482 Short-term Stream Closed: What Replaced It and What It Means

You may be reading about the 482 short-term stream because an employer mentioned it. Or your own grant letter still says “Short-term”, and you want to know where that leaves you.

Here is where things stand. The short-term stream closed to new applications on 7 December 2024, when the Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa.

The work itself did not go away. Many former short-term occupations now sit in the Core Skills stream, which allows a stay of up to 4 years and has no two-year cap.

If you still hold a short-term 482, it stays valid on its conditions until it ends. Since 25 November 2023, that time can also count towards permanent residency through the 186 visa.

This guide covers what the old stream was, what replaced it and what your options are in 2026, with current fees and processing times.

If you want your own options checked, a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738) at The Migration can review your visa and your employer’s plans. Book a 482 visa consultation.

What Was the 482 Short-term Stream?

The 482 short-term stream was the TSS visa stream for occupations on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL). It ran from March 2018 until 7 December 2024.

It was built to fill short-term skill gaps. Employers used it to hire overseas workers when they could not find a suitable Australian worker. A short-term visa lets you live and work in Australia for up to two years. If an international trade obligation (ITO) applied, the stay could run to four years.

Hong Kong passport holders could stay for up to five years. You could travel in and out of Australia as often as you liked while the visa was valid.

Source: Migration Regulations 1994, regulation 2.72(10), Schedule 1 item 1240 and Schedule 2 Part 482, as in force in November 2023 and October 2024.

Can You Still Apply for the 482 Short-term Stream in 2026?

No. Home Affairs stopped taking new short-term stream applications on 7 December 2024. Its processing time tool still lists “Short-term” with the note “Processing times are not available”, because the stream is closed.

New applicants now choose from the 482 visa streams under the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). These are Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement, plus a Subsequent Entrant route for family members who join later.

What Replaced the Short-term Stream?

The Core Skills stream is the main replacement for most former short-term roles. On almost every point it gives workers more room than the old stream did.

The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) is AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026. Your salary must also match the annual market salary rate (AMSR) for the role. The AMSR guide explains how employers prove that figure.

English is IELTS 5.0 in each band, or an equal score on another accepted test. Tests taken from 13 September 2025 use new score tables. Check the Home Affairs English page before you book a test.

Where Do Former STSOL Occupations Fit in 2026?

A former STSOL occupation now fits one of three 482 routes. Which one depends on the occupation list, your salary and your employer.

• Core Skills stream: for occupations on the CSOL. Many roles that used the short-term stream sit here now.
• Specialist Skills stream: for any occupation except trades workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers. The salary must be at least AUD 146,576 (SSIT) for nominations from 1 July 2026.
• Labour Agreement stream: for employers with a work agreement with the Australian Government. It can cover roles that no list includes.

Check your occupation on the Home Affairs skilled occupation list before you plan anything. The MLTSSL, STSOL, ROL and CSOL explainer shows how the lists differ. If your old role sat on the MLTSSL instead, the medium-term stream guide covers that side.

What Happens If You Still Hold a Short-term 482 Visa?

Your short-term visa stays valid until its expiry date, with the conditions it was granted with. The closure stopped new applications. It did not cancel visas already granted.

Which conditions still apply to your visa?

• You can only work for your sponsor, or an associated business, in your nominated occupation (condition 8607).
• You had to start work within 90 days of entering Australia, or of the grant date if you were already here.
• You must keep adequate health insurance for your stay (condition 8501).
• If your job ends, you have up to 180 days at a time to find a new sponsor, get another visa or leave. The guide to losing your job on a 482 visa walks through those days.

How do you stay longer when your short-term 482 ends?

• Your employer lodges a new nomination, usually in the Core Skills stream.
• You apply for a new Skills in Demand visa. You can apply in Australia if you hold a substantive visa or a Bridging visa A, B or C.
• The old rule that sent you offshore after one onshore renewal was repealed on 25 November 2023.
• A second temporary visa lodged in Australia usually adds a AUD 700 charge, with some exemptions.
• Lodge before your current visa ends. A valid application made in time usually brings a bridging visa that keeps you lawful while you wait.

Can Short-term 482 Holders Get PR in 2026?

Yes. Since 25 November 2023, holders of any 482 stream, including short-term, can apply for the 186 Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. Before that date, most short-term holders had no TRT route at all.

