Temporary, permanent or regional provisional?
| Question | 482 · Skills in Demand | 186 · Employer Nomination Scheme | 494 · Employer Sponsored Regional |
|---|---|---|---|
| First visa | Temporary, generally 1–4 years; some Hong Kong passport holders can stay up to five | Permanent | Provisional for five years |
| Who is involved? | Employer sponsorship and nomination of the role | Employer nomination under the relevant stream | Regional employer sponsorship and nomination |
| Work location | Check the nominated job, sponsor and visa conditions | Check the job and stream; the visa has no 494 regional condition | Live, work and study in designated regional areas under the visa conditions |
| Permanent residence | Possible separate pathway, often 186 if eligible; not automatic | The first visa is permanent | Possible separate 191 application after an eligible three-year holding period; not automatic |
This is a starting comparison. Each subclass has streams with different criteria. Home Affairs' sponsored visa comparison and the individual visa pages control the details.
A temporary sponsored role
The 482 Core Skills stream is for an employer-nominated occupation on the current Core Skills Occupation List. The official page says the applicant generally needs at least 12 months of relevant work experience in the occupation or a related field, the required skills and any mandatory assessment, and English evidence unless exempt. The nomination must also meet current salary rules. Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement streams have different criteria, so ask which stream the employer means.
A Core Skills holder is normally tied to the nominated occupation and sponsor or associated entity unless an exemption applies. Read the grant and VEVO record before changing work. The possibility of later permanent residence is not a 482 grant condition or promise; check a separate route such as 186 when eligible.
A permanent visa with different entry streams
The 186 Direct Entry stream lets an employer nominate a skilled worker for a permanent visa. The current stream page covers the occupation, skills assessment or exemption, English, age and employer requirements. The Temporary Residence Transition stream is a different path for eligible current or former 457/482 holders. Home Affairs says it usually requires two years of eligible full-time sponsored employment in the three years before application and an approved employer nomination, subject to the full current rules.
Working on a 482 for two years does not by itself grant 186. Ask the employer which stream and nomination they intend, and check whether your actual employment history meets that stream's rule. The permanent visa, if granted, has its own travel facility; read the grant notice.
Check the postcode and the five-year provisional visa
The 494 Employer Sponsored stream is for a regional employer to nominate a skilled worker for work in a designated regional area. Check the specific worksite postcode and the stream's skills assessment, experience, English and salary rules. Its regional work and residence conditions differ from a standard 482 or permanent 186.
Home Affairs says an eligible 494 holder may apply for permanent residence after holding the visa for at least three years. That is a separate 191 application with its own evidence and compliance rules. No permanent result is automatic.
Questions to ask the employer
- Which subclass and stream is proposed, and which occupation, duties and worksite postcode will be nominated?
- Is the business an approved sponsor where required, and has it lodged the necessary nomination? Who will provide the reference and documents?
- What are the salary, licensing, skills, experience and English requirements for that stream today?
- Which employer sponsorship costs will the business pay? Home Affairs warns that paying an employer in exchange for visa sponsorship is illegal.
- If permanent residence is the goal, which separate visa might be possible later and what evidence would it require?
Check any professional adviser and purported job or visa promise before paying. Use our scam-check guide →
Take the right questions to your employer
Record the proposed stream, occupation, worksite and nomination steps on your own device. No email is required.