Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
482 Skills in Demand vs 400 Short Stay Specialist
The 400 is for highly specialised, short-term work, up to three months in the ordinary case and six in strong business circumstances, with no sponsorship, no nomination, no labour market testing and no levy; the 482 is for a position in the business that will last, with the sponsorship, the nomination, the obligations and the path to the 186. An installer, a trainer, an auditor or a project specialist comes on the 400; an employee comes on the 482. Using the 482 for a three-month assignment wastes a sponsorship, and stretching a 400 into a year puts the worker in breach.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Purpose
- A skilled position in the business · Highly specialised, short-term work an Australian cannot reasonably do
- Length
- Up to 4 years · Up to 3 months; up to 6 in strong business circumstances
- Sponsorship and nomination
- Required, with the obligations · Not required; a supporting letter from the business
- Labour market testing and levy
- Required unless exempt; the levy per year · None
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About the CPD →Side by side
| 482 Skills in Demand | 400 Short Stay Specialist | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | A skilled position in the business | Highly specialised, short-term work an Australian cannot reasonably do |
| Length | Up to 4 years | Up to 3 months; up to 6 in strong business circumstances |
| Sponsorship and nomination | Required, with the obligations | Not required; a supporting letter from the business |
| Labour market testing and levy | Required unless exempt; the levy per year | None |
| Where lodged | Onshore or offshore | Outside Australia |
| Government charge | $4,015 primary applicant | A few hundred dollars; see the fees page |
| Path to PR | 186 after 2 years | None; a 400 holder is usually nominated for a 482 from offshore |
| Watch out | The time and cost before the worker starts | The no further stay condition, and repeat 400s for the same role |
Charges are the current government application charges (from 1 July 2026, main applicant) — see the fee calculator for your family's total. Checked 30 October 2026.
The honest verdict
The 400 is for highly specialised, short-term work, up to three months in the ordinary case and six in strong business circumstances, with no sponsorship, no nomination, no labour market testing and no levy; the 482 is for a position in the business that will last, with the sponsorship, the nomination, the obligations and the path to the 186. An installer, a trainer, an auditor or a project specialist comes on the 400; an employee comes on the 482. Using the 482 for a three-month assignment wastes a sponsorship, and stretching a 400 into a year puts the worker in breach.
Which side of that line you fall on depends on facts a table cannot hold — your age, score, occupation's lists, and what evidence you can actually assemble. That is consultation territory, not guesswork territory.
More head-to-heads: 482 vs 494 · 190 vs 491 · 189 vs 190 · 482 vs 186
General information only, not migration advice. Settings shown are the general rules; exemptions and stream variations exist. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
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Questions we get asked first
482 Skills in Demand or 400 Short Stay Specialist — which is better?
The 400 is for highly specialised, short-term work, up to three months in the ordinary case and six in strong business circumstances, with no sponsorship, no nomination, no labour market testing and no levy; the 482 is for a position in the business that will last, with the sponsorship, the nomination, the obligations and the path to the 186. An installer, a trainer, an auditor or a project specialist comes on the 400; an employee comes on the 482. Using the 482 for a three-month assignment wastes a sponsorship, and stretching a 400 into a year puts the worker in breach.
What is the main difference between the 482 Skills in Demand and the 400 Short Stay Specialist?
Purpose: 482 Skills in Demand — A skilled position in the business; 400 Short Stay Specialist — Highly specialised, short-term work an Australian cannot reasonably do. Length: 482 Skills in Demand — Up to 4 years; 400 Short Stay Specialist — Up to 3 months; up to 6 in strong business circumstances. Sponsorship and nomination: 482 Skills in Demand — Required, with the obligations; 400 Short Stay Specialist — Not required; a supporting letter from the business.
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