From a 485 Graduate Visa to 482 Sponsorship: The Path Step by Step

Reviewed 28 August 2026 — fees and thresholds from the Department of Home Affairs price list and salary page

A 485 Temporary Graduate visa holder can move to a subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa in three steps: find an employer that is an approved sponsor, have that employer nominate you for a position on the Core Skills Occupation List, then lodge your 482 application while your 485 is still valid. Because you lodge onshore, you are granted a bridging visa when your 485 expires, so you can keep working while the 482 is decided. You need at least one year of relevant work experience in the last five years, a salary of at least A$79,423, and IELTS 5.0 in each band unless exempt.

Step 1: find an approved sponsor

Only an employer that holds Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS), or applies for it, can nominate you. SBS costs the employer A$420 and current Department processing is 12 days for half of applications and 4 months for 90 per cent. Many 485 holders are already working for a business that could sponsor them but has never done it. The conversation to have is not "will you sponsor me" but "the nomination is A$330 plus a levy of A$1,200 or A$1,800 per year, here is the process, and here is where my occupation sits on the list".

If your current employer will not sponsor, the most efficient route is to be visible to employers who already do. Register a free profile on SponsorTalent with your occupation, experience and visa expiry date; approved sponsors search that pool. You can also browse the sponsored jobs board, and employers new to sponsorship can read the employer guide.

Step 2: the employer nominates you

The nomination is the employer's application. It names the position, the occupation, and the salary, and it must satisfy the following:

• The occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) for the 482 Core Skills stream, or the position pays at least the Specialist Skills Income Threshold of A$146,576 for the Specialist Skills stream (which excludes trades, machinery operators and labourers).
• The salary is at least the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) of A$79,423 and at least the market rate for the role.
• The employer pays the Skilling Australians Fund levy: A$1,200 or A$1,800 per year of the visa depending on business size.

Nomination processing is currently 5 days for half of applications and 9 months for 90 per cent. Your visa application can be lodged as soon as the nomination is lodged; you do not have to wait for the nomination decision.

Step 3: lodge the 482 while the 485 is valid

The 482 visa application charge is A$4,015 for you, A$4,015 for each adult dependant and A$1,005 per child. If you lodge onshore holding certain visas, a subsequent temporary application charge of A$700 may also apply; check the current condition on the Department of Home Affairs page. Lodging before the 485 expires is the whole point of the timing: an onshore application gives you a bridging visa that starts when the 485 ends and lets you stay lawfully, with work rights following your current visa, until the 482 is decided. Current 482 Core Skills processing is 69 days for half of applications and 10 months for 90 per cent.

Skills assessment and English

A skills assessment for the 482 is only needed where the legislative instrument requires one for your occupation and passport combination. Many 485 holders will not need one, but some occupations and nationalities do, so check before the employer lodges. Trades are typically assessed by TRA, ICT by ACS, engineering by Engineers Australia and nursing by ANMAC.

English is IELTS 5.0 in each band, or the equivalent in another approved test taken from 13 September 2025. Holders of UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand or Irish passports are exempt. If you sat a test for your 485, check whether it is still within the accepted validity window.

What happens near 485 expiry

• Lodged in time: the bridging visa covers you from the day the 485 ends. Nothing else is needed.
• Sponsor found but nomination not ready: the visa cannot be lodged before the nomination is lodged. Push the employer to lodge SBS (if needed) and the nomination early; the SBS and nomination can be lodged together.
• No sponsor before expiry: the 485 cannot be extended by asking. Speak to a registered migration agent about lawful options well before the expiry date; do not let the visa lapse.

After the 482 is granted

The 482 is granted for up to four years. If you stop working for your sponsor you have 180 consecutive days, or 365 days in total across the visa, to find a new sponsor. After two years of full-time work with approved sponsors within the three years before nomination you may be eligible for permanent residence through the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream, if you are under 45 and have competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band). The 186 visa charge is A$6,140 for the main applicant.

If you want an opinion on your own case, WIDEN offers a paid consultation with a registered migration agent (A$200 + GST, credited toward any later engagement; you pay by card when booking) or a free assessment form for a first look.