The 2023 amending regulations removed the occupation-list limit. They also cut the work needed from 3 years out of 4 to 2 years out of 3.

• You need at least 2 years of full-time sponsored work in Australia in the 3 years before you apply.
• Your employer must be the one that last sponsored you on your 457 or 482 visa.
• You must usually be under 45 when you apply, with some exemptions.
• You need at least Competent English.
• Home Affairs says time on more than one 457 or 482 visa can count in any occupation you were approved to work in.

TRT applications took 22 months for 50% and 24 months for 90%, as at 2 November 2026. Requirements come from the Home Affairs TRT page, updated 3 November 2026.

The TRT is not the only option. Some workers qualify for the 186 Direct Entry stream or the 494 regional visa. The full 186 visa page compares them.

How Do You Apply for a 482 Visa Now the Short-term Stream Has Closed?

You apply in five steps, in the same order as the old short-term process. Only the stream has changed.

1. Check your eligibility.
2. Ask your sponsor to nominate you.
3. Gather your documents.
4. Lodge your visa form.
5. Wait for the decision.

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

• Your occupation is on the CSOL, or your salary meets the Specialist Skills threshold.
• You have at least 1 year of relevant work experience.
• You meet the English score, plus health and character checks for you and your family.
• You get a skills assessment if Home Affairs asks for one for your occupation.
• Your visa history is in order. Home Affairs looks at past refusals and cancellations case by case.

Step 2: Ask Your Sponsor to Nominate You

• Your employer must be an approved sponsor, or have applied to become one. The sponsorship fee is AUD 420.
• Your employer lodges a nomination for your role. The fee is AUD 330.
• Your employer pays the Skilling Australians Fund levy of AUD 1,200 a year (turnover under AUD 10 million) or AUD 1,800 a year.
• Your employer shows the salary meets the AMSR and tests the local job market, unless an exemption applies.

Step 3: Gather Your Documents

• Your passport, national identity card and the nomination reference number.
• Your English test results.
• Proof of your work experience and qualifications.
• Proof of health insurance, police certificates and health exam results, with English translations where needed.
• Your skills assessment, if you need one.

Moving from an old short-term visa raises timing questions, such as when to lodge and which stream fits. A MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738) at The Migration can check your dates and documents before you lodge. Book a 482 renewal review.

Step 4: Lodge Your Visa Form

• Log in to your ImmiAccount and pick the right 482 stream.
• Fill in every answer, attach your documents and pay the fee.
• Give true and complete information. False details can lead to a refusal.

Check your own total with the Home Affairs visa pricing estimator. Health exams, police checks and English tests cost extra.

Step 5: Wait for the Decision

• You can be in or outside Australia when Home Affairs decides.
• Home Affairs must approve your employer’s nomination before it grants your visa.
• A grant letter shows your visa number, start and end dates and conditions.
• A refusal letter gives the reasons and says whether you can seek a review. The fee is usually not refunded.

Source: Home Affairs processing times, updated 2 November 2026. Some files move faster under the processing priority rules, which the 482 priority processing guide explains.

How The Migration Helps Short-term 482 Visa Holders

Most short-term holders who contact The Migration are not starting from zero. They have a job, an employer and a visa end date, and they want the next visa lined up in time.

The Migration has worked with employer-sponsored visa clients for 7+ years. Its MARA-registered migration agents (MARN 2518738) advise workers and employers, and you can confirm registration on the MARA public register.

• Stream check: the team confirms whether your occupation fits Core Skills, Specialist Skills or a labour agreement.
• Timing plan: the agents map your visa end date, the nomination and your new visa, so there is no gap.
• PR planning: the team counts your sponsored time and tells you when the 186 TRT opens up.
• Employer support: the agents guide your sponsor through the nomination, salary and levy steps.

Employers can read how to sponsor an overseas worker or the wider employer-sponsored visa options.

Conclusion

The 482 short-term stream closed on 7 December 2024, and the Core Skills stream has taken its place for most roles. The new stream allows up to 4 years and needs only 1 year of experience. It also has no cap on renewals in Australia.

If you still hold a short-term visa, it runs until its end date. Your sponsored time can count towards the 186 TRT, so plan the next step a few months ahead.

Want a clear plan for your next 482 visa or your move to PR? Book a 482 visa consultation with a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738).

Frequently asked questions