Last updated: 1 April 2026

482 Medium-Term Stream: Your Pathway to Australian Permanent Residency

The 482 medium-term stream is the most used pathway into employer-sponsored permanent residency in Australia. It covers occupations on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), grants a visa for up to 4 years, and — most importantly — provides a direct pathway to the subclass 186 employer nomination visa through the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. If your employer is willing to sponsor you and your occupation is on the MLTSSL, this is where most employer-sponsored PR journeys begin.

What Is the 482 Medium-Term Stream?

The medium-term stream is one of the streams under the subclass 482 visa (formerly the Temporary Skill Shortage visa, now the Skills in Demand visa). It was designed for occupations where Australia has a sustained, long-term skills shortage — occupations the government considers strategically important to the economy.

The defining characteristics:

• Occupation list: MLTSSL (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List)
• Visa duration: Up to 4 years
• Renewal: Unlimited renewals (no cap like the short-term stream)
• PR pathway: Yes — via the 186 TRT stream after the required work period
• Sponsor required: Yes — approved Standard Business Sponsor
• Points test: No

The medium-term stream is where employer-sponsored migration and permanent residency converge. The visa itself is temporary, but it is explicitly designed to feed into the 186 TRT permanent visa. The Department of Home Affairs recognises that medium-term stream holders typically intend to pursue PR — and the genuine temporary entrant requirement is applied accordingly.

Which Occupations Qualify for the Medium-Term Stream?

Your nominated occupation must appear on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). This list covers occupations that the government has identified as meeting long-term skills needs across the Australian economy.

Common MLTSSL occupations include:

• Software engineer
• Accountant (general)
• Registered nurse
• Civil engineer
• Mechanical engineer
• Electrical engineer
• ICT business analyst
• University lecturer
• Medical practitioner
• Construction project manager
• Chef (certain ANZSCO codes)
• Motor mechanic

The MLTSSL is reviewed and updated regularly. Occupations can be added, removed, or reclassified between lists. Before committing to the medium-term stream, verify that your specific ANZSCO code appears on the current MLTSSL on the Department of Home Affairs website.

If your occupation is on the STSOL but not the MLTSSL, you would apply under the 482 short-term stream — which does not provide a PR pathway through employer sponsorship.

Eligibility Requirements Checklist

The medium-term stream has requirements that apply to both your employer and to you as the applicant. Both sides must be satisfied for the visa to be granted.

Employer Requirements

Applicant Requirements

Salary Threshold: TSMIT and Market Rate

The salary for the medium-term stream must meet two thresholds:

Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT): Currently set at AUD 73,150 per year. This is the legislated minimum salary for all 482 visa holders. It is updated periodically by the Department of Home Affairs.

Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR): The salary must also match what an equivalent Australian worker in the same role, same location, and same industry would be paid. If the market rate exceeds the TSMIT, the market rate is the floor.

The salary must be the total annual earnings for the role. It includes base salary, guaranteed allowances, and incentive payments that are contractually guaranteed. It does not include overtime, non-guaranteed bonuses, or fringe benefits that are not part of the guaranteed package.

Why this matters for you: If your employer offers a salary that meets the TSMIT but falls below the market rate for the role in your location, the nomination can be refused. Discuss the market rate evidence with your employer and migration agent before lodgement.

Skills Assessment Requirements

Unlike the points-tested subclass 189 and 190 visas, the 482 medium-term stream does not require a skills assessment for all occupations. Whether you need one depends on your specific ANZSCO occupation code.

Occupations that typically require a skills assessment:

• Health professions (assessed by AHPRA, ANMAC, or relevant health bodies)
• Engineering professions (assessed by Engineers Australia)
• ICT professions (assessed by ACS — Australian Computer Society)
• Trades (assessed by TRA — Trades Recognition Australia)
• Accounting (assessed by CPA Australia, CA ANZ, or IPA)

Occupations that may not require a formal assessment:

• Management and business occupations
• Some professional occupations where the Department assesses qualifications and experience directly

Check the occupation entry on the Department’s website or consult with the relevant assessing authority to confirm whether your occupation has a mandatory skills assessment requirement for the 482.

If a skills assessment is required, it must be completed and the outcome received before the visa can be granted. Skills assessments can take 4 to 12 weeks depending on the authority — factor this into your timeline.

English Language Requirements

The medium-term stream requires vocational English as a minimum:

Exemptions apply for passport holders from:

• United Kingdom
• United States
• Canada
• New Zealand
• Republic of Ireland

Even if you are exempt from the formal test requirement, you must demonstrate practical English proficiency consistent with the nominated occupation. If a case officer has concerns about your English ability despite the exemption, they may request additional evidence.

Test validity: Most English test results are valid for 3 years from the date of the test. Check your test expiry before lodgement. If your result will expire during processing, consider sitting a new test in advance.

How Does the Medium-Term Stream Lead to PR?

This is the primary reason most applicants choose the medium-term stream. The 482 to PR pathway through the subclass 186 employer nomination visa Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream is structured, well-established, and used by thousands of applicants each year.

