TSS visa 482

Temporary Skilled Shortage visa (TSS visa)/ 482 visa lets an employer sponsor a suitably skilled worker to fill a position they can’t find a suitably skilled Australian to fill. It facilitates targeted use of overseas workers to address temporary skill shortages, while ensuring that Australian workers are prioritised.

The application process for the initial 482 visa involves three stages:

1. Sponsorship : lodging an application by an employer for standard business sponsorship status or negotiation of a labour agreement with the Australian government represented by the Department to sponsor overseas workers;
2. Nomination : lodging a nomination application by the employer concerning the position to be filled by the nominee; and
3. Visa application: lodging a visa application by the applicant and their accompanying family members.

There are three streams available under this visa program:

Short-term (ST) stream – this stream is for employers to source genuinely temporary overseas skilled workers to fill short-term positions in a range of occupations for a maximum of 2 years (or up to 4 years if an international trade obligation [ITO] applies);

Medium-term (MT) stream – this stream is for employers to source highly skilled overseas workers to fill medium-term critical skills for up to 4 years, with eligibility to apply for permanent residence after 3 years; or

Labour Agreement stream – this is the stream utilised where an employer has executed a labour agreement with the Commonwealth to source skilled overseas workers, because there is a demonstrated need that cannot be met in the Australian labour market and standard visa programs are not available.

Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy (Paid by the Employer)

The employer must pay the applicable nomination training contribution charge (referred to frequently as the “SAF Levy”) at the time of lodgement of the nomination. The calculations and amount of the SAF levy are as follows:

Labour Market Testing (LMT) for TSS

As part of the LMT requirement, sponsors are required to demonstrate that there is no suitably qualified and experienced Australian citizen or permanent resident, or eligible temporary visa holder who is readily available to fill the nominated position.