482 Visa Work Experience: Can Sponsorship Start Early?
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Many skilled workers hear “you need 12 months’ experience” and assume sponsorship cannot begin until the one-year mark. That is not necessarily true. The employer’s sponsorship and nomination process and your personal visa application are separate steps, and with careful timing they can run in parallel.
In Short:
An employer can often begin Skills in Demand (subclass 482) sponsorship and nomination before you reach 12 months of relevant work experience. The experience requirement is tested on the date the 482 visa application is lodged, not when the employer starts sponsoring. You should not lodge the visa application until you meet it.
What Is the 482 Visa Work Experience Requirement?
For the Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), applicants generally need at least 12 months of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field. This was reduced from two years full-time under the former TSS visa to one year, within the five years before the visa application.
The experience does not have to be one continuous block. It can be full-time, part-time or casual, but part-time or casual work must add up to the equivalent of at least 12 months of full-time work.
Does the Experience Have to Be Gained After Your Qualification?
Not as a universal rule. The test looks at whether you have accumulated at least one year of relevant work in the five-year window. Depending on the occupation, experience from formal arrangements during study may also count, such as:
- clinical placements
- industry placements
- internships
- apprenticeships
- relevant Masters or PhD experience for some occupations
Whether study-based experience counts depends on the course, the skill level of the work and the occupation, so each history needs individual assessment. Whatever you claim must be genuine, relevant and evidenced with payslips, contracts, tax records and employer references.
Can the Employer Start Sponsoring Before You Have 12 Months?
Yes, in appropriate cases. A 482 pathway has three separate stages:
- Sponsorship: the employer becomes an approved Standard Business Sponsor.
- Nomination: the employer nominates a specific position and named worker.
- Visa application: the worker applies, and the experience requirement is tested on this date.
Home Affairs allows an employer to lodge a nomination if it is already an approved sponsor or has applied to become one. That means stages one and two can start while you are still building experience.
When Must the 12 Months Be Completed?
On the date you lodge your own visa application. You need the equivalent of 12 months’ full-time relevant work within the five years before that date. Lodging early and hoping to “complete the experience later” is not an option.
How Long Does an Approved Nomination Last?
Under the Migration Regulations, an approved 482 nomination generally ceases 12 months after approval unless a visa application based on it has been made and is still undecided, or another event ends it sooner. The nomination and visa application do not have to be lodged at the same time, but the visa application must follow within 12 months of nomination approval.
That creates a planning window.
Illustrative example: an employee has nine months of relevant experience. The employer starts the sponsorship and nomination process now. By the time the nomination is approved, the employee is close to or past 12 months. They then lodge the visa application against the approved nomination, provided every other requirement is met.
This is not a blanket strategy. Occupation, skills assessment rules, salary, your current visa expiry date and the nomination validity period all need to line up.
Salary and Other Requirements Still Apply
Starting early does not relax the other nomination rules. For the Core Skills stream, the income threshold is $79,499 as at 1 July 2026, and the salary must also meet or exceed the Annual Market Salary Rate for the occupation and location, with the higher figure applying. Your nominated occupation must also genuinely match the work you will do.
What If the Employer Has Never Sponsored Anyone?
A first-time sponsor may need to apply to become a Standard Business Sponsor before sponsoring under the Skills in Demand program. Because that adds time, new sponsors should start assessing their options well before the employee reaches 12 months, not at the last minute.
482 vs 186 Direct Entry: Different Timing Rules
| Issue | 482 Skills in Demand | 186 Direct Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Work experience | 12 months in the last 5 years | Generally 3 years of relevant experience |
| Tested when | Date the visa application is lodged | Before the visa application is lodged |
| Skills assessment | Required for some occupations only | Positive assessment generally required before applying, unless exempt |
| Age | No general age limit | Generally under 45, unless exempt |
| Can sponsorship start early? | Often yes, with careful sequencing | Only once experience and assessment can support the application |
Because a required skills assessment must be positive before a 186 Direct Entry application, starting a 186 strategy without confirming your assessment and experience can leave you unable to proceed. You can compare the options on the Home Affairs sponsored visa comparison page.
What to Plan Before You Start
- Standard Business Sponsorship status
- Nomination eligibility and your nominated occupation
- Salary and market salary requirements
- Your work experience evidence and dates
- Skills assessment requirements for your occupation
- English language requirements
- Your current visa expiry date
- The 12-month nomination window
- Possible permanent residence pathways, including the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much work experience do I need for a 482 visa?
Generally at least 12 months of relevant full-time equivalent work in the five years before you lodge the visa application.
Can part-time or casual work count?
Yes, if it adds up to the equivalent of 12 months of full-time work.
Can my employer lodge a nomination before I have 12 months’ experience?
Often yes, if the employer is an approved sponsor or has applied to become one. You still need the full experience when you lodge your own visa application.
How long is a 482 nomination valid?
Generally 12 months from approval, unless a visa application based on it is made and undecided, or it ceases earlier.
Is the 186 Direct Entry experience rule the same?
No. Direct Entry generally needs three years of relevant experience and, where required, a positive skills assessment before you apply.
Planning a 482 or 186 Employer-Sponsored Pathway?
If your employer is willing to sponsor you but you are unsure whether you have enough experience, do not assume you have to wait. A registered migration agent can map when your experience meets the requirement, whether sponsorship can start now, and how the nomination and visa timelines fit together.
Book a consultation at provisa.setmore.com or call 02 9007 4409.
Migration is a process, not a problem. Let us take you through the process.
General information only. Employer-sponsored visa requirements depend on the applicant, occupation, sponsoring business and circumstances at the time of application. Use a registered migration agent for advice on your situation.