australia temporary
skill shortage visa

To be eligible for an Australian Temporary Skill Shortage visa, you must:

• Be nominated to work in an occupation on the list of eligible short-term skilled occupations.
• Have at least 2 years relevant work experience in your nominated occupation or a related field.
• Have a relevant skills assessment if this is required for your occupation.
• Work only for your sponsor or associated entity, unless you are exempt.
• Meet minimum standards of English language proficiency unless you are exempt from needing to show this.

The fee to apply for an Australian Temporary Skill Shortage visa is AUD 1,495  (except in limited circumstances). Please note, government fees are subject to change with short notice.

You can apply for this visa online. As part of your application, you may need to provide certain documents including evidence of your identity, character, skills, work experience, health and English language skills.

The average processing time for an Australian Temporary Skill Shortage visa is approximately 4 months. Please note, the actual processing time remains at the discretion of local authorities and may vary.

With a Temporary Skill Shortage visa, you can stay in Australia for up to 2 years or up to 4 years if an International Trade Obligation (ITO) applies. Hong Kong passport holders may stay up to 5 years.

Australia’s Temporary Skill Shortage visa allows you to: 

• Work in Australia for the length of your visa grant.  
• Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.
• Apply for permanent residence, if you are eligible.