Subclass 482 Core Skills vs Specialist Skills: which stream your occupation goes in

The Skills in Demand (SID) visa, subclass 482, replaced the old TSS 457/482 arrangement on 7 December 2024. It has two skilled streams: Core Skills and Specialist Skills. Which one is open to you is not a preference you tick on a form — it is decided by two facts about your occupation: whether your ANZSCO code is on the Core Skills Occupation List, and which ANZSCO major group your code sits in.

What gates each stream

Core Skills stream — the list decides. Your nominated occupation must appear on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), the 456-occupation list maintained by Home Affairs. On top of list membership you need a relevant skills assessment, at least one year of relevant work experience, and a salary at or above both the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) and the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT).

Specialist Skills stream — the salary and the major group decide. There is no list. Instead, two gates apply:

• Your occupation must be an ANZSCO occupation in Major Group 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 — that is Managers, Professionals, Community and Personal Service Workers, Clerical and Administrative Workers, and Sales Workers. Occupations in Major Group 3 (Technicians and Trades Workers), 7 (Machinery Operators and Drivers) and 8 (Labourers) are excluded.
• You must be paid at or above the much higher Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT).

So the Specialist Skills stream trades the list for a salary floor — but only for non-trade, non-operator occupations.

How to tell which stream fits your code

Read your own ANZSCO code against three questions:

1. Is your code on the CSOL? If yes, the Core Skills stream is available (subject to the CSIT, the assessment, and the experience requirement).
2. Is your code in Major Group 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6, and can you be paid at or above the SSIT? If yes, the Specialist Skills stream is available — even if your occupation is not on the CSOL.
3. Is your code a trade (Major Group 3), or a machinery operator/driver (7) or labourer (8)? Then the Specialist stream is closed to you, and the Core Skills stream is your SID route — which means your code must be on the CSOL.

The first digit of your 6-digit ANZSCO code is its major group, so this is something you can read straight off the code.

Worked examples by ANZSCO code

• Software Engineer (261313) — first digit 2, so Major Group 2 (Professionals), and it is on the CSOL. Both streams are potentially open: Core Skills via the list at the CSIT, or Specialist Skills if the salary clears the SSIT.
• Data Scientist (224115) — also Major Group 2 and on the CSOL. Same picture: Core via the list, Specialist via the higher salary.
• Carpenter (331212) — first digit 3, Major Group 3 (Technicians and Trades Workers). The Specialist Skills stream is not available. For a SID 482, the route is Core Skills, which means the code must be on the CSOL.

To check the major group and live CSOL status of any code, open its occupation page — for example, Software Engineer (261313) shows the breadcrumb (major group → minor group) and the lists it sits on.

The numbers that move on 1 July 2026

Both thresholds index up with the annual review on 1 July 2026:

Threshold	Stream	To 30 June 2026	From 1 July 2026
Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)	Core Skills	AUD 76,515	AUD 79,499
Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT)	Specialist Skills	AUD 141,210	AUD 146,717

The figure that applies is the one in force when the nomination is lodged. Confirm the current numbers on the salary requirements page before relying on them.

Check before you rely on it

The CSOL is a live document, and the thresholds change every 1 July. Always check the current CSOL PDF and the Skills in Demand visa page before acting on anything here.

To find your ANZSCO code, see its major group, and check whether it is on the CSOL, browse the occupation index. If you are unsure which code fits your background, the CV matcher at app.anzscofinder.com shows your closest matches with a confidence score.

For advice on which stream and visa are right for your situation, speak to a registered migration agent. We find codes and show sources. We do not give migration advice.