Australia Work Permit for Indians: Employer Steps and Timeline

The visa itself is the permission to work, and it is tied to your sponsor. Figures here are taken from Home Affairs pages, the current visa pricing table and the global processing-time guide, as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For visitor, student and permanent visas, see our Australia visa guide for Indians.

What must the Australian employer do before you can apply?

Three things happen on the employer's side before you touch ImmiAccount. You cannot start the 482 yourself.

1. Become a Standard Business Sponsor. The employer must be approved, or have applied to be approved, as a sponsor.
2. Test the labour market. The employer usually must carry out labour market testing before nominating an overseas worker.
3. Lodge a nomination for you. For the Core Skills stream, the occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). The salary must match the annual market rate and be at least the Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. The threshold was AUD 76,515 for the previous year. Employers paying AUD 250,000 or more do not need to show the market rate.

The Specialist Skills stream has a higher floor: AUD 146,576 for nominations lodged in the same period, for occupations in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6. Trades, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers are excluded from it.

The employer also pays a nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy. Our record does not hold those amounts, so ask the employer or check the Home Affairs visa pricing page.

What do you need on your side?

Once the nomination is lodged, the employer gives you its Transaction Reference Number (TRN). Your application must show you meet these Core Skills criteria:

• At least 1 year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field, gained within the last 5 years. Part-time or casual work must add up to 12 months full-time.
• A skills assessment, if one is mandatory for your occupation, started before you apply and within the previous 3 years. Assessing bodies include Trades Recognition Australia and VETASSESS.
• English: at least IELTS 5.0 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking, from a test taken on or after 13 September 2025 and within 3 years before applying, unless you are exempt.
• Adequate health insurance, plus health and character requirements such as police certificates.

There is no age requirement for either 482 stream. Your document set should include passport pages, the TRN, qualification certificates, any Australian registration or licence, a CV covering at least the last 5 years, and employment references on letterhead with the referee's contact, your position and dates. If your experience was gained in India, those references come from your Indian employers, so request them early.

How long does each stage take?

Home Affairs publishes how long recently decided applications took, for all nationalities. These are not India-specific figures.

A first-time sponsor recruiting you from India can therefore face three queues in sequence. If the employer is already an approved sponsor, the first row drops away.

How much does the 482 cost, and who pays what?

Home Affairs charges in AUD only and publishes no rupee amount. Health checks, police certificates and biometrics can add cost. India is not on the list of Australian Biometrics Collection Centre countries (March 2026); the Department tells you if biometrics are needed.

What happens after the visa is granted?

The 482 can run for up to 4 years. You may work only for your sponsor or an associated entity. Your employer may later nominate you for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Direct Entry stream, which costs AUD 6,140 for the main applicant. That route needs you to be under 45 when applying unless exempt, have at least 3 years of relevant experience and hold a positive skills assessment. Home Affairs' guide shows 50% of 186 Direct Entry applications decided in 21 months and 90% in 25 months.

Indians use this route heavily. Home Affairs' temporary resident (skilled) report shows 6,220 primary 482 visas granted to Indian citizens from 1 July to 31 December 2025, 18.1% of all primary grants and the largest citizenship group. That is a grant count, not an approval rate; Home Affairs publishes no 482 refusal rate by citizenship.

Is there a way to work in Australia without an employer sponsor?

Yes, but each route has tight limits:

• MATES (subclass 403): an India-only scheme for graduates aged 18 to 30 from Top 100 NIRF institutions in fields such as engineering, ICT and AI. Up to 3,000 places a year by ballot; AUD 25 registration and AUD 470 visa charge.
• Work and Holiday (subclass 462): ages 18 to 30, by ballot, AUD 840, with an annual cap of 1,000 first visas for India.
• Temporary Graduate (subclass 485): only for recent graduates of Australian degrees, applied for in Australia, AUD 5,750.

Before you sign the offer

• Confirm in writing that the employer is, or is applying to be, a Standard Business Sponsor.
• Check the salary is at least AUD 79,423 and matches the market rate for the role.
• Check whether your occupation needs a skills assessment and start it early.
• Book an English test that Home Affairs accepts, and keep the result within 3 years of applying.
• Collect experience letters from Indian employers now, while former managers can still sign them.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, mainly for visitor and business trips. Packages run from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp us on +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for an Australian 482 visa without a job offer?

No. A 482 application needs the Transaction Reference Number of a nomination lodged by an approved sponsor. Without an employer nomination there is nothing to apply against.

Is there an age limit for the Australia Skills in Demand visa?

No. Home Affairs lists no age requirement for either the Core Skills or Specialist Skills stream. Age limits apply later if you move to the subclass 186 permanent visa, which requires you to be under 45 unless exempt.

Can my spouse and children come on my 482 visa?

Yes, family members can be included and pay their own charges: AUD 4,015 for each person aged 18 or over and AUD 1,005 for each child under 18. Each must meet health and character requirements and hold adequate health insurance.

Can I change employers on a 482 visa?

Home Affairs says a 482 holder may work only for the sponsor or an associated entity. Before moving to another employer, check the 482 page on the Home Affairs website for what the new employer must do.