Subclass 482 · Processing time
482 nomination processing time (October 2026)
Right now: 50% of 482 nominations are decided within 64 days and 90% within 9 months (Home Affairs, published 29 September 2026). Where yours lands in that range depends less on luck than on the quality of the documents you lodge. This guide covers what drives the timeline, what causes delays, and how to get a decision faster. Prepared by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536).
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Nomination · 50% / 90%
- 64 days / 9 months
- Sponsorship · 50% / 90%
- 11 days / 57 days
- Core Skills visa · 50% / 90%
- 4 months / 9 months
- Home Affairs stamp
- 29 September 2026
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About the CPD →How long does a 482 nomination take right now?
As at 29 September 2026 (the Department of Home Affairs' latest published set, checked 31 October 2026): 50% of 482 nominations were decided within 64 days and 90% within 9 months. Sponsorship applications: 50% within 11 days and 90% within 57 days. Once the nomination is approved, the visa itself — Core Skills stream — is running at 50% within 4 months and 90% within 9 months; Specialist Skills at 50% within 37 days and 90% within 78 days.
Read the spread, not the midpoint. Days at one end and most of a year at the other is the same queue: complete, consistent nominations are decided quickly, and nominations that draw a request for information wait. The Department refreshes these figures monthly and so does this page — every subclass is in one table here. The rest of this page is about the drivers, which don't change.
What drives the timeline
- Sponsor status — accredited sponsors are generally prioritised over standard business sponsors.
- Document completeness — a complete, consistent pack can be decided without an RFI; gaps stall it.
- Genuineness evidence — a weak Genuine Position Statement invites scrutiny.
- Salary & LMT — defensible AMSR evidence and compliant Labour Market Testing.
- Occupation match — a position description that clearly matches the ANZSCO occupation.
- Department workload — the one factor outside your control.
The fastest lever: avoid the RFI
The single biggest cause of delay is a request for information. Most RFIs come from gaps or inconsistencies in the original documents — a salary figure that doesn't reconcile with the contract, an LMT ad that misses a requirement, duties that don't match the occupation. A complete, internally consistent pack lodged the first time is the most reliable way to a fast decision. See the full 482 nomination document checklist.
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Related
482 nomination checklist · 482 documents & LMT · 482 nomination refusal & ART · Australian visa processing times
Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536. General information only, not personal migration advice. Processing times are published by the Department of Home Affairs and change regularly.
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Questions we get asked first
How long does a 482 nomination take to process?
As published by the Department of Home Affairs on 29 September 2026: 50% of 482 (Skills in Demand) nominations were decided within 64 days and 90% within 9 months. Sponsorship applications: 50% within 11 days and 90% within 57 days. The spread is driven by the sponsor's status, the completeness of the nomination documents, the occupation, and current Department workloads. Accredited sponsors and complete, well-evidenced nominations sit at the fast end; incomplete documents that trigger a request for information (RFI) sit at the slow end.
How can I speed up a 482 nomination?
The biggest lever is a complete, consistent document pack lodged right the first time — a strong Genuine Position Statement, defensible Annual Market Salary Rate evidence, compliant Labour Market Testing, and a position description that matches the ANZSCO occupation. Accredited-sponsor status and priority processing arrangements (where available) also help. Avoiding an RFI is the single biggest time-saver.
Does a request for information (RFI) add to processing time?
Yes — significantly. An RFI pauses the assessment while the case officer waits for a response, often adding weeks or months and increasing refusal risk if the response is weak. Most RFIs stem from gaps or inconsistencies in the original documents, which is why document quality is the main driver of a fast decision.
Can WIDEN help reduce delays?
We prepare complete, internally consistent nomination document packs designed to pre-empt the common RFI triggers, for employers and for fellow migration agents on a white-label basis. Request a quote via the form on this page.
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