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The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (TSS Visa) program (subclass 482) is an online program that the government of Australia uses to assist skilled professionals to immigrate to Australia. This program requires a job offer from an Australian employer in order to be eligible.
The general purpose of this visa is to enable employers to address labor shortages by bringing in skilled workers where employers can’t source an appropriately skilled Australian worker.
Benefits of the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa for Australia:
The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa program is a good choice for skilled workers seeking employment in Australia for a number of reasons. First, this visa program offers a pathway to becoming a permanent resident. Second, this is not as competitive as the other skilled workerד visa programs such as subclass 189 and 190.
The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa program is very complicated, time consuming, and involves a lot on paper, but it is not competitive and if an applicant is qualified then they have a very high chance of success.
There are three types of Temporary Skill Shortage Visa:
Short-Term Stream |
Medium-Term Stream |
Labour Agreement Stream |
| This visa can allow applicants up to 2 years to live and work in Australia. This can be 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders.
The downside of this visa option is that there is no pathway to permanent residency. Workers under this visa must be nominated under a skill listed in the short-term skilled occupations list This cost $1,290 AUD. |
This visa can allow applicants up to 4 years to live and work in Australia. This can be 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders.
The major benefit of this visa is that it provides a direct pathway to permanent residency after completion. That pathway is the visa subclass 186. Workers under this visa must be nominated under a skill listed in either the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL) This Cost $2,690 AUD. |
This visa is for skilled workers nominated by employers who have an agreement with the Australian government called a “Labour” Agreement.
This visa can allow applicants up to 4 years to live and work in Australia. This can be 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders. The major benefit of this visa is that it provides a direct pathway to permanent residency after completion. That pathway is the visa subclass 186. This Cost $2,690 AUD. |
Requirements for the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Program:
The requirements for the three types of Temporary Skill Shortage Visas are all very similar. The primary differences in their requirements relate to the specific skilled occupation list that applies to the applicant. Otherwise the requirements are as follows below:
| Age Requirements: | There is no age requirement |
| Previous Visa Requirements: | If an applicant has had a previous Australian visa, the applicant must have complied with it fully. |
| Employer Requirements: | Before an applicant can apply for a TSS visa, the applicant’s proposed employer will need to submit a nomination application. The employer will only be able to do this if they are an approved sponsor or have at least submitted an application to become a Standard business sponsor. The nomination by the employer must be for a specific occupation listed in the occupation skills list for the appropriate type of TSS application: either the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) as applicable. |
| Skills Requirement: | Applicant’s must prove that they have the skills and experience necessary to perform the nominated occupation. Some applicants must undertake a skills assessment to demonstrate this. |
| Work Experience: | Applicants must have at least 2 years relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field. |
| Health Insurance: | Applicant must maintain adequate health insurance for the whole duration of the applicant’s stay in Australia. It will be a condition of the visa that applicant’s maintain adequate health insurance while they remain in Australia. |
| Health Requirement: | Applicants must meet health requirements and may be required undergo a medical examination and meet minimum health requirement. |
| Criminal History: | Applicant must be able to prove that they are of ‘good character’. Applicants are required to sign an Australian values statement and provide police certificates and other relevant documents. |
| English Requirements: | Depending on which of the three programs you decide to apply through, different English proficiency requirements will apply. Applicants must provide evidence that they have met the specific English requirements for their category. Exceptions can be made in certain conditions. |
Process for Applying to the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Program:
Step 1 Preparation: Before applying, applicants must have all the necessary documentation and have complied with the applicable requirements as listed in this article. Applicants should have all their documents, ID, family documents, proof of English skills, and health records for submission, proof of skills, skills assessment (if applicable), insurance, etc.
Step 2 Employer Submits Nomination Application: Before applying, applicants should find a prospective Australian employer that is prepared to nominate the applicant. The employer must file a nomination application on the applicant’s behalf and collect a “Transaction Reference Number” (TRN) which the applicant must use for their visa application. Employers may also be required to submit a standard business sponsor application simultaneously with the nomination application.
Step 3: Apply for the Visa: Once the employer has submitted the appropriate applications, the applicant can finally submit the visa application. This process is done by registering an ImmiAccount with the Department of Home Affairs website and attaching all the applicable documents.
Step 4: After the Application: Once the visa application has been submitted, it can take anywhere between 1 month to 7 months for the application for medium-term stream and labor agreement stream and up to 14 months for the short-term stream. During this time, the government of Australia will notify you if there are any mistakes or missing information in the application which can be rectified.
Step 5: Receive the TSS Visa: IF the visa is granted, then the applicant will receive a visa grant number, the date the visa expires and the visa conditions. These conditions will relate to your obligations as a visa holder. Once received the visa will be digitally linked to the applicant’s passport.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The information and facts referred to herein may be amended, removed or otherwise changed by the applicable government authority. As such, the information contained herein is provided with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness.
