Worried about how long your 482 visa processing time takes? You’re not the only one. The Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa, or now the Skills in Demand 482 Visa, lets skilled workers stay and work in Australia for up to four years, based on their chosen stream.
The processing times have changed substantially since March 2025. Short-term and medium-term stream applications now take 69 days to process for half the cases, while 90% get completed within 7 months. The Labour Agreement stream runs on a slightly different timeline – half the applications take 76 days, and 90% wrap up within 6 months. These timelines serve as a general guide, and your actual processing time might vary based on several factors. The good news is that subclass 482 visa applications have a 98% success rate, which should give eligible applicants peace of mind. Recent rule changes from November 2023 have made it even better – qualified 482 visa holders can now apply for permanent residency after just 2 years. This makes tracking current processing times crucial for planning your future in Australia.
Understanding the 482 Visa and Its Streams
The 482 visa went through a major change on 7 December 2024. The Skills in Demand (SID) visa now takes the place of the old Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa. The new system creates three tiers based on occupation and salary levels, each with its own processing priorities and requirements.
Specialist Skills Stream: High-earning professionals who make at least AUD 206,413.68 annually can tap into this stream. This stream doesn’t limit itself to specific occupation lists – any role qualifies except all but one of these categories: trades, machinery operators, drivers, and labourers. These applications get fast-tracked with a target processing time of about 7 days. Applicants just need one year of relevant work experience and must fall under ANZSCO occupations in Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6.
Core Skills Stream: The middle tier focuses on roles from the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)—a detailed list of 456 occupations that Australia needs right now. Each role must meet the minimum annual salary of AUD 111,845.64. The processing time target sits at around 21 days. Engineers, nurses, and trades workers make this stream the most popular pathway among professionals.
Labour Agreement Stream: This stream exists for special cases where employers have struck specific deals with the Australian government. Niche industries like meat processing or agriculture often use this option when standard streams don’t fit their needs.
The three streams share some common ground. Visa holders can work, study, and travel freely while their visa stays valid. On top of that, they can pursue permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186). The streams mainly differ in their salary requirements, occupation restrictions, and how quickly they process applications.
Current 482 Visa Processing Times in 2025
The Department of Home Affairs reports that 482 visa processing times have improved in 2025 across temporary visa programmes. March 2025 data shows the median processing time for Skilled (Temporary) visas is 78 days. In spite of that, timeframes differ between streams.
The Skills in Demand visa (formerly TSS visa) has different processing times for each stream:
Specialist Skills Stream:
- 50% of applications: 9 days
- 90% of applications: 39 days
Core Skills Stream:
- 50% of applications: 30 days
- 90% of applications: 47 days
Labour Agreement Stream:
- 50% of applications: 44 days
- 90% of applications: 48 days
These timeframes show clear improvements compared to the old TSS visa structure’s longer processing times. The previous system processed 25% of short-term stream applications in 4 days, while the medium-term stream processed 25% of applications in 5 days.
The Department of Home Affairs stresses that they assess applications individually. Your waiting time can change based on several factors:
- Your application package’s completeness
- How quickly you respond to information requests
- Time to verify supporting information
- External agencies’ timeframes for health, character, and security clearances
The department now suggests using their visa processing time guide tool to get the latest estimates. This tool bases its estimates on recently completed applications instead of fixed timeframes.
The department works through older cases while handling new applications. This approach might affect processing times temporarily but will improve efficiency once they clear the backlog.
What Affects Your 482 Visa Processing Time?
Your 482 visa application’s processing speed in 2025 depends on several important factors. The completeness of your application is vital. The department puts incomplete or incorrectly ordered paperwork on hold until you submit all required materials.
Your response time to requests for extra information affects how long processing takes. The visa processing stops when the department asks for more details and starts again only after you provide everything they need.
The verification process takes time to complete. This becomes even more complex when you have worked in multiple countries or need to verify your qualifications.
Health and character assessments substantially affect processing times. Every 482 visa applicant must meet Australia’s health and character requirements. Your waiting time can get longer if you take time to complete health examinations or get police clearances from different countries.
The stream type makes a big difference in 2025. The department gives priority to certain applications. The Specialist Skills stream moves faster than the Core Skills stream because there’s high demand for specific skills.
Skills assessment requirements can make your application take longer. Other occupations may need you to start or finish a skills assessment within three years before applying. This requirement must be met when you apply; if not, your application won’t be valid.
The volume of applications can slow down processing. This happens especially at the start of Australia’s financial year or right after holiday seasons.
Your country of origin can make processing take more or less time because security and background checks vary between countries.
Knowing these factors helps you plan better and avoid delays in your visa process.
Conclusion
The 482 visa process needs careful planning and preparation. Processing times have improved substantially in 2025. Your application timeline depends on your qualifying stream.
Your application package’s completeness is the biggest factor that affects processing speed. You can cut down delays by submitting all required documents correctly the first time. Your waiting period depends on verification, health checks, and how fast you respond to information requests.
The 98% success rate for 482 visa applications should give you confidence as you prepare your documents. Qualified visa holders can now apply for permanent residency after two years. This temporary visa creates a clear path to settle in Australia long-term.
Processing times serve as a good standard, but your specific situation determines the actual timeline. Understanding these elements helps you set realistic expectations. This knowledge will boost your chances of a smooth visa process.