TSS Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482)

The 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa replaced the former 457 visa in March 2018. Although Australian citizens still get priority for skilled jobs, the TSS 482 visa allows employers to fill gaps in the country’s skilled workforce if there are not enough citizens available.

TSS Visa Qualification

To qualify, a person must be nominated by an Australian employer. The employer must be an approved sponsor, and the employment offer must be for a position that is classified as a skilled job in Australia. An applicant must possess every required skill to fill the position. Also, the applicant must meet any relevant English proficiency requirements.

Length of Stay and Skills

There are several streams or terms with the new TSS visa, and it is important for applicants to understand these and to choose the right option for their needs. Since we know the rules of each stream, our agents can help determine the right option. Australia’s government groups skill sets on different lists. The amount of time that an applicant can stay in the country depends on the applicable skills list.

Short-term Stream

A person who uses this path must have a skill set that is listed on the country’s Short-term Skilled Occupations List. With this type of TSS visa, a person can stay in Australia for a maximum of two years unless there is an international trade obligation. If an ITO exists, the individual can stay in the country to work for a maximum of four years. Applicants who want to use the visa to study can do so as well. However, the time limits still apply. While the visa is still valid, the individual is free to travel to and from Australia at will. Specific qualification criteria for this type of TSS visa include:

• At the time of applying, the applicant must have at least two years of experience in the specific field.
• If a skills assessment is required for the position, the applicant must pass it.
• The applicant must work for the sponsor unless the position is exempt.

Government fees start at about $1,175. The government processes nearly 75 percent of the short-term stream applications within 50 days. Ninety percent of the applications are processed within 87 days.

Medium-term Stream

Many employers prefer to have workers use this visa since they can usually stay longer. To qualify for this type of TSS visa, an applicant’s skill set must be included on the Regional Occupation List or on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List. The applicant must have two or more years of experience in the field, and she or he may stay in Australia to work for the sponsor for up to four years. While in Australia, the individual is free to travel overseas and to return at will. Also, the approved worker may study in Australia during those four years. Government fees for this type of visa start at about $2,400. The government typically processes 75 percent of medium-term stream applications within 41 days, and it processes 90 percent of applications within 72 days.

Labour Agreement Stream

If a sponsoring employer has a labour agreement and wants a migrant employee to work temporarily, this is the correct visa to choose. With this type of TSS visa, the maximum stay in Australia is four years or the amount of time specified in the labour agreement. Migrants who hold this visa can travel internationally as they wish, and they may study in Australia. A person with this visa must work for the sponsor during the entire stay and must have a relevant skill set. The Australian government usually processes 75 percent of these visas within 62 days, and 90 percent of applications are processed within five months. For this reason, applicants who need this type of visa should start the process as far in advance as possible. Government costs start at about $2,400.

Subsequent Entrant

If a genuinely skilled worker who has a sponsorship offering in Australia wants to bring his or her family, this is the type of visa that each family member needs. It allows the members to stay with the approved migrant for the maximum time allowed by the stream classification or by a labour agreement. The government does not have processing time estimates for this type of visa. To qualify, the visa applicant must be a dependent or a spouse of the skilled worker who is going to Australia. Government fees per applicant start at about $1,175. Family members are allowed to study in Australia and to travel internationally as they wish while their subsequent entrant visas are valid.

English Proficiency Requirements

Each of the streams require applicants to have sufficient English skills. There are rules to meet the sufficiency standard in each stream. Those who are in the labour agreement stream must meet the requirements of their specific contract, and there are no language requirements for subsequent entrants. However, applicants in the short-term stream and those in the medium-term stream must meet minimum standards or take several tests.

Short-term stream applicants who are natives of New Zealand, Canada, the United States of America, the Republic of Ireland or the United Kingdom may show their valid passport to prove that their English skills are sufficient. Those who are from other countries must show proof that they completed at least five years of full-time study in an approved institution. Some people who come for diplomatic and government sponsorship programs may be exempt from this requirement. There are also exemptions for people who will make more than $96,400 in certain Australian positions, and employees from international businesses with offices in Australia may be exempt.

