Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) vs Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482)
A factual side-by-side comparison of two residency programmes. All figures are drawn from the canonical program pages — follow either link in the table header for sources and the full profile.
Key Differences at a Glance
- ›Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482) is faster: 3 months vs 8 months for Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190).
Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) Australia · skilled worker | Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482) Australia · skilled worker | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Australia | Australia |
| Category | Skilled Worker | Skilled Worker |
| Application Fee | $3,000 | $960 |
| Minimum Income | — | $48,000 /mo |
| Minimum Investment | — | — |
| Processing Time | 8 months | 3 months |
| Family Included | Spouse or de facto partner and dependent children can be included; all members must meet health and character requirements; each adult dependant adds to the visa application charge. | Spouse/partner and dependent children are included as secondary applicants on the same visa application, each subject to an additional visa application charge |
| Path to PR | Yes — 0 years | Yes — 2 years |
| Path to Citizenship | Yes — 4 years | Yes — 4 years |
| Physical Presence | Must be physically present in Australia when granted (or arrive within the entry validity period). State nomination carries a commitment to live and work in the nominating state or territory for at least 2 years, and permanent residents must generally reside in Australia for 2 out of every 5 years to maintain unrestricted travel rights. | For citizenship by conferral, the applicant must have been present in Australia as a permanent resident (or eligible visa holder) for the requisite residency period, with no more than 12 months total absence over 4 years and no more than 90 days absence in the 12 months immediately before applying. |
| Dual Citizenship | Allowed | Allowed |
| Tax Impact | Permanent residents are treated as Australian tax residents and taxed on worldwide income from the date of entry, the same as Subclass 189. | Individuals who reside in Australia for the visa's duration are generally Australian tax residents, taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates, with limited access to the resident tax-free threshold unless residency tests are met; superannuation contribution obligations may also apply depending on the employment arrangement. |
| Tax Residency Trigger | 183 days/yr | 183 days/yr |
| Worldwide Taxation | Yes | Yes |
| Renewal Cost | — | — |
About Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
The Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa is a points-tested permanent residency visa for skilled workers who receive a nomination from an Australian state or territory government, in addition to meeting the points test (minimum 65, with a mandatory 5 bonus points awarded for the nomination itself). Unlike the employer- and state-independent Subclass 189, applicants must first apply to and be nominated by a specific state or territory, whose own occupation list, criteria, and commitment requirements must be satisfied — nomination is often more accessible than a 189 invitation for occupations that are oversubscribed nationally but in demand in a particular state. Successful applicants receive permanent residence immediately upon grant, with a visa-conditioned commitment to live and work in the nominating state for at least 2 years.
Full Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) profile →About Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482)
Introduced in December 2024, the Skills in Demand (SID) visa (subclass 482) replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa as Australia's primary employer-sponsored skilled work visa. It has three streams: Specialist Skills, for high-earning specialists across most occupations excluding trades, with faster processing; Core Skills, for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List paid above the Core Skills Income Threshold; and Essential Skills, for lower-paid, essential occupations such as aged and disability care, sponsored under labour agreements. All streams require sponsorship by an approved Australian business and, for many occupations, a positive skills assessment. The reforms shortened the pathway to permanent residency, letting most holders apply through the Employer Nomination Scheme after two years with the same sponsor, down from three.
Full Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482) profile →Gotchas to Watch For
Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
- ⚠Each state/territory has its own occupation list, criteria, and application process — an occupation ineligible for 189 may still qualify for 190 nomination in a specific state
- ⚠The 2-year state-residency commitment (condition 8558) is a formal visa condition; enforcement has historically been inconsistent, but states have tightened monitoring and non-compliance can complicate future nominations or a Resident Return Visa application
- ⚠Some states require evidence of genuine ties or prior residence before nominating you — a 'fly-in' nomination application with no connection to the state is often refused
- ⚠State nomination programs can pause or close mid-year once their allocation ceiling is reached — timing matters
- ⚠Points cut-offs and state priorities shift with each program year's occupation-list refresh
Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482)
- ⚠Changing employers generally requires a new nomination and, in many cases, a new visa application, since SID visas are tied to the sponsoring business and nominated position
- ⚠The Essential Skills stream is capped in scope, tied to specific sectors and labour agreements such as aged care, and is not available for arbitrary lower-paid roles
- ⚠Occupation lists (Specialist Skills List and Core Skills Occupation List) are reviewed periodically by Jobs and Skills Australia and can add or remove eligible occupations
- ⚠The reduced two-year pathway to permanent residency via subclass 186 applies to the Temporary Residence Transition stream and generally requires continuous work with the same sponsor during that period
- ⚠Income thresholds are indexed and can change annually, so a role that qualified for a stream one year may fall short after indexation
Neutral reference — we don't recommend one programme over another. Programmes change: always verify each detail against the official source linked on the individual program pages.