For Employers · Published 2026-10-05 · Updated 2026-10-05
How to Sponsor an Electrician on a 482 Visa (Employer Guide)
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
To sponsor an electrician on the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, your business must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, then nominate the role at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold (A$79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026) and the market salary rate. Electrician (General) (ANZSCO 341111) and Electrician (Special Class) (ANZSCO 341112) are both on the Core Skills Occupation List with no caveats. The extra step with electricians is licensing: an overseas-trained electrician usually needs a Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) assessment and an Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR), then works under supervision on a provisional licence before getting a full state licence. There is a pathway to permanent residence through the subclass 186 visa.
This guide covers the electrician-specific points. For the full employer process, see our pillar guide on how to sponsor an overseas worker on a 482 visa.
At a glance
| Electrician (General) | Electrician (Special Class) | |
|---|---|---|
| ANZSCO code | 341111 | 341112 |
| 482 Core Skills (CSOL) | Yes, no caveats | Yes, no caveats |
| 186 Direct Entry | Yes (TRA) | Yes (TRA) |
| Skilled visas (189 / 190 / 491) | MLTSSL | MLTSSL |
| Regional 494 | Yes | Yes |
| Licence needed to work | Yes, state licence | Yes, state licence |
The licensing pathway: OTSR, provisional licence, full licence
Electrical work in Australia is licensed by each state and territory, and an overseas qualification does not give a licence on its own. The usual route is:
- TRA skills assessment. TRA’s guidelines say its program is compulsory for 482 applicants in the licensed occupations Electrician (General) and Electrician (Special Class). A successful applicant receives an OTSR.
- Provisional licence on arrival. The OTSR lets the electrician apply to the state regulator for a provisional or restricted licence and work under supervision. In NSW this is a Provisional Tradesperson Certificate (Building Commission NSW); in Victoria a Supervised Workers Licence (Energy Safe Victoria); in Queensland an electrical work training permit (Electrical Safety Office). Every state and territory has an equivalent.
- Gap training and full licence. The electrician completes gap training (11297NAT, or 10809NAT in Tasmania), usually works under supervision for at least 12 months, and meets the Certificate III in Electrotechnology – Electrician requirements before applying for a full licence. Victoria also requires its licensing assessments.
What this means for you: the sponsored role has to work for someone who cannot yet sign off their own work, and you need a licensed electrician to supervise. Home Affairs also asks 482 applicants for evidence from the state licensing authority that they hold, or can meet, the licensing requirements.
What does it cost to sponsor an electrician?
Employer-side government costs (indexed and subject to change):
- Standard Business Sponsorship: around $420, usually valid for around five years, with unlimited nominations.
- Nomination: around $330 per position.
- Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy: $1,200 per year of the visa if your annual turnover is under $10 million, or $1,800 per year otherwise, paid upfront at nomination. It can never be recovered from the worker.
On salary, you must pay at least A$79,423 and the annual market salary rate for an electrician in your location. For reference, the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 sets a weekly minimum of $1,119.10 for a licensed tradesperson (Electrical worker grade 5) before all-purpose allowances, and Jobs and Skills Australia reports median full-time earnings for electricians of $2,191 a week. Use our 482 sponsorship cost calculator for the government costs.
Does the electrician need a skills assessment for the visa?
Under the visa rules, a skills assessment is mandatory for a 482 electrician who holds a passport from Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, the Philippines, South Africa or Vietnam, unless an exemption applies (for example, they already hold a 457 or 482 in the same occupation, or gained their qualification in Australia or a country not on the list). Where it is mandatory, it must be commenced before the visa is lodged. For other passports it may not be a visa requirement, but because licensing runs through the OTSR, plan on a TRA assessment for almost every overseas-trained electrician. For the 186 Direct Entry stream, a positive TRA assessment is required.
Do I have to advertise the job in Australia first?
Usually, yes. Labour market testing generally requires two advertisements, running for at least four weeks, within the four months before you lodge the nomination. If the salary is below A$96,400, the ad must show it. Some nationals are exempt under international trade obligations.
Keeping the electrician long term
After at least two years of sponsored employment in the three years before applying, you can generally nominate the electrician for the subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream (permanent residence), in the same occupation as the most recent 482 nomination. Electrician is also on the MLTSSL, so points-tested visas such as the 189 and 190 may be open to them, and it is listed for the regional subclass 494 visa. See also our guide to the construction trades pathway to PR.
Is this general advice?
This is general information, not personal migration advice. Thresholds, fees, passport lists and licensing rules change, and the right pathway depends on your business, your state and the candidate. Before you advertise or lodge anything, speak with a registered migration agent (LifeinAus, MARN 1795282).
Sources & last checked: verified 5 October 2026 against the Migration (Specification of Occupations—Subclass 482 Visa) Instrument 2024 (Electrician (General) 341111 and Electrician (Special Class) 341112, Core Skills Occupation List, no applicable circumstances), the Subclass 186 occupations instrument (assessing authority TRA), IMMI 18/039 (mandatory skills assessment passports), the Department of Home Affairs salary requirements and labour market testing pages, Trades Recognition Australia (TSS program and OTSR licensing information), the Fair Work Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 and Jobs and Skills Australia.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sponsor an electrician on a 482 visa?
Yes. Electrician (General) (ANZSCO 341111) and Electrician (Special Class) (ANZSCO 341112) are both on the Core Skills Occupation List with no caveats. An approved Standard Business Sponsor can nominate either under the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) Core Skills stream, provided the salary meets the Core Skills Income Threshold (A$79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026) and the market rate. Because electrical work is licensed, plan for the licensing pathway as well as the visa.
Can an overseas electrician work straight away in Australia?
Not as a fully licensed electrician. An electrician who passes Trades Recognition Australia's assessment receives an Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR), which lets them apply for a provisional licence on arrival and work under supervision. They then complete gap training and the Certificate III in Electrotechnology – Electrician requirements, usually with at least 12 months of supervised work, before getting a full licence from the state regulator. Your role and supervision arrangements need to fit that.
Does a sponsored electrician need a skills assessment?
A skills assessment is mandatory for a 482 electrician who holds a passport from Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, the Philippines, South Africa or Vietnam, unless an exemption applies. In practice, almost every overseas-trained electrician goes through Trades Recognition Australia anyway, because the OTSR is the usual way into the state licensing system.
How much does it cost to sponsor an electrician?
Budget for Standard Business Sponsorship (around $420), the nomination fee (around $330 per role) and the Skilling Australians Fund levy ($1,200 per year of the visa if your turnover is under $10 million, $1,800 per year otherwise, paid upfront and never recoverable from the worker). Add the TRA assessment, licensing and gap-training costs, and a salary of at least A$79,423 and the market rate.
Can a sponsored electrician get permanent residence?
Yes. After at least two years of sponsored employment in the three years before applying, the employer can generally nominate the electrician for the subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream. Electrician is also on the MLTSSL (so points-tested visas such as the 189 and 190 are possible) and on the list for the regional 494 visa.
Other occupations you can sponsor
Employer guides for the roles we're asked about most: list status, caveats, skills assessment, salary and costs for each.
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More guides
- How to Sponsor an Engineer on a 482 Visa (Employer Guide)
- How to Sponsor an Early Childhood Teacher or Childcare Worker
- How to Sponsor an Overseas Worker in Australia (482 Skills in Demand)
- Skills in Demand visa: what changed when it replaced the TSS 482
- How to Sponsor a Carpenter on a 482 Visa (Employer Guide)