457 Visa Australia: What Replaced It and What You Need to Know in 2026

What Was the 457 Visa?

The Subclass 457 (Temporary Work (Skilled)) visa was a temporary employer-sponsored visa that allowed skilled workers to live and work in Australia. It required an approved sponsor, a nominated occupation and a salary at or above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), a threshold since replaced by the Core Skills Income Threshold. It was the main pathway for employers bringing skilled workers to Australia from overseas until it closed on 18 March 2018.

Why Was It Abolished?

On 18 April 2017 the Prime Minister and the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection announced that the 457 would be abolished and replaced with a new temporary visa "restricted to critical skills shortages", with the stated aim of giving Australian workers first priority for jobs. The announcement said the replacement would be underpinned by more focused occupation lists and would include mandatory labour market testing with limited exemptions, mandatory criminal history checks, a market salary rate assessment and a new two-year work experience requirement. The 457 formally closed to new applications on 18 March 2018.

What Replaced the 457: The 482 Skills in Demand Visa

The Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa replaced the 457 on 18 March 2018. On 7 December 2024 the TSS was replaced by the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) visa, which has no short-term or medium-term streams. The SID visa has three streams under the Migration Regulations. The Core Skills stream covers occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and requires earnings at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold — AUD $79,423 from 1 July 2026 ($76,515 in 2025-26). The Specialist Skills stream covers occupations in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 (so not trades workers, machinery operators or labourers) where earnings are at or above the Specialist Skills Income Threshold of AUD $146,576 from 1 July 2026 ($141,210 in 2025-26). The Labour Agreement stream is for employers with a labour agreement with the Commonwealth. The visa can be granted for up to 4 years, or up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders.

Key Differences: 457 vs 482 in 2026

Occupation coverage: the 482 Core Skills stream is tied to the CSOL, while the Specialist Skills stream is tied to earnings rather than an occupation list. Salary requirements: the 457 used the TSMIT (since replaced by the Core Skills Income Threshold) as a floor; the 482 uses stream-specific thresholds — $79,423 for Core Skills and $146,576 for Specialist Skills from 1 July 2026. Work experience: the 482 Specialist Skills and Core Skills streams require at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent) work in the nominated occupation or a related field in the 5 years before the application; a work experience requirement was one of the changes announced when the 457 was abolished. Labour market testing: the 2017 announcement made labour market testing mandatory, with limited exemptions, for the 457's replacement. Pathway to PR: the Subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream lists the 457, the TSS 482 and the SID 482 as qualifying visas. Duration: the 482 can be granted for up to 4 years, or up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders.

I Was on a 457 — What Is My Status Now?

The last 457 visas were applied for before 18 March 2018, so a 457 held today is rare. If your 457 has expired and you do not hold another visa, you may be unlawfully in Australia — contact a registered migration agent without delay.

For the 186 TRT stream, the Migration Regulations require the applicant to have held a 457, a TSS 482 or a SID 482 (or a bridging visa that followed one) for a total of at least 2 years in the 3 years before applying, and to have been employed full-time in Australia by an approved sponsor in the occupation for at least 2 of those 3 years. The employment does not have to be with one employer, but the 186 nomination must come from the sponsor who last nominated you. Time on a 457 only counts if it falls inside that 3-year window.

Applying in 2026: Use the 482 SID Visa

There is no application form for the 457 — it no longer exists. If you are looking for an employer-sponsored temporary work visa in Australia in 2026, the current visa is the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa. The process involves three stages: your employer becomes an approved sponsor; your employer lodges a nomination for your specific role; and you lodge the visa application once the nomination is approved. A MARA-registered migration agent experienced in employer-sponsored visas can advise on which 482 stream fits your occupation and salary, manage the three-stage lodgement, and plan a pathway to permanent residence. At Migratio, you describe your situation once and are matched with agents who handle the 482.

Can I still apply for a 457 visa?

No. The 457 visa closed on 18 March 2018. The current employer-sponsored temporary work visa is the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa.

Does my time on a 457 count toward the 186 TRT stream?

The Migration Regulations still list the 457 as a qualifying visa for the 186 TRT stream, but only time held in the 3 years before the 186 application counts. Within that window, you need a total of at least 2 years on a 457 or 482 (or a bridging visa that followed one), and at least 2 years of full-time employment in Australia with an approved sponsor in the nominated occupation.

I was sponsored on a 457 but never got PR — what are my options?

This depends on your current visa status and work history. Options may include the 186 TRT or Direct Entry stream, a points-tested skilled visa if your occupation is on the relevant list, or a new 482. A registered migration agent can assess your specific situation.

Is the 482 harder to get than the 457 was?

It differs. The 482 carries higher income thresholds, a 12-month work experience requirement and occupation-list rules for the Core Skills stream. The Specialist Skills stream does not depend on an occupation list, but it is limited to ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 and to earnings of at least $146,576 from 1 July 2026.