Changing employer on a 482 visa: how it works

This guide is for people in Australia who hold a Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), or an older Temporary Skill Shortage visa with the same subclass number, and want to move to a different employer. It suits nurses, aged care staff, allied health professionals, chefs, tradespeople and radiologists who are happy in their occupation but want a new workplace, location or roster. It is also relevant if your employment has already ended and you need to understand your options.

Your 482 visa depends on sponsorship, so a new employer cannot simply hire you the way they would hire a permanent resident. In general, the new employer must be an approved sponsor, or become one, and must lodge a nomination for your position. That nomination needs to be approved before you begin working in the new role. Depending on your circumstances, you may not need a fresh visa application, but some changes do require one, such as moving between certain types of sponsorship. Home Affairs explains these situations on its change in situation page for the 482 visa. When you speak with a prospective employer, ask early whether they sponsor and who will handle the nomination. Some employers sponsor regularly, while others have never done it. A recruiter can help you find employers that are open to sponsorship, but the decision always sits with the employer.

Think carefully before you resign. If you stop working for your sponsor, your visa conditions still apply and the time you can stay without a sponsor is limited. Home Affairs sets out how long you can remain in Australia to find a new sponsor, apply for a different visa or make plans to leave. That period can change, so check the official 482 pages for the current rule rather than relying on a forum post or a friend's experience. Your current sponsor also has obligations to Home Affairs when your employment ends. Staying in your current role until the new nomination is approved avoids a gap in sponsorship, but whether that suits you depends on your situation and your employment contract. A registered migration agent can look at your specific dates and conditions. CrossNation can help line up interviews, but we cannot tell you when it is safe to resign.

Your nomination is linked to an occupation, so moving to a new employer in the same occupation is the simpler change. If the new role is in a different occupation, it generally needs its own nomination, and that occupation must be eligible for the visa stream involved. A registered nurse moving from one hospital to another is a different case from a registered nurse moving into a management role with a different occupation code. The same applies outside healthcare: a chef moving to a new restaurant is not the same as a chef taking a cafe manager role. Before you apply, compare the duties in the new job with the occupation in your current nomination. If they do not line up, raise it with the employer and get migration advice before you accept. When you apply through CrossNation, tell us your nominated occupation so we can focus on roles that match it.

These counts are live from the CrossNation job board. A listing is not a job offer, and it does not mean the employer sponsors visas. Check that a role fits your work rights before you apply.

• Nursing jobs: 0 open
• Aged care jobs: 0 open
• Allied health jobs: 9 open
• Healthcare jobs: 1 open
• Trades jobs: 4 open
• Hospitality jobs: 1 open