Eligible Occupations and Requirements for the Specialist Skills Stream

The Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand (SID) visa (subclass 482) is designed for skilled workers who meet the higher salary threshold and other requirements for this stream.

Unlike the Core Skills stream, the Specialist Skills stream does not require the nominated occupation to appear on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).

Instead, the occupation must fall within an eligible ANZSCO Major Group, and the nominated position must satisfy the applicable salary, sponsorship, skills and visa requirements.

Key Features of the Specialist Skills Stream

Higher Salary Threshold

The Specialist Skills stream has a higher income threshold than the Core Skills stream.

For nomination applications lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) is:

AUD $146,576 per year

The threshold is subject to indexation and may change in future program years.

Employers must also consider the applicable Australian Market Salary Rate (AMSR) requirements when determining the salary for the nominated position.

Eligible ANZSCO Major Groups

The Specialist Skills stream can apply to occupations classified within the following ANZSCO Major Groups:

The nominated occupation must be appropriately classified under the applicable ANZSCO framework and satisfy the other requirements for the Specialist Skills stream.

Home Affairs uses ANZSCO 2022 for the subclass 482 and subclass 186 programs.

Is There a Separate Specialist Skills Occupation List?

No.

The Specialist Skills stream does not operate through a separate occupation list equivalent to the CSOL.

Instead, eligibility is determined using the applicable ANZSCO Major Groups together with the salary and other visa requirements.

This is an important difference between the two principal SID streams:

The official Home Affairs occupation information identifies CSOL occupations for the 482 Core Skills stream and 186 Direct Entry stream, while the Specialist Skills stream operates under its separate ANZSCO Major Group criteria.

Specialist Skills Stream Occupation Examples

Because there is no separate Specialist Skills occupation list, applicants should not treat the examples below as an exhaustive list.

Potential occupations may include roles within eligible ANZSCO Major Groups such as:

Management Occupations

Examples can include eligible roles such as:

• Chief Executive or Managing Director

• Corporate General Manager

• Sales and Marketing Manager

• Finance Manager

• Human Resource Manager

• Engineering Manager

• Construction Project Manager

• ICT Manager

• Procurement Manager

• Supply and Distribution Manager

Professional Occupations

Depending on the applicable ANZSCO classification, eligible professional roles can include occupations in areas such as:

• Information and communications technology

• Engineering

• Accounting

• Finance

• Medicine

• Health

• Science

• Architecture

• Education

• Legal services

• Business and professional services

Community and Personal Service Occupations

Certain occupations classified within ANZSCO Major Group 4 may also fall within the Specialist Skills framework, provided the occupation, position, salary and applicant satisfy the relevant requirements.

Clerical and Administrative Occupations

Certain occupations classified within ANZSCO Major Group 5 can potentially fall within the Specialist Skills framework where the applicable requirements are met.

Sales Occupations

Certain occupations classified within ANZSCO Major Group 6 may also be eligible, subject to the Specialist Skills requirements.

An occupation's inclusion within an eligible ANZSCO Major Group does not by itself guarantee visa eligibility.

Specialist Skills Stream Eligibility Requirements

Applicants generally need to satisfy a range of requirements, including:

• Have an eligible nominated occupation.

• Have the skills necessary to perform the nominated occupation.

• Be nominated by an eligible Australian employer.

• Meet the applicable Specialist Skills Income Threshold.

• Meet applicable Australian Market Salary Rate requirements.

• Meet the applicable English language requirement unless an exemption applies.

• Satisfy health requirements.

• Satisfy character requirements.

• Meet any applicable registration or licensing requirements.

• Meet the remaining subclass 482 visa requirements.

The employer must also satisfy the relevant sponsorship and nomination requirements.

Employer Sponsorship

The Specialist Skills stream remains an employer-sponsored temporary visa pathway.

An Australian employer must nominate an eligible skilled position and demonstrate that the nomination satisfies the applicable requirements.

The employer should ensure that:

• The position is genuine.

• The nominated occupation accurately reflects the position.

• The salary meets the applicable requirements.

• Employment conditions comply with Australian workplace requirements.

• Any required Labour Market Testing is completed.

• The nomination meets the applicable sponsorship requirements.

Salary Requirements

The Specialist Skills Income Threshold should not be viewed as a simple salary range.

For the 2026–27 program year, the applicable threshold for Specialist Skills nominations is AUD $146,576.

The employer must also consider the Australian Market Salary Rate where applicable.

This means that simply offering a salary above the SSIT does not necessarily resolve every salary-related requirement.

Salary thresholds are indexed periodically, so employers should check the threshold applicable on the date the nomination is lodged.

Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)

The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) is Australia's consolidated occupation list used primarily for the SID subclass 482 Core Skills stream.

The CSOL also applies to the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Direct Entry stream.

The Australian Government introduced the CSOL following labour market analysis and consultation undertaken by Jobs and Skills Australia.

The CSOL contains 456 occupations.

It replaced the use of multiple older occupation lists for the relevant programs.

What Is the CSOL Used For?

The CSOL is relevant to:

Skills in Demand Visa – Core Skills Stream

Employers nominating workers under the SID 482 Core Skills stream generally need to nominate an occupation included on the CSOL, subject to applicable caveats and other requirements.

Employer Nomination Scheme – Direct Entry

The CSOL also forms part of the occupation framework for the subclass 186 Direct Entry stream.

The current Home Affairs occupation system identifies whether an occupation is available for the 482 Core Skills stream and/or 186 Direct Entry pathway and whether any occupation-specific caveats apply.

CSOL and Specialist Skills Are Different

It is important not to combine the two occupation systems.

Specialist Skills Stream

The Specialist Skills stream uses eligible ANZSCO Major Groups and does not require the occupation to be listed on the CSOL.

Core Skills Stream

The Core Skills stream generally requires the nominated occupation to be on the CSOL, subject to applicable requirements and caveats.

186 Direct Entry

The CSOL is also relevant to the subclass 186 Direct Entry pathway.

The occupation must be checked against the current Home Affairs occupation information, including the applicable ANZSCO code, assessing authority and any caveats.

Sample CSOL Occupation Directory

The CSOL contains occupations across management, agriculture, business, professional services, health, education, construction, trades and many other sectors.

Some occupations appearing on the official CSOL include:

The official CSOL contains 456 occupations, so this table is only a sample rather than the complete list. The official Home Affairs CSOL should be checked for the complete current occupation list and any applicable caveats.

ANZSCO Code and Occupation Matching

Selecting the correct ANZSCO occupation is an important part of an employer-sponsored visa application.

The occupation should reflect the actual duties, responsibilities and skill level of the position, rather than being selected solely because the job title appears similar.

For example, two positions with similar job titles may have different duties and therefore require different occupation classifications.

Home Affairs provides occupation information showing the relevant ANZSCO code, visa programs, occupation lists, assessing authorities and applicable caveats.

Occupation Caveats

Some occupations have specific caveats.

A caveat can restrict the circumstances in which an occupation can be used for a particular visa program.

These restrictions can relate to matters such as:

• Salary

• Type of position

• Industry

• Duties

• Business structure

• Employment arrangements

• Other characteristics of the nominated position

For example, Home Affairs currently identifies salary and other caveats against certain occupations, including some management occupations.

Therefore, finding an occupation on the CSOL does not automatically mean that every position using that occupation will qualify.

Specialist Skills Stream – Important Points

Before proceeding with a Specialist Skills 482 application, employers and applicants should confirm:

1. The occupation is eligible under the Specialist Skills stream.

2. The ANZSCO classification accurately reflects the position.

3. The applicant has the required skills and experience.

4. The salary meets the Specialist Skills Income Threshold.

5. The Australian Market Salary Rate requirements are satisfied where applicable.

6. The employer is eligible to sponsor and nominate the worker.

7. Labour Market Testing requirements are satisfied where applicable.

8. English requirements are satisfied or an exemption applies.

9. Registration or licensing requirements are satisfied where applicable.

10. Health and character requirements are satisfied.

Specialist Skills Stream and Permanent Residency

The Specialist Skills stream is a temporary subclass 482 visa.

It does not automatically grant Australian permanent residence.

However, eligible SID 482 holders may potentially pursue an employer-sponsored permanent residence pathway, including the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), where they satisfy the requirements of the relevant permanent visa stream.

The appropriate PR pathway depends on the applicant's individual circumstances, occupation, visa history, employment history, employer and the requirements applicable at the time of application.

Get Professional Advice About Your Specialist Skills Visa

The Specialist Skills stream involves more than simply meeting the salary threshold.

Your occupation, ANZSCO classification, duties, employer, salary, skills, qualifications and other visa requirements should be assessed together.

At The Visa and Education Services Pty Ltd, we can help employers and skilled professionals understand the requirements that may apply to a Specialist Skills subclass 482 application.

We can assist with reviewing:

• Specialist Skills stream eligibility

• ANZSCO occupation selection

• Salary requirements

• Australian Market Salary Rate

• Employer sponsorship

• Labour Market Testing

• Skills and qualifications

• English requirements

• Registration and licensing

• Potential employer-sponsored PR options

Contact us to discuss your Specialist Skills subclass 482 visa options and Australian employer-sponsored migration plans.