407 Training visa vs 482 Skills in Demand visa: how to choose
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Two of Australia's employer-linked temporary visas get confused because the names sound similar and both need an Australian organisation to sponsor you. They are not alternatives. The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) is for a real skilled job. The Training visa (subclass 407) is for a structured training program, not employment. If you are a graduate weighing your options after a 485, the 482 is almost always the one you mean.
407 and 482 at a glance
| Training visa (407) | Skills in Demand visa (482) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Workplace-based occupational training | A skilled job the employer cannot fill locally |
| Sponsor | An approved temporary activities sponsor | An approved standard business sponsor |
| What you can do | Only the nominated training activities | Full-time work for your sponsor in the nominated occupation |
| Pay | No salary floor set by the visa, often an allowance | At or above the stream income threshold and the market rate |
| Length | Up to 2 years | Up to 4 years, 5 for Hong Kong passport holders |
| Main applicant fee | From AUD 535 | From AUD 4,015 |
| Leads to permanent residence | No | Yes, through the 186 |
What the 407 is actually for
The 407 covers three kinds of training, and your sponsor has to nominate you for one of them:
- Training for registration or licensing that you need to work in an occupation, either in Australia or back home.
- Training to improve your skills in an occupation on the list of eligible skilled occupations. You need the equivalent of at least 12 months of full-time experience in that occupation, gained in the 24 months before the nomination is lodged.
- Capacity building overseas: practical training tied to an overseas qualification (up to 6 months), government-supported training, or a professional development program run for staff sent by an overseas employer.
The 407 is not for ongoing work in Australia. The main visa holder can only take part in the nominated training and cannot do other paid work. Family members can be included on the application, and they can work up to 40 hours a fortnight, which is less than a student visa allows.
What the 482 is actually for
The 482 lets an approved business sponsor you into a genuine skilled position for up to four years. Since 7 December 2024 it has had three streams:
- Core Skills: your occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List and the salary is at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold, which is AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027.
- Specialist Skills: no occupation list, but the salary must be at or above the Specialist Skills Income Threshold of AUD 146,576 for the same period.
- Labour Agreement: for employers with a negotiated agreement covering a specific sector.
You need one year of relevant full-time work experience in the last five years, and the English level for your stream, generally IELTS 5.0 overall for Core Skills. Your employer pays the Skilling Australians Fund levy and the nomination fee.
The part that matters: permanent residence
Every 482 stream now counts toward permanent residence. After two years working for your sponsor you can generally be nominated for the subclass 186 through its Temporary Residence Transition stream. Time on the 482 also counts toward the residence requirement for other routes. See the study-to-PR pathway for how this fits after graduation.
The 407 has no equivalent. It is training. You finish, then you leave, unless you separately qualify for another visa.
Which one applies to you
- You have a job offer from an Australian employer, the role matches your skills, and it pays above the threshold: that is the 482.
- You need supervised hours or a placement to get registered in your profession, and an approved sponsor will host you: the 407 registration stream.
- You are enrolled at a university overseas and need an Australian placement to finish your degree: the 407 overseas-qualification stream, up to 6 months.
- You want to work in Australia and build toward permanent residence: the 482, or one of the skilled visas if your points score is competitive. The 407 does not move you toward staying.
Neither visa is something you can lodge on your own. The sponsor and the nomination have to be approved first, and for the 482 the position and the pay do most of the work.
Can I move from a 407 to a 482?
Yes, but there is no automatic link. You would need an employer to sponsor you into a skilled position and to meet the 482 requirements in your own right, including the one year of relevant experience. Time spent on a 407 does not count toward the two years with a sponsor that the 186 transition needs.
Does the 407 let me work while I train?
No. The primary 407 holder can only take part in the approved training activities. If you need general work rights, the 407 is the wrong visa.
Is the 482 open to recent graduates?
Often, yes. The experience requirement is one year of relevant full-time work in the last five years, which many people reach during their two years on a post-study work visa. The harder part is finding an employer willing to sponsor you and a salary that clears the threshold for your stream.
Does the 407 lead to permanent residence?
No. The 407 is a temporary training visa with no permanent residence stream of its own. To stay you would move onto another visa, most often the 482 and then the 186 after two years with a sponsor, or qualify for a skilled visa in your own right. The training and Australian experience you gain can help those later applications, but the 407 itself does not count toward them.
Common questions
Can I move from a 407 to a 482?
Yes, but there is no automatic link. You would need an employer to sponsor you into a skilled position and to meet the 482 requirements in your own right, including the one year of relevant experience. Time spent on a 407 does not count toward the two years with a sponsor that the 186 transition needs.
Does the 407 let me work while I train?
No. The primary 407 holder can only take part in the approved training activities. If you need general work rights, the 407 is the wrong visa.
Is the 482 open to recent graduates?
Often, yes. The experience requirement is one year of relevant full-time work in the last five years, which many people reach during their two years on a post-study work visa. The harder part is finding an employer willing to sponsor you and a salary that clears the threshold for your stream.
Does the 407 lead to permanent residence?
No. The 407 is a temporary training visa with no permanent residence stream of its own. To stay you would move onto another visa, most often the 482 and then the 186 after two years with a sponsor, or qualify for a skilled visa in your own right. The training and Australian experience you gain can help those later applications, but the 407 itself does not count toward them.