If short-term stream applicants do not meet the above criteria, they must show proof that they earned at least the following English test scores within the past three years:

• A minimum band score of 5.0 with a minimum of at least 4.5 in each category for the International English Language Testing System.
• A grade letter of B or higher in each of the four components of the Occupational English Test.
• A minimum score of 35 in at least three of the reading or listening components of the Test of English as a Foreign Language online and a minimum score of 12 for the speaking and writing components of the exam.
• An overall score of 154 and a minimum of 147 in each component of the Cambridge C1 Advanced Test.
• An overall score of 36 or higher and minimum component scores of 30 for the Pearson Test of English Academic.

For the medium-term stream applicants, the test score requirements are higher in some categories. These are the basic requirements:

• An overall score of 5.0 and a minimum score of 5.0 in each component of the International English Language Testing System.
• A minimum letter grade of B in each of the four components of the Occupational English Test.
• A minimum score of 35 with a score of 4 or higher in each of the listening and reading components of the Test of English as a Foreign Language online and a score of 14 or greater for each of the writing and speaking components of the test.
• An overall Cambridge C1 Advanced Test score of 154 or higher with a minimum of 154 in each component.
• An overall score of 36 or higher with at least 36 points in each of the components of the Pearson Test of English Academic.

Additional Requirements

In addition to satisfying the basic qualification criteria, applicants may need to submit forms to show that they will not become a burden on the public in Australia. The additional requirements are often called conditions, and they may need to be attached to the application package for people in certain industries depending on which stream they plan to use. Form 8501 is one common requirement, and it shows that the applicant plans to acquire health insurance while he or she is in Australia. Form 8303 is a character requirement. It states that the applicant will not engage in violent or disruptive activities that threaten Australian communities or residents.

Also, Form 8607 may need to be submitted. This form says that the applicant agrees to work only in his or her designated field and with the specified sponsor unless a new TSS visa application for another industry or employer is approved. The new potential employer must show proof that a nomination was approved. Form 8607 states that the applicant will do the following:

• Start work within 90 days of arriving in Australia.
• Not take a period away from work that exceeds 60 consecutive days.
• Maintain any required licenses for the position.

If the applicant must obtain a special license for the job, he or she must follow the rules of the issuing agency. Applicants must not try to perform types of work that are inconsistent with the license issuer’s rules or limitations.

Why Hire a Professional for Help?

People who submit their own applications are more likely to face problems. If there are inaccuracies, the forms may need to be amended. When this happens, it takes more time to resubmit the forms and wait for approval. Some employers count on skilled migrants to come to Australia within a reasonable time frame to start a job. This is why it is important to ensure that the forms are completed correctly the first time.

It is especially hard for people who have never travelled overseas to work to navigate the 482 visa process alone. Additionally, trying to coordinate an international move is a challenging task that requires nearly full-time attention. For people who plan to bring family members with them, there are even more issues to sort. Trying to juggle life commitments along with the deadlines and requirements for the TSS visa can be too much for anyone to handle. Even people who have plenty of free time still need professional help because there may be unforeseen issues. This is true even if the applicant speaks and understands English fluently.

Our company is experienced in filing 482 visa applications and knows how to fill out each section to fit the government’s preferences and requirements. We welcome our clients to contact us whenever they have questions or concerns. Our agents are determined, friendly and knowledgeable. With our performance guarantee, we give clients the peace of mind that their migration plans are in expert hands.

In addition to these benefits, we know the rules of the TSS visa stream and how to ensure that everything is in order to maximize approval odds and approval time. We analyse details with the employer and with the applicant. For example, we verify that the employer follows the pay requirements for the Australian Market Salary Rate and that the employer properly tested the market before extending the sponsorship offer. Some migrant workers are offered additional work or an extended contract. Short-term stream 482 visas are easy to renew onshore and can be renewed multiple times. However, there are different criteria for the medium-term stream renewals. Our migration experts can help with initial applications and with renewals.