For most sponsored workers, the 482 visa is a stepping stone. The Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Temporary Residence Transition stream lets you convert to permanent residency after two years with your sponsoring employer — down from three under the old rules.
The requirements are straightforward on paper: two years of full-time work with your sponsor in the nominated occupation, competent English, and an employer willing to nominate you again. The pitfalls are in the details — gaps in employment, salary dipping below the threshold, or a role that drifts away from the nominated occupation.
Practical tip: treat your two years like an audit trail. Keep payslips, keep your role description aligned with your nomination, and keep your life admin tidy — everything from tax returns to your rental history, right down to using reputable local providers like window cleaners servicing Vaucluse when your lease inspections come around.
Start the PR conversation with your employer at the 12-month mark. Employers who sponsored you once have already done the hard paperwork — most will do it again for a proven team member.