Australia's Skills in Demand Visa, National Innovation Visa and Core Skills Occupation List
Australia’s skilled migration system runs on the Skills in Demand (SID) Visa, the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), and the National Innovation Visa (NIV). This guide sets out what each pathway involves, current costs, and what employers and skilled migrants need to check before applying.
The Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
The Skills in Demand Visa took effect on 7 December 2024, replacing the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa. It lets an Australian employer sponsor a skilled worker to fill a position they can’t find a suitably skilled Australian to fill.
Visa grants run for up to four years, or up to five years for Hong Kong passport holders, and provide a pathway to permanent residence through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, Temporary Residence Transition stream.
Core Skills Stream
For mid-income roles in occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List. The visa application charge for this stream currently starts from AUD 4,015, with concessions available in limited circumstances. Applicants need at least one year of relevant work experience in the last five years, on top of the standard English, health and character requirements. Income thresholds for this stream are indexed annually — confirm the current figure on the Department’s Eligibility page for this visa before advising on a specific case.
Specialist Skills Stream
For higher-income roles across most occupations (trades, machinery operators, drivers and labourers are excluded). This stream targets applicants who clear a higher income threshold than the Core Skills stream — again, confirm the current figure before relying on it.
Labour Agreement Stream
For occupations sponsored under a registered labour agreement, where the agreement itself sets the skill and salary requirements that apply
Cost concession for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application cost applies to eligible citizens of Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, including eligible family members. This is worth checking if you or your sponsored worker holds a passport from one of these countries.
How the Core Skills Occupation List Fits into the Wider System
The CSOL is one of several occupation lists the Department maintains, alongside the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, the Short-term Skilled Occupation List, and the Regional Occupation List. Together these lists feed into the Employer Nomination Scheme (186), Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (187), Skilled Independent (189), Skilled Nominated (190), Training (407), the SID Core Skills stream (482), Temporary Graduate (485), and the regional provisional visas (Subclass 491 and 494).
The Department uses the 2022 version of ANZSCO for the CSOL and for the 186 and 482 visas, and the 2013 version for the MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL used by other skilled subclasses. If an occupation is later removed from a list, applications already lodged aren’t affected — but a new nomination in a removed occupation would be.
The National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858)
The National Innovation Visa is a permanent visa for people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement, replacing the Global Talent visa. It currently starts from AUD 6,235, with a lower fee applying from 1 July 2026 for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens.
To be eligible, you need an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in one of four areas: a profession, a sport, the arts, or academia and research. You also need a nominator with a national reputation in your field — an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, an eligible New Zealand citizen, or an Australian organisation.
This is an invitation-only visa: you can’t apply directly. Once invited, you must lodge your application within 60 days of the invitation. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply, but not in immigration clearance at the time of application or when the visa is granted. Holders can stay permanently, work and study, enrol in Medicare, sponsor eligible relatives, travel to and from Australia for five years, and apply for citizenship if they meet the requirements — though newly arrived holders may need to wait before accessing some government payments.
What this means in practice
For employers
Sponsoring a skilled worker means checking the CSOL for Core Skills stream nominations, confirming which income threshold applies to the role, and budgeting for the current visa application charge rather than an outdated figure. Businesses operating under an existing labour agreement should confirm their agreement’s current terms directly.
For skilled migrants
The pathway available to you depends on your occupation, salary and qualifications. Core Skills stream applicants benefit from a lower work experience requirement than under the old TSS visa; Specialist Skills stream applicants face a higher salary bar but fewer occupation restrictions; and NIV candidates need a genuinely exceptional track record plus a credible nominator, since it isn’t a visa you can simply apply for.
Key details to confirm before you apply
- The current Core Skills and Specialist Skills Income Thresholds (indexed annually)
- The current visa application charge for your specific stream and any concessions you may qualify for
- Whether your occupation is currently listed on the CSOL
- Current processing times for your stream, using the Department’s visa processing time guide tool
How Australian Migration Co can help
Adam (Gurkan) Kocoglu, our Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2418576), assesses each employer sponsorship or skilled visa matter individually checking the applicable occupation list, income threshold, stream and current fees before recommending a pathway. We assist employers with nominations and labour agreement matters, and skilled migrants with Core Skills, Specialist Skills and National Innovation Visa applications, for both onshore and offshore applicants.
The Skills in Demand visa, the Core Skills Occupation List and the National Innovation Visa are the current framework for Australia’s employer-sponsored and exceptional-talent migration. The structure is stable, but the numbers that decide eligibility — income thresholds, visa charges and occupation lists — are reviewed regularly. Start with a professional assessment of your specific occupation, salary and circumstances against the current settings.
Book a consultation with Australian Migration Co to check your eligibility under the current rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Skills in Demand (SID) visa, subclass 482, replaced the TSS visa for applications lodged from 7 December 2024 onward.
It's the list of occupations eligible for the SID visa's Core Skills stream and several other skilled visa subclasses, reviewed periodically by the Department in consultation with Jobs and Skills Australia.
The Core Skills stream currently starts from AUD 4,015, plus additional costs such as English testing, health checks and police certificates. A lower fee applies from 1 July 2026 for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens.
The Core Skills stream covers a defined list of occupations at a lower income threshold. The Specialist Skills stream allows a broader range of occupations (excluding trades and some other categories) at a significantly higher income threshold.
Yes, SID visa holders may become eligible for the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa under the Temporary Residence Transition stream, subject to meeting the relevant criteria.
It's a permanent visa, currently starting from AUD 6,235, for individuals with an internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement in a profession, sport, the arts, or academia and research.
No. It's invitation-only, and you must lodge your application within 60 days of being invited.
Yes. You need a nominator with a national reputation in your field — an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, eligible New Zealand citizen, or an Australian organisation.
Occupation lists are updated periodically. If you already hold a related visa, changes to the list generally don't affect an existing grant, but a new nomination in a removed occupation would be affected.
Occupation lists, income thresholds and visa charges change regularly, so eligibility should be assessed against current settings. Book a consultation with our Registered Migration Agent for an assessment specific to your circumstances.
This article is general information only and does not constitute immigration assistance within the meaning of the Migration Act 1958. Migration law and policy are amended frequently; all requirements should be verified against current Department of Home Affairs sources. For advice on individual circumstances, consult a Registered Migration Agent.