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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.