(From 25 November 2023) Permanent Residency Pathway for short-term 482 Visa Holders after 2 years + Clarification on TSMIT (Updated July 2026)
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Quick answer: On 25 November 2023, the government announced that all 482 visa holders – including short-term stream holders, who had previously been excluded – would gain access to permanent residency after 2 years (down from 3), removed the cap on onshore 482 applications, and confirmed applications lodged before 1 July 2023 would be grandfathered under the old TSMIT. All three changes were implemented, and the 2-year pathway remains standard under today’s Skills in Demand visa. |
Updated 10/07/2026
The announcement
From 25 November 2023, all 482 visa holders gained access to permanent residency after 2 years – a change from the previous 3-year requirement, and significant because short-term stream 482 holders had previously been excluded from the PR pathway entirely, regardless of how long they’d worked in Australia.
Three changes bundled into this announcement
1. Work experience requirement cut from 3 years to 2
The Subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream eligibility period dropped from three years to two years of employment with a sponsoring employer in the same occupation while holding a 482 visa.
2. Onshore application cap removed
The previous limit on onshore 482 visa applications (capped at two) was removed, giving visa holders more flexibility to remain in Australia across successive nominations without hitting an artificial ceiling.
3. TSMIT grandfathering
The TSMIT increase from $53,900 to $70,000 (effective 1 July 2023) applied only to new nomination applications from that date – existing visa holders and previously approved nominations continued under the old threshold, and applications lodged before 1 July 2023 were grandfathered under the earlier requirement.
How this connects to the Skills in Demand visa
When the Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) Visa on 7 December 2024, it carried the 2-year PR pathway forward rather than reverting to the old 3-year requirement, and extended worker mobility further – time spent with any approved sponsoring employer (not just one) now counts toward the PR-qualifying period, building on the flexibility this November 2023 announcement introduced.
Do short-term stream 482 (and now SID) visa holders have access to PR?
Yes – since the 25 November 2023 announcement, all holders have access to the 2-year PR pathway via the Subclass 186 TRT stream, regardless of which stream or occupation list applied to their original visa.
Is there still a limit on how many 482/SID applications someone can lodge onshore?
No – the previous cap of two onshore applications was removed as part of this announcement and has not been reinstated.
Does the current $79,499 Core Skills threshold apply retroactively to old nominations?
No – following the same grandfathering principle established with the 2023 TSMIT increase, new thresholds only apply to new nominations lodged from their effective date, not to existing approved nominations.
Stay tuned and be sure to GET IN TOUCH with our team of experts if you have any questions
UPDATED VIDEO: Changes implemented from 25 November 2023
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