The TRT Pathway Step by Step

Step 1 — Work for your sponsor. Complete the required work period in your nominated occupation with your sponsoring employer. The standard requirement is two years of full-time work within the three years immediately before the 186 application is lodged.

Step 2 — Employer lodges 186 nomination. Your employer nominates you for permanent residency under the 186 TRT stream. They must confirm the position is ongoing, the salary meets requirements, and the employment relationship is continuing.

Step 3 — You lodge 186 TRT visa application. You apply for the 186 visa. Requirements include English proficiency (competent English — IELTS 6.0 overall, no band below 5.0, or equivalent), health and character checks, and age under 45 at the time of application.

Step 4 — Decision. The Department assesses both the nomination and your application. If approved, you receive permanent residency from the date of the decision. Your family members on secondary 482 visas are included.

Timeline

Key Rules for the TRT

• The work period must be with your nominating employer — work for a previous employer on a different nomination does not count
• Changing employers resets the clock for TRT purposes
• Part-time work is assessed pro-rata — the full-time equivalent must add up to the required period
• Extended unpaid leave may not count toward the work period
• You must be under 45 at the time of 186 application lodgement

Comparison: Medium-Term Stream vs Short-Term Stream

The medium-term stream is the stronger visa in every dimension that matters for long-term settlement. The AUD 455 difference in application fees is insignificant compared to the value of PR pathway access. If your occupation qualifies for the medium-term stream, there is no practical reason to apply under the short-term stream.

Processing Times for the Medium-Term Stream

These figures apply to visa applications that are complete at lodgement. Incomplete applications — missing English test results, pending skills assessments, outstanding health examinations — will take longer.

Nomination processing runs separately and adds to the total elapsed time. Employers should lodge nominations as early as possible. You can lodge your visa application once the nomination is submitted (it does not need to be approved first).

Costs: Medium-Term Stream

Applicant Costs

Employer Costs

Employers are prohibited from recovering any sponsorship, nomination, or SAF levy costs from the worker. If your employer asks you to cover these costs, that is a breach of their sponsorship obligations.

The Skills in Demand Visa: What Changed for Medium-Term Stream

The subclass 482 has been restructured as the Skills in Demand visa. The former medium-term stream has been replaced by the Core Skills stream and the Specialist Skills stream.

• Core Skills stream: Covers occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List. Functions similarly to the former medium-term stream, including the 186 TRT PR pathway.
• Specialist Skills stream: Covers high-income workers (above the high-income threshold) in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Also provides a 186 TRT pathway.

If you hold a 482 granted under the former medium-term stream, your existing visa conditions and PR pathway are unaffected. Your work history with your employer continues to count toward TRT eligibility. Continue your employment as planned.

If you are applying now, check which new stream your occupation falls under. The Core Skills Occupation List may not be identical to the former MLTSSL — some occupations may have moved between lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can you stay on a 482 medium-term stream visa?

The 482 medium-term stream grants a visa for up to 4 years. Unlike the 482 short-term stream, there is no cap on the number of renewals. You can continue to renew your medium-term 482 as long as your employer continues to sponsor you and the occupation remains on the relevant list. Most medium-term stream holders transition to permanent residency in Australia through the 186 TRT rather than renewing indefinitely.

What is the pathway from the 482 medium-term stream to PR?

The pathway runs through the subclass 186 employer nomination visa, Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. After working for your nominating employer in your nominated occupation for the required period — typically two years full-time — your employer nominates you for the 186, and you lodge the visa application. If approved, you receive permanent residency. The entire 482 to PR pathway typically takes two to three years from 482 grant.

What salary do you need for the 482 medium-term stream?

The nominated salary must meet or exceed the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), currently AUD 73,150 per year, or the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the occupation in your location — whichever is higher. The salary must be genuinely paid and not subject to any arrangement where you return part of it to the employer.

Do you need a skills assessment for the 482 medium-term stream?

Skills assessments are not required for all 482 medium-term stream occupations. Whether you need one depends on your specific occupation. Some occupations have a mandatory skills assessment requirement from a designated assessing authority (such as ACS for ICT, Engineers Australia for engineering, or ANMAC for nursing). Others are assessed based on qualifications and employment evidence submitted directly to the Department. Check the occupation-specific guidance on the Department’s website.

Can you change employers on the 482 medium-term stream?

Yes, but a new employer must become an approved Standard Business Sponsor, lodge a new nomination, and you must apply for a new 482 visa. Changing employers resets the TRT work period clock for the subclass 186 employer nomination visa. Work completed for your previous employer does not transfer to a new nomination’s TRT period. Model the PR timeline impact before accepting a new offer.

What Should You Do Next?

If your occupation is on the MLTSSL and you have an employer willing to sponsor you, the medium-term stream is your most direct path to Australian permanent residency through employer sponsored visa Australia.

Confirm your occupation is on the current list. Check whether a skills assessment is required and start the process early if it is. Ensure the proposed salary meets the TSMIT and the market rate. Discuss the 482 to PR pathway with your employer so both parties understand the timeline and commitment involved.

We work with medium-term stream applicants and their employers from initial assessment through to 186 permanent residency. If you want a clear read on your eligibility and a realistic timeline, we are here to help.