Do You Need a Skills Assessment for a 482 Visa? (2026 Guide)
A skills assessment is a formal evaluation of your qualifications and employment experience conducted by an authorised assessing body. It is required for certain occupations and passport holders applying for a Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa. Whether you need one depends on your nominated occupation, qualifications, and employment history.
Ordinarily an application for a Subclass 482 Skills in Demand Visa does not need to be accompanied by a relevant skills assessment.
However, there are exceptions. If:
– The occupation you are being nominated for is listed below; and
– you are applying as the passport holder of a country listed below; and
– you are not an exempt applicant*
then, for your application to be valid, it must be accompanied by a positive skills assessment which is dated within the three years prior to the date of your visa application.
Skills assessment requirements most commonly arise in employer sponsored visa pathways, where eligibility depends on the nominated occupation and the applicant’s circumstances. They also frequently apply in skilled migration pathways, where a positive skills assessment is often required before an application can be lodged.
482 Visa Occupations That Require a Skills Assessment
| Occupation | ANZSCO Code | If you hold a passport issued by: |
|---|---|---|
| program or project administrator | 511112 | All persons other than exempt applicants. |
| chef | 351311 | Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| cook | 351411 | Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| pastrycook | 351112 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| fitter (general) | 323211 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| fitter and turner | 323212 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| fitter-welder | 323213 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| metal fabricator | 322311 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| metal fitters and machinists (nec) | 323299 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| metal machinists (first class) | 323214 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| sheetmetal trades worker | 322211 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| toolmaker | 323412 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| welder (first class) | 322313 | Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| carpenter | 331212 | Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| cabinetmaker | 394112 | Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| carpenter and joiner | 331211 | Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| joiner | 331213 | Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| baker | 351111 | China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| panelbeater | 324111 | China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| electrician (general) | 341111 | Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa or Vietnam. |
| electrician (special class) | 341112 | Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa or Vietnam. |
| automotive electrician | 321111 | Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| diesel motor mechanic | 321212 | Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
| motor mechanic (general) | 321211 | Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe. |
Can You Apply for a 482 Visa Without a Skills Assessment?
If one of more of the following points apply to you, you may be exempt from a Skills Assessment:
- You have relevant and valid qualifications for the occupation that were obtained in Australia, or in a country other than a country listed in the table above; OR
- The occupation requires that in order to perform the occupation in Australia you hold a licence, registration or membership, and you have been granted that licence, registration or membership; OR
- You have already met the standards set by Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) under the Offshore Skills Assessment Program for your nominated occupation; OR
- You have relevant and valid qualifications for the occupation, and you are being nominated by a standard business sponsor with accredited status, and you will receive annual earnings of at least AUD 180,000.
If you are caught by any of the above provisions, and you believe you may require a positive skills assessment to make a valid application, we can assist you to navigate the skills assessment procedure.
Unsure whether you require a 482 skills assessment? Our immigration lawyers can assess your eligibility before lodgement.
FAQs
No, only applicants whose nominated occupation and passport country combination is listed as requiring one, unless an exemption applies. If your nominated occupation is not on the mandatory list or you meet an exemption, you generally do not need to provide one.
Certain trade and technical occupations like chef, electrician, panel beater, and motor mechanic require a skills assessment if your passport country is listed — otherwise exemptions may apply.
You may be exempt if you hold relevant and valid qualifications from Australia or another exempt country, already hold equivalent registration/licensing, or have completed an applicable assessment under TRA’s Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP).
A positive skills assessment must be dated within three years before you lodge your 482 visa application to be accepted.
In mandatory cases, you generally must have started or completed the skills assessment process within the required timeframe — check with your migration lawyer for specific advice.
