Australia Work Visa for Indian IT Professionals (2026)

This guide is for tech workers in India comparing Australian work visas. Every figure is as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For visitor, student and family visas, start with our Australia visa guide for Indian applicants.

Which Australian work visas can an Indian IT professional use?

Six visas matter for a tech career. The table shows what each costs and what decides whether you can use it.

The 482 is a temporary visa for up to 4 years. Your employer must be, or have applied to be, a Standard Business Sponsor and must lodge a nomination for you. You then apply online in ImmiAccount using that nomination's Transaction Reference Number (TRN). Home Affairs reports 6,220 primary 482 visas granted to Indian citizens between 1 July and 31 December 2025, which was 18.1% of all primary grants and the largest citizenship group. That count covers every occupation, not only IT.

What salary must an IT job in Australia pay for a 482 visa?

The salary test depends on the stream your employer chooses.

• Core Skills stream: the job must pay the annual market salary rate and at least the Core Skills Income Threshold. That threshold is AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, up from AUD 76,515 for 2025-26. The occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).
• Specialist Skills stream: the nominated salary must be at least AUD 146,576 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 (AUD 141,210 the year before). The occupation must sit in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6; trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers are excluded.
• Very high earners: employers paying AUD 250,000 or more do not need to show the market salary rate.

The threshold is tied to the date the nomination is lodged. If your employer lodges after 1 July 2026, the AUD 79,423 floor applies even if your offer letter is older. Home Affairs publishes every amount in AUD and gives no rupee equivalent, so compare your offer in AUD.

What else does the 482 check besides salary?

For the Core Skills stream, Home Affairs lists these conditions:

• 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 your occupation requires one, started before you apply and within the previous 3 years.
• English of 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. Exemptions cover passports from the UK, US, Canada, NZ or Ireland, and 5 years of full-time study in English.
• No age requirement.
• Adequate health insurance, health and character checks, and work only for your sponsor or an associated entity.

Your document set should include qualification certificates, a CV covering at least the last 5 years, and employment references on company letterhead that give the referee's name and contact details, your position and your dates. If your experience or relieving letters from Indian employers leave out the position, dates or a contact person, ask HR for a reference that includes them before your employer nominates you.

Can a recent Indian IT graduate use the MATES scheme?

The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) is open only to Indian nationals. It lets graduates and early-career professionals live and work in Australia for up to 2 years. Up to 3,000 primary places per program year are allocated by random ballot, and if you are selected you have 30 days to apply online from outside Australia.

• Aged 18 to 30 (inclusive) when ballot registration opens.
• A Bachelor degree or higher, completed within 2 years before the ballot opens, from one of the Top 100 institutions on India's NIRF India Rankings Overall 2024 list.
• A qualification related to information and communications technology, artificial intelligence, financial technology, engineering, renewable energy, mining or agricultural technology.
• IELTS overall 6.0 with at least 5 in each component, or PTE Academic overall 50 with at least 36 in each component, taken within 1 year.
• A job offer from an Australian business, or about AUD 5,000 to support yourself on arrival.
• Registration through ImmiAccount with a valid Indian passport, a valid PAN card and a AUD 25 fee. The visa charge itself is AUD 470.

The 2025-26 registration window ran from 1 November to 14 December 2025. Check the Home Affairs MATES page for the next window instead of assuming the same dates.

Studying in Australia first: how long does the 485 let you stay?

The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream, is the post-study visa for international students who recently completed an Australian degree. It costs AUD 5,750 for the main applicant and you apply from inside Australia. Under the Australia-India ECTA, Indian nationals can stay:

• 2 years after a Bachelor degree
• 3 years after a Bachelor with first-class honours in STEM, including ICT
• 3 years after a Masters
• 4 years after a PhD

You must be 35 or under (under 50 if you use a Masters by research or Doctoral degree), have held a Student visa in the last 6 months, and have completed the degree in the 6 months before applying. The English requirement is IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, or PTE Academic 55, from a test taken in the 12 months before applying. You also need health insurance and proof that you have applied for an Australian Federal Police check.

How long do these visas take, and which lead to PR?

Home Affairs publishes global processing times for recently decided applications. They cover all nationalities and are not India-specific.

For permanent residence, the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Direct Entry stream lets an Australian employer nominate you for a Core Skills occupation at no less than AUD 79,423; you need at least 3 years of relevant experience and a positive skills assessment unless exempt. Without an employer, the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) and the state-nominated Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190, AUD 6,140) both start with an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect, then need an invitation, at least 65 points, a suitable skills assessment, Competent English and an age under 45.

Which mistakes slow down Indian tech applicants?

• Applying before the nomination exists. A 482 application needs the TRN of the nomination your employer lodged.
• Using an old English score. For the 482, the test must be taken on or after 13 September 2025 and within 3 years before you apply.
• Treating a visitor visa as a work visa. The Business Visitor stream covers business enquiries, contract negotiations and conferences, not working for an Australian business.
• Missing the MATES window. Age and graduation date are both measured when ballot registration opens.
• Underestimating family costs. Each family member on a 482 pays AUD 4,015 (18 and over) or AUD 1,005 (under 18).

If you are planning an interview trip or a first visit before relocating, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram can prepare a verifiable flight reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter for your visitor visa file, with packages from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for all four. Contact us or WhatsApp +91 95230 91018.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a separate Australian visa only for software engineers?

No. None of the work visas Home Affairs lists is limited to IT. Software engineers and other tech workers use the general skilled routes: the 482 with an employer sponsor, MATES if eligible, the 485 after Australian study, or skilled permanent visas such as the 189, 190 and 186.

Who pays the 482 nomination fee and Skilling Australians Fund levy?

Your employer pays both, separately from your AUD 4,015 visa charge. Check the employer charges on the Home Affairs visa pricing table, because they are not part of the applicant's fee.

Is there an age limit for the 482 visa?

No. Home Affairs lists no age requirement for the Core Skills or Specialist Skills streams. Age limits do apply to other routes: under 45 for the 189, 190 and 186 Direct Entry stream, and 18 to 30 for MATES.

Do Indian applicants give biometrics for an Australian work visa?

Only if the Department asks. Home Affairs tells you when biometrics are needed, and India is not on the list of countries with an Australian Biometrics Collection Centre (correct as of March 2026).

How much does a 485 visa cost for my family?

Each family member costs AUD 2,875 if aged 18 or over and AUD 1,450 if under 18, on top of the AUD 5,750 main applicant charge. The 485 is exempt from the subsequent temporary application charge.