The New Skills in Demand Visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage Subclass 482 visa
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Quick answer: The Specialist Skills pathway is the top tier of the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa. It has no restricted occupation list – employers instead justify the specific need for the role – and targets a 7-day median processing time. The salary threshold is $146,717 plus superannuation from 1 July 2026, up from $135,000 at the visa’s December 2024 launch. |
What is the Specialist Skills pathway?
The Specialist Skills pathway is one of three streams under the Skills in Demand visa, which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) visa on 7 December 2024. Unlike the Core Skills pathway, it doesn’t rely on a fixed occupation list – it’s built to focus on salary and role justification instead of a predefined list of eligible jobs.
Key features
No skilled occupation list
Employers don’t need to match the role against a fixed occupation list. Instead, they justify why they need the specific candidate based on their skills and qualifications – a more dynamic model that lets Australia respond quickly to emerging labour needs in areas that a static list wouldn’t cover yet.
Salary threshold
Applicants must earn at least $146,717 AUD plus superannuation, effective from 1 July 2026 – up from $141,210 the previous year, and $135,000 at the visa’s December 2024 launch. The threshold roughly tracks the 90th percentile of earnings, intended to ensure the pathway attracts genuinely premium talent rather than being used as a general-purpose sponsorship route.
Fast processing
The Specialist Skills pathway carries a 7-day median processing target for combined nomination and visa applications – by a wide margin the fastest employer-sponsored option in the Australian system, letting high-value hires start contributing quickly rather than waiting months.
The pathway excludes trades workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers by design – it’s built for highly skilled professional and technical roles, not for filling shortages in these occupation categories.
Who this pathway suits
Specialist Skills is well suited to roles like engineering managers working on net-zero technologies, cybersecurity professionals protecting financial systems, and software engineers advancing AI development – high-value, high-salary roles where speed and flexibility matter more than fitting a predefined occupation category.
How it compares to the other two streams
| Stream | 2026 salary threshold | Occupation list? | Typical processing |
| Specialist Skills | $146,717+ | None – role justified directly | 7-day median target |
| Core Skills | $79,499 – $146,717 | Must be on the CSOL | Longer, more variable |
| Essential Skills | Under $79,499 (sector-restricted) | Restricted to named shortage sectors | Longer, more variable |
What is the current Specialist Skills salary threshold?
$146,717 AUD plus superannuation, effective from 1 July 2026.
Does the Specialist Skills pathway use an occupation list?
No. Employers justify the specific need for the role directly rather than matching it against a fixed occupation list, which is the pathway’s key structural difference from Core Skills.
How fast is Specialist Skills processing?
It carries a 7-day median processing target for combined nomination and visa applications – the fastest employer-sponsored pathway in the current system.
Can trades workers use the Specialist Skills pathway?
No – the pathway explicitly excludes trades workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers. These occupations are more likely to be covered under Core Skills, where relevant.
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