Subclass 482 — Labour Agreement Stream
An accurate account of how employer-specific labour agreements intersect with Skills in Demand subclass 482 nominations, permitted occupations, negotiated terms and lawful worker applications.
Temporary · Labour AgreementRequires effective labour agreement
A negotiated framework, not an open alternative to every rule
The Labour Agreement stream is one of the current Skills in Demand subclass 482 programmes. It allows a skilled person to live and work temporarily in Australia when nominated by an employer with an effective labour agreement with the Australian Government. The employment, occupation, salary and concession terms, if any, need to be read in the particular agreement as well as the current immigration regulations.
Labour agreements are developed between the Department of Home Affairs and employers to address demonstrated labour needs under the relevant policy settings. An employer’s preference for an otherwise ineligible occupation or reduced pay does not automatically entitle it to a labour agreement. Negotiation, evidence, agreement availability and implementation requirements can be significant.
This stream must not be confused with the repealed TSS programme simply because the 482 subclass number remained unchanged. Nor is it identical to Core Skills or Specialist Skills. The sponsor’s particular current agreement is the central qualifying instrument.
At a glance · five verification stages
What an agreement can—and cannot—establish
A labour agreement sets out negotiated employment arrangements, including the roles, number of places, geographical coverage, term and conditions of sponsorship, and any formally approved concessions. These features depend on the agreement type and its actual text. Some employers participate through sector or designated area arrangements; others may pursue a company-specific agreement where the government’s policy requirements are met.
Before accepting an advertised role, the applicant should establish whether the employer actually holds an agreement that is still in effect, and whether that agreement covers the nominated occupation and proposed employee. The fact that a business says “we can sponsor through a labour agreement” is not proof of approved coverage.
Employers must also satisfy any applicable sponsorship obligations, Australian workplace laws and the particular nomination framework. A current agreement does not abolish health, character, identity or properly applicable visa conditions.
Stream and rule comparison
| Element | Core Skills | Labour Agreement |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility basis | CSOL and standard criteria | Effective employer-government agreement |
| Occupational coverage | Published eligible CSOL role | Agreement-covered roles |
| Salary | CSIT plus AMSR | Agreement and legally applicable rules |
| Special concessions | Only prescribed exceptions | Only expressly permitted agreement concessions |
| Applicant assessment | Separate visa decision | Separate visa decision |
Read the eligible roles from the agreement
The Department describes this stream as available to workers nominated by employers who have an active labour agreement. The nominated role must be permitted under that agreement. A position that was previously approved for one job category cannot automatically be replaced with another job just because the applicant possesses experience in it.
Skills, qualifications, licensing and experience should be evaluated against the agreement terms and relevant visa criteria. Where an agreement permits a defined concession, the employer and applicant need documentary evidence that the candidate falls within the concession. Unwritten business promises or assumptions about geographical shortage do not create a lawful exemption.
Work duties, remuneration and location should be consistent among the employer’s agreement, nomination evidence, written employment contract and worker’s visa application. The sponsor’s and worker’s information should be cross-checked before submission to reduce conflicting claims.
There is no blanket salary waiver
Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement routes are governed by different occupational and salary details. Current Home Affairs guidance describes indexed skilled visa income thresholds but a specific labour agreement may have its own legally permissible negotiated terms. Avoid applying the Core Skills CSIT or Specialist SSIT automatically to every Labour Agreement position without examining the actual instrument.
Where remuneration concessions exist, they must be expressly permitted and properly evidenced. Employers still need to comply with Australian workplace protections and any applicable market salary or conditions in the agreement. A purported oral concession is not a substitute for the approved terms.
Check the nomination lodgement date and the Department’s current threshold guidance when relevant. Do not label a total salary that includes non-monetary benefits as qualifying earnings without analysing the treatment prescribed under the applicable rules.
Agreement → nomination → individual visa decision
First, the employer identifies labour need and the appropriate agreement framework, preparing business, recruitment, labour-market and workforce evidence required by the relevant route. Second, it obtains an effective agreement covering the exact proposed role. Third, it lodges the required nomination with the position, candidate and agreed conditions documented.
Fourth, the candidate applies for their Skills in Demand 482 visa with identity, experience, credentials, relevant English evidence, health and character documents and family information. Additional requested information is provided through the official application process. The employer agreement and nomination do not guarantee individual visa approval.
Fifth, if granted, the visa holder must observe sponsorship and working conditions. Employers must comply with applicable ongoing obligations. Any change in position, location or employer calls for careful assessment against both visa conditions and the agreement’s continued coverage.
Temporary work and sponsor responsibilities
Home Affairs displays a general maximum stay of up to four years under the Labour Agreement stream, depending on the agreement terms; qualifying Hong Kong passport holders may have a maximum of five years. The worker’s actual grant notice controls their validity period.
