In short: A Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa holder can apply for the permanent subclass 186 through the Temporary Residence Transition stream after two years of work with an approved sponsor, and those two years are portable, so a change of employer no longer resets the clock. While on the 482, focus on savings, a clean credit file and staying out of the property market unless buying new.
Key takeaways
- Two years of full-time work with an approved sponsor makes you eligible to be nominated for the 186; the period counts across sponsors.
- If your job ends you have a limited period to find a new sponsor; check the current timeframe with Home Affairs.
- On a 482 you are a foreign person: no established homes until at least 30 June 2029, FIRB approval for new homes, and 8% additional duty in Victoria.
- Two years of disciplined saving on a typical 482 salary can produce a First Home Guarantee deposit ready for the week PR is granted.
- Lenders do lend to 482 holders, but PR unlocks lower deposits, no LMI and cheaper duty.
The 482 is the workhorse visa for Nepali chefs, aged care workers, IT professionals, engineers and accountants. It used to be a nervous existence: lose your sponsor and the pathway to PR could evaporate. The current rules are kinder, and the 2026–27 Migration Program gives the Employer-Sponsored category 58,040 places, the largest of any skilled category. This post explains the pathway and, because we are a mortgage broker rather than a migration agency, spends most of its time on what to do with your money in those two years.
How the pathway works
| Step | What happens | Where the money matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sponsorship and nomination | An approved sponsor nominates you for an occupation on the relevant skills list | Visa charges and skills assessment fees |
| 2. 482 grant | You work full-time for the sponsor in the nominated role | Salary must be paid to your Australian account, every period, on the books |
| 3. Two years of employment | Time with any approved sponsor counts towards the two years | Keep payslips, contracts and group certificates |
| 4. 186 nomination | Your current sponsor nominates you for the permanent 186 | Nomination and application charges |
| 5. 186 grant | Permanent residency | Day-one eligibility for the First Home Guarantee and first-home-buyer duty concessions |
The details (occupation lists, salary thresholds, sponsor obligations) are set by Home Affairs and revised regularly, so read the current subclass 186 page and talk to a MARA-registered agent before relying on any of this.
Changing sponsor without losing time
Portability is the big improvement. If your restaurant in Dandenong closes and a hotel in Docklands sponsors you, the months you served at the restaurant still count towards the two years. Practical rules of thumb:
- Keep every payslip and contract from every sponsor. You will need to prove the full period.
- Do not work outside your nominated occupation, and do not go off the books, even during the gap between sponsors.
- Watch the time limit between jobs. Home Affairs allows a period to find a new sponsor; find out the current number of days and do not wait until the end of it.
- Tell your broker about a sponsor change before you apply for finance. Lenders look for continuity of income, and a well-explained move with a signed new contract is usually fine.
Money on a 482: the two-year plan
Gorakh Timilsina assessed loan files for years as a senior credit officer, and the ones that sail through share three features: steady income, steady savings and no surprises on the credit file. Build all three deliberately.
Year one
- Open a separate high-interest savings account and set an automatic transfer on payday.
- Get a tax file number if you do not have one, and lodge your tax return with the ATO each year; lenders ask for notices of assessment.
- Take a small credit card or phone plan in your own name and pay it in full every month to start a credit file.
- Send money home for Dashain and family support if you need to, but keep those transfers regular and modest so they read as a living expense rather than an undisclosed liability.
Year two
- Stop taking on new credit. Close cards you do not use; lenders count the limit, not the balance.
- Gather documents: two years of payslips, contracts, bank statements and your visa grant letters. Our home loan documents checklist lists everything.
- Get a borrowing capacity estimate so you know what price range to expect the moment PR arrives. Use the borrowing power calculator as a first pass.
Worked example: a chef in Dandenong
Ramesh is sponsored as a chef on $72,000 a year. After tax and the Medicare levy he takes home roughly $4,800 a month. Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Dandenong shared with his wife Sita, who works part-time in aged care earning $35,000, costs $1,900 a month. They save $1,800 a month between them.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Savings after 24 months | $43,200 |
| Less visa and nomination costs set aside | $6,000 |
| Available deposit at 186 grant | $37,200 |
| 5% deposit on a $650,000 house in Cranbourne under the First Home Guarantee | $32,500 |
| Victorian first-home-buyer duty at $650,000 | $11,357 |
They are slightly short for the duty, so they either negotiate the price toward $600,000, where the duty is nil, or wait three more months. Compare that with buying a new $650,000 townhouse on the 482: a 20% deposit ($130,000), FIRB approval, and Victorian duty of $34,070 plus $52,000 foreign purchaser additional duty. Waiting saves them well over $100,000 in cash. Our foreign purchaser duty page sets out the surcharge rules.
Buying while still on the 482
Some families do buy on a 482, usually because a house-and-land package in Wollert or Marsden Park is available now and they expect the 186 quickly. It can work, but only for a new dwelling or vacant land, with FIRB approval and the surcharge. Lenders that consider 482 applicants generally want a 20% deposit, a permanent role and no probation, and some prefer a citizen or PR co-borrower. If you go ahead, make the contract subject to FIRB approval and finance, and read buying property as a temporary resident first.
Frequently asked questions
Does changing employer on a 482 reset my two years for the 186?
No. Under the current rules the period of employment counts across approved sponsors, so time with a previous sponsor is not lost. You do need a current sponsor willing to nominate you for the 186, and you must stay within the permitted period between jobs. Confirm the details with Home Affairs or a MARA-registered agent.
Can I get a home loan on a 482 visa?
Yes, with the right lender. Expect a 20% deposit, evidence of stable full-time employment and, in Victoria, the 8% foreign purchaser additional duty on top of ordinary duty. FIRB approval is required and only new dwellings or vacant land are available to temporary residents until at least 30 June 2029.
Will the 186 grant let me refinance a loan I took on the 482?
Often, yes. Once you are a permanent resident, the full lender panel opens up, and refinancing can lower your rate or release equity. The foreign purchaser duty you paid is not refunded, though, which is the main reason we suggest waiting for PR where possible. See our refinancing guide.
Can my family in Nepal send my deposit?
Nepal Rastra Bank does not permit capital transfers from Nepal to buy property abroad, so this is not a route to plan around. Lenders require a lawful, documented source of funds. Savings from Australian income, NRN-compliant funds and documented gifts from family already living in Australia are the safe options; get legal advice on anything else.
Talk to GNT Finance
We work with 482 holders across Melbourne and, by phone and video, across Australia. If you want a two-year money plan that ends with keys in your hand shortly after the 186 grant, we will build it with you in English, Nepali or Hindi, at no cost to you for our home-loan service in most cases. Book a free consultation or call 0426 403 703, or start with our home loans for visa holders page.
This is general information, not migration, legal, tax or credit advice. Migration rules change often — confirm with a registered migration agent (MARA) or the Department of Home Affairs.
Written by Gorakh Timilsina
Founder, CEO & Senior Mortgage Consultant at GNT Finance. Gorakh started as a broker assistant, spent years as a senior credit officer assessing loan applications, and now helps Melbourne families get the right loan approved. English, Nepali and Hindi spoken.