482 Visa Subsequent Entrant Stream Australia (2026)
Add Your Partner or Family to a 482 Visa
Last updated: 8 October 2026
If you hold a Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), you can bring your partner or children to Australia through the subsequent entrant pathway.
You apply separately, with your own visa application, and you need a written letter from the 482 holder's sponsor.
Once granted, you can live, work and study in Australia. The sponsor-only work condition (8607) applies to the primary visa holder, not to you.
Key takeaways
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Use this pathway when the main applicant lodged their 482 application without you.
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The sponsor must agree in writing to include you in the nomination.
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You can work for any employer, in any job. Condition 8607 does not apply to family members.
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You can study, but you do not receive government assistance.
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The visa costs AUD 4,015 for each applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 1,005 for each applicant under 18.
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You can apply from inside or outside Australia.
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If granted, you receive a subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa.
What Is a 482 Subsequent Entrant?
A subsequent entrant is a family member who applies separately to join a 482 or 457 visa holder.
Most families apply together, in one combined application. You need this pathway when your family situation changed after the main applicant applied.
You must apply as a subsequent entrant if the main applicant already lodged their 482 application without you, and:
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their application is still being processed, or
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they already hold a 482 or 457 visa and you want to join them in Australia.
Home Affairs does not let anyone add family members to a 482 application after it is lodged.
Who Can Apply?
You can apply if you are a member of the family unit of the primary 482 or 457 visa holder. This includes:
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Partner. A spouse or de facto partner.
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Dependent child. A child of the primary visa holder or their partner. For children 18 or over, Home Affairs asks for evidence of at least 12 months of financial dependency.
There is no age requirement for this visa.
Can a 482 Dependant Work in Australia?
Yes. A 482 subsequent entrant can work in Australia for any employer, in any occupation, with no limit on hours.
The Department of Home Affairs lists "live, work and study in Australia" as the rights of this visa.
The work restriction on a 482 visa comes from condition 8607. That condition requires the holder to work only in the nominated occupation and only for the sponsor.
Under Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, clause 482.611, condition 8607 must be imposed only on the applicant who meets the primary criteria. Family members do not receive condition 8607.
Your visa still carries conditions. Every 482 visa holder must keep adequate health insurance (condition 8501, clause 482.612). Condition 8303 may also apply.
Check your own conditions in your grant letter or through VEVO.
For the primary visa holder's work rules, see 482 visa working hours and condition 8607.
Can a 482 Dependant Study in Australia?
Yes. You can study in Australia on this visa.
You do not receive government assistance for your studies. Check fees and eligibility with the education provider before you enrol.
Eligibility Requirements
To get a 482 visa as a subsequent entrant, you must meet every requirement below.
Relationship to the primary visa holder
Your partner or parent must hold a 482 or 457 visa, or have a 482 or 457 application still being processed.
You must show that the relationship is genuine. For partners, this means a marriage certificate or evidence of a de facto relationship.
The primary visa holder's own criteria (occupation, salary, skills, English) are covered on our 482 visa requirements page. Those criteria do not apply to you as a family member.
Sponsor agreement in writing
The sponsor with the most recent approved nomination for the primary visa holder must agree in writing to include you in that nomination.
This tells the employer which family members their sponsorship obligations extend to. Talk to the sponsor before you lodge.
Home Affairs must also approve the employer's nomination before it can grant your visa.
Health insurance
You must hold adequate health insurance for your whole stay. You must keep this cover while you remain in Australia.
See what Home Affairs counts as adequate health insurance.
Health requirement
You must meet the health requirement.
Health examination results are generally valid for 12 months. Home Affairs recommends you complete them before you lodge, to reduce processing time.
Character requirement
You, and every family member aged 16 or over who applies with you, must meet the character requirement.
If the sponsor is an accredited sponsor, you can skip overseas police certificates. You must attach a reference from the accredited sponsor confirming your good character and that you have no criminal convictions. You still need any required Australian police certificate.
Check whether the employer holds accredited status on RACC's accredited sponsor list.
Visa held when applying in Australia
If you apply in Australia, you must hold:
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a substantive visa, or
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a Bridging visa A, B or C.
You cannot apply while in immigration clearance.
Compliance with previous visa conditions
If you are in Australia when Home Affairs decides your application, you must have substantially complied with the conditions of your last substantive or bridging visa.