The holder’s permission to perform work is subject to visa conditions. A sponsored employee should not assume they can undertake unrelated freelance work or move between employers without observing nomination rules. The employer must follow relevant Australian employment protections as well as sponsorship-related responsibilities.
Eligible employees may eventually investigate permanent employer-sponsored options such as subclass 186 through a relevant stream, if available and if all contemporary requirements are independently met. A labour agreement might address a proposed permanent route but does not itself grant permanent residence.
The cost and eligibility must be scoped separately
As of the October 2026 Home Affairs listing, the Labour Agreement stream starts from AUD 4,015 for a main visa applicant, with additional applicant charges and limited concessions. The published stream page also identifies AUD 1,005 for qualifying dependants under 18 in the usual charging structure, subject to current rules. Confirm the final total through the official pricing estimator.
Employer agreement negotiation, sponsorship and nomination activities may create other costs and duties. Health checks, police certificates, biometrics, translations and English tests may also be required. Distinguish employer obligations from worker visa costs rather than blending them into one “visa package” quotation.
A common risk is applying under a nominally covered occupation while the employer’s agreement no longer covers that position or has reached an agreed cap. Another is promising a concession not expressed in the agreement. Both can be prevented by agreement-level verification.
Three scenarios that require different evidence
Example A: A regional hospitality group says it uses a sector or area agreement to recruit workers. The applicant should verify the actual current agreement, nominated role, location and permitted concessions rather than assume that any hospitality position is covered.
Example B: A business with an effective agreement proposes a new occupation not named or permitted in the agreement. The fact that the business is an approved sponsor does not mean that position can be nominated under the existing text.
Example C: A worker meets the agreed occupational and experience conditions but lacks evidence supporting a proposed English concession. Unless the relevant concession is actually available and satisfied, the applicant should be assessed against the applicable ordinary English requirement.
The terms of the agreement govern the concessions
A labour agreement is an instrument involving an employer or sector and the Australian Government. It is not a generic visa category that can be used by every applicant with a job offer. The exact approved agreement determines relevant occupation positions, sponsorship arrangements and any legally available concessions. Some applicants will have fewer concessions than a website summary might suggest.
Where an agreement contains concessions relating to English, age, skill or remuneration, the content must identify that these are agreement-specific and subject to the instrument and visa rules. The published CSIT and SSIT rules should not automatically be transposed into an agreement case without examining the governing provisions. Professional scrutiny of the agreement is therefore a critical research gate.
The worker and employer should separately evaluate ongoing work obligations, dependence on the approved sponsor, potential permanent residence pathways and the consequences of an employment change. Avoid promoting a DAMA, industry agreement or company-specific labour agreement as interchangeable.
Questions worth resolving before you apply
What is a labour agreement?
An arrangement negotiated between the Australian Government and an employer under the applicable skilled sponsorship framework.
Can every employer obtain an agreement?
No. Approval is not automatic and requirements depend on the relevant policy pathway.
Is Labour Agreement the same as Core Skills?
No. They have different occupation and conditions frameworks.
Does an agreement allow any occupation?
No. The position must be within the approved scope of the agreement.
Can a sponsor waive all English requirements?
Only if a legally permitted concession applies and the evidence supports it.
How long does a 482 Labour Agreement visa last?
Generally up to four years, depending on the agreement, with special settings for some Hong Kong passport holders.
Is this permanent residence?
No. It is a temporary visa; a separate PR route may sometimes be available.
Do worker and employer make separate submissions?
There are distinct employer agreement, nomination and applicant visa stages.
Does an approved agreement guarantee a visa?
No. The nominated position and individual applicant still require assessment.
What is the starting visa charge?
Home Affairs currently lists AUD 4,015 for the main applicant, subject to current charging rules.
Does the visa allow unlimited work for anyone?
No. Sponsor and work conditions apply.
Can family accompany the applicant?
Qualifying family members may be included or seek later entry under applicable rules.
Verified research note · 23 October 2026
Labour Agreement stream: verify the actual approved agreement
An employer’s Labour Agreement is a defined instrument, not a generic exemption from skilled migration rules. Review the exact approved agreement, permitted occupations, number of places, nomination framework, commencement and expiry dates, and any special concession before describing a candidate as eligible.
Concessions concerning salary, English language, age or skills can differ by agreement and occupation. They must be explicitly supported by the applicable agreement; an arrangement approved for one employer does not carry over to another company. The worker must meet the conditions of the specific nomination and visa application.
Before an application is prepared, create a three-column register matching each claimed concession to the agreement clause and supporting documentary evidence. If the agreement has expired or the occupation is not included, stop and confirm the employer’s current authority instead of selecting an alternative subclass 482 stream without analysis.
Official primary sources: Skills in Demand visa information · Sponsorship pathways
General information only; check current Australian visa laws and obtain individual professional advice where appropriate.
