labour Market Testing (LMT) requirements
The nominated position should be advertised on at least 2 advertising platforms such as indeed, Seek for a period of at least 4 weeks and during the last 4 months period before the lodgement of the nomination application.
Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold
If the Australian market rate for this position is lower than TSMIT, you cannot simply overpay an overseas worker to get sponsorship under the TSS Visa.
The proposed employer needs to consider the following to determine the Australian market rate:
- Market Salary at Australian Standards
- Whether the terms of the employment contract are equivalent to terms offered to an Australian employee
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Checklist
- Approved sponsor
- If applying in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or Bridging visa A, B or C
- Worked at least 2 years in your nominated occupation or a related field
- Mandatory Skill assessment by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS
- Health insurance for the whole of your intended period of stay
- Satisfy the health requirement
- Satisfy the character requirement
- Meet certain minimum standards of English language proficiency unless an exemption applies
- Sign the Australian values statement if over 18 years of age
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Application Process
Step 1: Ensure you meet all the eligibility requirements
- Check if you have a valid passport
- Ensure you have a sponsor employer and nominated position
- Check if your occupation is on the Consolidated Skilled Occupation Lists
- Obtain your Transaction Reference Number (TRN) provided by your approved employer sponsor
- Skills assessment, if necessary
- English language test result with no more than 3 years old, unless exemption applies
- Health examination result
Step 2: It Is your duty to obtain all requirement and compulsory documents and submit it to the Department
- Identity documents
- Skill and occupation documents
- English language proficiency documents, if necessary
- Meet the health and character checks required
- Character documents
- Partner documents
Step 3: You should apply the visa application online via Australian Government Department of Home Affair, Immigration and citizenship website.
Step 4: Before the department inform you the outcome of your application, in the meantime, you should not arrange to travel to Australia.
Step 5: You can be in or outside Australia when the Department decide on your application and the Department will inform your outcome in writing.
Once your application is approved, you can start work in Australia.
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Cost
The visa costs AUD 3210 for the main applicant and for each dependant 18 years and over.
It costs AUD 805 for each dependant under 18 years old.
（Update date：2025.07）
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Processing Time
- 50% of applications: 7 Moinths
- 90% of applications: 11 Months
（Update date：2025.07）
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Frequently Asked Question
What if my Visa is refused?
You will be informed of reasons for the refusal and of your appeal rights to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
What if I want to stay longer and my visa is expiring?
If your visa about to expire and you want to stay longer to work for your existing employer, your employer must submit a new nomination and you must apply the visa again.
Part B: Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482) Medium-Term Stream
Medium- term stream Introduction
Medium-term stream is a temporary visa enables you to work in Australia for up to 4 years, study, travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid and apply for permanent residence, if eligible.
You may include other family member in your application such as spouses, de factor partner and children as dependent family members and if successful, these family members will have unrestricted work and study rights.
Members of the family unit includes, the applicant’s spouse or de facto partner and child or their partner’s chi who is not engaged, married or in a de facto relationship and is:
- Aged under 18 years, or
- Aged 18 to 23 years and dependent on the main applicant or the main applicant’s partner, or
- Aged 23 years or older and dependent on the main applicant or the main applicant’s partner due to a partial or total physical or mental disability
Please note that there is no age requirement for this visa.
Medium- term stream Eligibility
To be eligible to apply this visa, you must
- Be nominated position must be an occupation specified on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).
- Have at least 2 years relevant work experience in your nominated occupation or a related field
- Have a relevant skills assessment if applicable
- Meet the minimum standard of English language proficiency
- If you apply this visa where you are present in Australia, you must hold either a substantive visa or a Bridging visa A, B or C.
- Have complied with the previous visa conditions if applicable
- Work for your nominating employer in your nominated occupation
- Have relevant skills, qualifications and employment background to perform occupation
- Have health insurance covered
- Meet the character requirement
- Have not contravened paying for visa sponsorship legislative provision
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
- Not owe any debt to the Australian Government
- Sign the Australian values statement
The following conditions might be attached to this visa:
Condition 8303
- You must not become involved in activities disruptive to, or violence threatening harm to, the Australian community or a group within the Australian community.
Condition 8501
- Maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia
Condition 8607 – Mandatory for all primary visa holder
- You must commence the employment within 90 days of:
- arrival in Australia, if you were outside Australia when your visa was granted or
- after your visa was granted if you were already in Australia at the time and
- must not stop working for more than 60 consecutive days
Medium- term stream Checklist and requirements
Please refer to Part A section2.
The cost of sponsorship application is AUD2690 and Skilling Australian Fund levy to nominate a worker and the processing times is ranging from 5 months to 8 months.
Requirements
- Approved sponsor and the Transaction Reference Number (TRN)
- Worked at least 2 years in your nominated occupation or a related field
- Mandatory Skill assessment by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS
- Health insurance for the whole of your intended period of stay
- Satisfy the health requirement
- Satisfy the character requirement
- Demonstrate the minimum standards of English language proficiency
- Sign the Australian values statement if over 18 years of age
Medium- term stream Application Process
Step 1: Ensure you meet all the eligibility requirements
- Check if you have a valid passport
- Ensure you have a sponsor employer and nominated position
- Check if your occupation is on the Consolidated Skilled Occupation Lists
- Obtain your Transaction Reference Number (TRN) provided by your approved employer sponsor
- Skills assessment, if necessary
- English language test result with no more than 3 years old, unless exemption applies
- Health examination result
Step 2: It Is your duty to obtain all requirement and compulsory documents and submit it to the Department
- Identity documents
- Skill and occupation documents
- English language proficiency documents, if necessary
- Meet the health and character checks required
- Character documents
- Partner documents
Step 3: You should apply the visa application online via Australian Government Department of Home Affair, Immigration and citizenship website.