Other requirements
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Paying for visa sponsorship. You and any secondary applicants must not have asked for, offered, received or provided a benefit in return for a sponsorship-related event in the past 3 years.
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Immigration history. A previous visa cancellation or refusal may affect your eligibility.
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Debt to the Australian Government. You and your family members must have repaid any debt, or arranged to repay it.
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Australian Values Statement. Applicants aged 18 or over must sign or agree to it.
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English language. Home Affairs lists no English language requirement for subsequent entrants. The 482 English requirements apply to the primary applicant.
482 Dependent Visa Document Checklist
Home Affairs asks for these documents with a subsequent entrant application.
For every applicant
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Passport pages showing your photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates
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Proof of any change of name (marriage or divorce certificate, change of name document, deed poll, or a statutory declaration for small differences)
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Evidence of adequate health insurance for you and any secondary applicants
Sponsor document
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A written letter from the sponsor extending their sponsorship obligation to include you as a family member in the nomination
Partner documents
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Your current marriage certificate, or enough evidence of a de facto relationship
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De facto evidence can include joint bank statements, bills in joint names, a joint lease or mortgage, and documents showing a shared address
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Documents about other relationships, if applicable
Character documents
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An Australian Federal Police complete-disclosure National Police Certificate, if you spent 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since turning 16
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An overseas police certificate from every country where you spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16
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Military service records or discharge papers, if you served in any armed forces
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Form 80 or Form 1221, only if Home Affairs asks for them
Children under 18
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Passport pages showing photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates
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Birth certificate or family book showing both parents' names
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Adoption papers, if applicable
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Form 1229 or a statutory declaration from anyone with legal custody rights who is not coming to Australia, plus a copy of their signed photo ID
Dependants 18 or over
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Identity documents, character documents, and documents about other relationships, if applicable
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Form 47a and proof of relationship, such as a birth certificate
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Evidence of financial dependency for at least 12 months before you apply, such as proof they live with you, their tax records, or proof of current study
Translation and upload rules
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Translate every non-English document into English and upload both versions.
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Translators in Australia must hold NAATI accreditation. Translators outside Australia must list their full name, address, phone number, and language qualifications in English.
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You do not need certified copies.
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Scan or photograph every document in colour. Save multi-page documents as one file.
How Much Does a 482 Subsequent Entrant Visa Cost?
The visa application charges for a 482 subsequent entrant are:
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AUD 4,015 for the main applicant and each dependant aged 18 or over
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AUD 1,005 for each dependant under 18
Each family member pays their own charge. Home Affairs does not start processing until you pay.
If a child under 18 applies alone as a subsequent entrant, Home Affairs charges the base application charge (AUD 4,015), not the under-18 additional applicant charge.
Example. A partner and one child apply together as subsequent entrants. The government charges total AUD 5,020 (AUD 4,015 + AUD 1,005).
Lower charge for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants
From 1 July 2026, a lower charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens. Family members qualify based on the primary visa holder's passport.
The primary visa holder must hold a valid passport from one of these countries:
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Federated States of Micronesia
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Fiji
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Kiribati
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Nauru
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Palau
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Papua New Guinea
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Republic of the Marshall Islands
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Samoa
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Solomon Islands
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Timor-Leste
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Tonga
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Tuvalu
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Vanuatu
ImmiAccount applies the lower charge automatically during the application.
Other costs
You may also pay for:
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health examinations
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police certificates
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biometrics
Home Affairs does not refund the application charge if it refuses your application.
Figures checked against the Home Affairs Subsequent entrant page on 8 October 2026. Confirm your total with the Visa Pricing Estimator before you lodge. For sponsor-side costs (nomination fee, SAF levy), see our 482 visa fees page or compare charges across visas with our visa fees calculator.
482 Subsequent Entrant Processing Time
Home Affairs does not publish a separate processing time for 482 subsequent entrants. Its global processing times guide lists only the Core Skills, Specialist Skills, Labour Agreement, Nomination and Sponsorship streams for the 482 visa (checked 8 October 2026).
Current processing queue under Ministerial Direction 121
Home Affairs prioritises Skills in Demand visa applications under Ministerial Direction 121. As at 8 October 2026, it is processing 482 applications lodged in:
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February 2026 – Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing and Resources sectors, or applications in Australia's law enforcement and defence interests
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July 2026 – Specialist Skills stream applications
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January 2026 – applicants who were in Australia when they lodged
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October 2025 – applicants outside Australia whose application is not combined with another person's application
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October 2025 – all other applicants who were outside Australia when they lodged
Home Affairs notes that allocation dates and timeframes may fluctuate while it transitions to these priorities.