Research reference · reviewed October 2026
Labour Agreement: follow the contract and the approved occupation schedule
Start with the agreement, not a general occupation list
A Labour Agreement is negotiated between the Australian Government and an employer, and it can support nominations under subclass 482, 186 or 494 where the relevant agreement permits. It is intended for demonstrated recruitment needs that ordinary skilled migration channels cannot meet. An employer must not assume that access to the scheme follows automatically from operating in an industry that sometimes uses agreements. The agreement must exist, be relevant to the employer and still be valid for the proposed nomination.
Request the executed agreement and all operative schedules, including the eligible occupations, occupation ceilings, geographic limits, available concessions, English or qualification requirements, salary provisions and expiry date. Check whether the arrangement is an industry agreement, company-specific agreement or a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA). A DAMA is a framework negotiated with a designated area representative; a particular employer may still need its own endorsement and agreement process before employing a visa applicant. A region having a DAMA does not make every job in the region eligible.
What a concession can mean—and what it cannot mean
Agreement-specific concessions may alter a standard occupation, salary, English or other requirement, but only to the extent and for the applicant cohort expressly authorised by the agreement and legislation. A published template showing a potential concession does not prove that the employer’s signed agreement contains it. A recruiter must not advertise a universal age concession, waiver of English or lower salary merely because some other labour agreement has featured that term.
Build a side-by-side matrix with the normal nomination criterion, the specific agreement provision, any legislative limits, and the evidence proving that this employer and nominee fall within it. Where the agreement states that the regular requirement continues, there is no concession. The Department’s salary rules and applicable Australian employment law should still be considered; an agreement is not a general licence to underpay overseas workers.
Employer approval, nomination and visa grant are separate steps
There are at least three decisions to track: negotiation and approval of an applicable labour agreement, nomination of a specific position under that agreement and the individual subclass 482 visa application. The approval of the employer’s agreement does not prove the nominated role still fits within occupation ceilings or that the person meets personal visa requirements. The Department’s guidance says there is no cost to request a labour agreement itself, but nomination and visa stages have associated costs. Employer-specific consultation, negotiation or professional advisory expenses may also exist, distinct from government visa application charges.
Before filing a nomination, check the approved occupation title, ANZSCO treatment if applicable, geographical scope, period of employment, relevant salary concessions and any mandatory recruitment or testing records. Document who prepared the training and employment plans, the organisation’s payroll capacity and how the nominee was selected. A legally operating business and an authentic position remain central to nomination quality.
Different agreements support different future pathways
Some agreements permit a temporary subclass 482 nomination only. Others may also support subclass 186 permanent residence or subclass 494 regional employer sponsorship. The existence of any later permanent pathway depends on the signed agreement, the stream, the nominated occupation and the rules applicable at the later decision. A temporary grant should not be sold as guaranteed progression to permanent residence. Even where permanent nomination is technically possible, the employer and employee may have to satisfy new time, skills, age or other conditions.
Explain temporary visa work restrictions and employer obligations in writing. If the agreement expires or a position is no longer covered, new nominations may not proceed as anticipated. Significant changes to occupation, employing entity or location should be reviewed before they happen. Employees retain the protections of Australian workplace law and should know how to obtain reliable independent workplace-rights advice.
The agreement-verification checklist
- Obtain the actual agreement and all schedules, not a generic explanatory factsheet.
- Verify the employer’s legal name, validity dates, geographic reach and unused occupation ceilings.
- Match the worker’s role and skills to the eligible occupation schedule.
- Identify every claimed concession by exact contractual clause and confirm it applies to this nomination.
- Separate agreement negotiation, nomination, visa fees and professional costs.
- State explicitly whether subclass 186 or 494 is available under this particular agreement, if at all.
Official sources: Labour Agreements · SID Labour Agreement stream · Nomination of a position.
A practical difference between a DAMA and a visa
A DAMA is a negotiated regional labour framework, not an immigration permission held by a worker. An employer normally needs the appropriate endorsement and labour agreement arrangements before a specified nomination can be made. An applicant should ask for the exact eligible occupation, concession and employer agreement provisions relevant to their proposed role. A statement that a town ‘has DAMA access’ does not establish that a particular company is authorised to nominate that person, nor that the proposed job meets the negotiated terms or ordinary employment protections.
This guide explains documentary and procedural considerations only. Requirements, concessions, fees and lawful-status effects need independent verification for each application.
Official source library
This guide draws on the official sources below. Australian visa criteria and fees can change; always verify the latest Department of Home Affairs requirements before lodging an application.
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — 482
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — 482 Agreement
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Salary
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Fees
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Processing
Research baseline: 21 October 2026. Fees, thresholds, eligibility and application availability may change. Always verify visa conditions, charges and document rules with the Australian Government when preparing an application.
Continue with official information
Review the relevant Department of Home Affairs requirements. Personal advice should come from an appropriately authorised practitioner.