Step 4: Before the department inform you the outcome of your application, in the meantime, you should not arrange to travel to Australia.
Step 5: The Department will inform you the outcome in writing.
Once your application is approved, you can start work in Australia.
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Cost
The visa costs AUD 3210 for the main applicant and for each dependant 18 years and over.
It costs AUD 805 for each dependant under 18 years old.
（Update date：2025.07）
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Processing Time
- 50% of applications: 7 Months
- 90% of applications: 11 Months
（Update date：2025.07）
Part C: Labour agreement stream
Labour agreement stream Introduction
This is a temporary stream which allows employers to source overseas skilled workers in accordance with a labour agreement with the Australian Government represented by the Department. This visa permits applicant to stay up to maximum of 4 years depending on the contracted labour agreement, study and travel to and from Australia unrestrictedly.
You may include other family member in your application such as spouses, de factor partner and children as dependent family members and if successful, these family members will have unrestricted work and study rights.
Members of the family unit includes, the applicant’s spouse or de facto partner and child or their partner’s chi who is not engaged, married or in a de facto relationship and is:
- Aged under 18 years, or
- Aged 18 to 23 years and dependent on the main applicant or the main applicant’s partner, or
- Aged 23 years or older and dependent on the main applicant or the main applicant’s partner due to a partial or total physical or mental disability
Labour agreement stream Eligibility
To be eligible to apply this visa, you must
- Be nominated to work in a specified occupation under the terms of a labour Agreement
- Have at least 2 years relevant work experience in your nominated occupation or a related field
- Have a relevant skills assessment if applicable
- English language proficiency
- Work only for your nominating employer in your nominated occupation
- Have health insurance
- Meet the character requirement
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
- Not owe any debt to the Australian Government
- Sign the Australian values statement
The following conditions might be attached to this visa:
Condition 8303
- You must not become involved in activities disruptive to, or violence threatening harm to, the Australian community or a group within the Australian community.
Condition 8501
- Maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia
Condition 8607 – Mandatory for all primary visa holder
- You must commence the employment within 90 days of:
- arrival in Australia, if you were outside Australia when your visa was granted or
- after your visa was granted if you were already in Australia at the time and
- must not stop working for more than 60 consecutive days
Labour agreement stream Sponsor employer
Please refer to Part A section 2.
The cost of the sponsorship application is AUD2690 and Skilling Australian Fund levy to nominate a worker and the processing times is ranging from 6 months to 10 months.
Labour agreement stream Checklist and requirement
- Approved sponsor and the Transaction Reference Number (TRN)
- Worked at least 2 years in your nominated occupation or a related field
- Mandatory Skill assessment by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS
- Health insurance for the whole of your intended period of stay
- Satisfy the health requirement
- Satisfy the character requirement
- Demonstrate the minimum standards of English language proficiency
- Sign the Australian values statement if over 18 years of age
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Application Process
Step 1: Ensure you meet all the eligibility requirements
Step 2: It Is your duty to obtain all requirement and compulsory documents and submit it to the Department
- Identity documents
- Skill and occupation documents
- English language proficiency documents, if necessary
- Meet the health and character checks required
- Character documents
- Partner documents
Step 3: You should apply the visa application online via Australian Government Department of Home Affair, Immigration and citizenship website.
Step 4: Visa outcome. Once your application is approved, you can start work in Australia.
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Cost
The visa costs AUD 3210 for the main applicant and for each dependant 18 years and over.
It costs AUD 805 for each dependant under 18 years old.
（Update date：2025.07）
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Processing Time
- 50% of applications: 8 Months
- 90% of applications: 13 Months
（Update date：2025.07）
Part D: Subsequent Entrant
Subsequent Entrant Introduction
This stream allows family members of subclass 457 and TSS visa holders who are applying separately for their TSS visa and wish to join the primary subclass 457 or TSS visa holder in Australia.
This visa allows you to
- Work, live, and study in Australia
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
There is no age requirement for this visa.
Subsequent Entrant Eligibility
To be eligible to apply this visa, you must
- Be a partner or dependent of a subclass 482 or 457
- Nominated by the primary visa holder’s sponsor
- Health insurance
- Health requirement
- Character requirement
- If you are applying in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or BVA, BVB, BVC
- Complied with previous visa condition
- Not have had a visa cancelled or refused before
- Have no debt to the Australian government
- Sign the Australian values statement
Subsequent Entrant Checklist
- Identity documents
- Sponsor documents such as letter from the sponsor stating their obligation
- Health insurances
- Character documents
- Partner documents
- Dependants under 18 documents
- Dependants over 18 documents
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Application Subsequent Entrant Process
Step 1: Ensure you meet all the eligibility requirements
Step 2: Gather your documents
Step 3: Lodge your application online via ImmiAccount
Step 4: Visa Outcome
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Subsequent Entrant Cost
You can find all information in relation to the cost of this visa in the Department website.
For TSS visa holders, it will be calculated based on the stream in which the primary visa was granted such as short term, medium term and labour agreement stream.
For 457 visa holders
- Base application charge – AUD 2,645
- Additional applicant charge for applicants 18 and over – AUD2,645
- Additional applicant charge for applicants under 18 – AUD660
Please be aware that other costs may apply such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
Subsequent Entrant Processing Time
There are no processing times available for this visa.