Source: Home Affairs – Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). For background on these priorities, see our guide to Australian immigration Ministerial Directions.
What affects your timeframe
Home Affairs assesses each application individually. Your timeframe depends on:
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whether you lodged a complete application with all documents
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how quickly you respond to requests for more information
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how long health, character and national security checks take
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how long external agencies take to return health and character information
Home Affairs can decide your application without asking for more documents. Attach everything when you lodge.
Home Affairs must also have an approved nomination from the employer before it can grant your visa.
For the primary applicant's stream timeframes, see our 482 processing times page or the visa processing times tool.
How Long Can You Stay?
You can stay for as long as the primary visa holder's visa is valid and your own visa remains valid.
You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid. Time spent overseas does not extend your visa.
To stay longer with the same employer, the employer must lodge a new nomination and you must apply for a new visa.
Permanent Residency Pathway
This visa does not give you permanent residency directly.
Your PR options usually follow the primary visa holder. The most common pathway is the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), where you apply as a family member.
See 482 visa to permanent residency for the full pathway.
How to Apply
Step 1 – Get the sponsor's written agreement
Ask the sponsor to provide a letter extending their nomination to include you. Home Affairs needs this letter attached to your application.
Step 2 – Complete health examinations
You can complete them before you apply, or wait until Home Affairs asks.
Step 3 – Gather your documents
Use the checklist above. Translate non-English documents and scan everything in colour.
Step 4 – Lodge in ImmiAccount
Apply online through ImmiAccount. Pay the application charge for each family member. Home Affairs does not process your application until you pay.
Step 5 – After you apply
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Respond quickly to any request for more information or biometrics.
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If you are in Australia, keep holding a valid visa. Do not ask Home Affairs to cancel your current visa.
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Tell Home Affairs about changes to your contact details, passport, relationship status, or a new birth.
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Do not book travel to Australia until you receive a written grant.
Home Affairs does not refund the application charge if it refuses your application.
Common Reasons Applications Are Refused
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No written sponsor letter extending the nomination
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Insufficient evidence of a genuine relationship or financial dependency
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Incomplete or inconsistent documents
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Health or character requirements not met
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The employer's nomination not approved
FAQ
Can I add my partner to a 482 visa application after it is lodged?
No. Home Affairs does not let you add family members after lodgement. Your partner must apply separately as a subsequent entrant.
Can a 482 dependant work for any employer?
Yes. Condition 8607, which limits work to the sponsor and nominated occupation, applies only to the primary visa holder. Family members can work for any employer, in any occupation.
Does a subsequent entrant get the same visa conditions as the primary holder?
No. You receive the same visa subclass, but not the same conditions. You do not receive condition 8607. You must keep adequate health insurance (condition 8501). Check your conditions in your grant letter or VEVO.
How much does a 482 dependent visa cost?
The visa application charge is AUD 4,015 for each applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 1,005 for each applicant under 18. A child under 18 who applies alone pays AUD 4,015. Health checks, police certificates and biometrics cost extra.
How long does a 482 subsequent entrant visa take?
Home Affairs does not publish a separate timeframe for subsequent entrants. Under Ministerial Direction 121, it is currently processing non-priority 482 applications lodged in October 2025 (applicants outside Australia) and January 2026 (applicants in Australia). Priority-sector applications are up to February 2026.
Do I need a job offer to apply?
No. Your eligibility depends on your relationship with the primary visa holder and the sponsor's written agreement.
Can I apply from outside Australia?
Yes. You can apply and receive a decision either inside or outside Australia, but not while in immigration clearance.
Can my child study on a 482 dependent visa?
Yes. Children and other family members can study, but they do not receive government assistance.
Related Pages
Need Help Bringing Your Family to Australia?
Subsequent entrant applications depend on the sponsor letter and complete relationship evidence.
RACC's registered migration agents can help you:
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confirm your family members' eligibility
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prepare relationship and dependency evidence
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coordinate the sponsor letter with the employer
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lodge a complete application
Book a consultation for a case-specific assessment before you apply.
Small careless mistakes may result in visa rejection. Book a FREE consultation with Registered Migration Agents will help you get the visa without any headaches.
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