Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
500 Student vs 482 Skills in Demand
For a person who already has a listed occupation, the experience and an employer willing to sponsor, the 482 is the direct route: full-time work at a threshold salary from the start and the 186 after two years. For a person who does not, the student visa is the long route: a course at international fees, work limited to 48 hours a fortnight in session, then the 485 and a skilled or sponsored visa after it, over years and at a far higher total cost. Study is not a shortcut to work rights, and since October 2026 the student visa cannot in most cases be applied for from inside Australia, so the choice is made before arrival.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Needs
- A confirmed enrolment, the Genuine Student requirement, funds, English, health cover · An approved sponsor, a nomination, an occupation on the list, the skills and English
- Work
- 48 hours a fortnight in session, unlimited in breaks · Full-time in the nominated occupation for the sponsor
- Charge
- $2,500 primary applicant, plus tuition · $4,015 primary applicant; the employer pays the rest
- Length
- The course, plus the 485 afterwards for eligible graduates · Up to 4 years
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About the CPD →Side by side
| 500 Student | 482 Skills in Demand | |
|---|---|---|
| Needs | A confirmed enrolment, the Genuine Student requirement, funds, English, health cover | An approved sponsor, a nomination, an occupation on the list, the skills and English |
| Work | 48 hours a fortnight in session, unlimited in breaks | Full-time in the nominated occupation for the sponsor |
| Charge | $2,500 primary applicant, plus tuition | $4,015 primary applicant; the employer pays the rest |
| Length | The course, plus the 485 afterwards for eligible graduates | Up to 4 years |
| Path to PR | 485, then a skilled or sponsored visa: years | 186 after 2 years |
| Family | Partner with 48-hour work limit in most cases; children at school with fees; cannot be added after grant | Partner with full work rights; children at school |
| Watch out | Onshore applications closed for most temporary visa holders from 2 October 2026 | Tied to the sponsor; the 180 days if the job ends |
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
For a person who already has a listed occupation, the experience and an employer willing to sponsor, the 482 is the direct route: full-time work at a threshold salary from the start and the 186 after two years. For a person who does not, the student visa is the long route: a course at international fees, work limited to 48 hours a fortnight in session, then the 485 and a skilled or sponsored visa after it, over years and at a far higher total cost. Study is not a shortcut to work rights, and since October 2026 the student visa cannot in most cases be applied for from inside Australia, so the choice is made before arrival.
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
500 Student or 482 Skills in Demand — which is better?
For a person who already has a listed occupation, the experience and an employer willing to sponsor, the 482 is the direct route: full-time work at a threshold salary from the start and the 186 after two years. For a person who does not, the student visa is the long route: a course at international fees, work limited to 48 hours a fortnight in session, then the 485 and a skilled or sponsored visa after it, over years and at a far higher total cost. Study is not a shortcut to work rights, and since October 2026 the student visa cannot in most cases be applied for from inside Australia, so the choice is made before arrival.
What is the main difference between the 500 Student and the 482 Skills in Demand?
Needs: 500 Student — A confirmed enrolment, the Genuine Student requirement, funds, English, health cover; 482 Skills in Demand — An approved sponsor, a nomination, an occupation on the list, the skills and English. Work: 500 Student — 48 hours a fortnight in session, unlimited in breaks; 482 Skills in Demand — Full-time in the nominated occupation for the sponsor. Charge: 500 Student — $2,500 primary applicant, plus tuition; 482 Skills in Demand — $4,015 primary applicant; the employer pays the rest.
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