Australia TSS to SID 482 Visa Converter
Enter your old TSS 482 details and see your new SID stream, updated salary requirements, a full rule-change comparison, and a compliance score. Instant. Free. Based on December 2024 and July 2025 changes.
The Short-Term stream was for STSOL occupations with a 2-year visa. Medium-Term was for MLTSSL occupations with up to 4 years. If you’re not sure, check your visa grant notice.
ANZSCO major group affects Specialist Skills stream eligibility. Groups 3, 7, and 8 (trades, machinery, labourers) cannot use the Specialist Skills stream regardless of salary.
Enter base salary only. Overtime, bonuses, and superannuation generally do not count toward the minimum salary thresholds.
The SID visa reduced the minimum from 2 years to 1 year (effective November 2024). Must be full-time equivalent work in your nominated occupation or closely related field.
Your current status affects whether transitional rules apply to you and how the SID changes affect your situation.
Your conversion result appears here
Fill in your old TSS details on the left. Your new SID stream, salary comparison, and compliance score appear instantly.
Common Mistakes When Navigating the TSS to SID Change
How the TSS to SID Converter Works
The converter maps your old TSS 482 inputs (stream, occupation group, salary, work experience, current visa status) to the new SID framework, which took effect on 7 December 2024. The logic is:
IF salary ≥ A$141,210 AND ANZSCO_group IN [1,2,4,5,6] → Specialist Skills
ELSE IF CSOL_listed AND salary ≥ A$76,515 → Core Skills
ELSE → Labour Agreement or check eligibility
Compliance Score = checks across salary, experience, stream mapping, status
What Changed: TSS vs SID Side by Side
| Rule | Old TSS 482 | New SID 482 (from Dec 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Streams | Short-Term (STSOL), Medium-Term (MLTSSL), Labour Agreement | Core Skills (CSOL), Specialist Skills (salary-based), Labour Agreement |
| Occupation lists | MLTSSL + STSOL + ROL (three separate lists) | CSOL (one consolidated list of 456 occupations) |
| Short-Term visa duration | 2 years maximum (STSOL occupations) | Gone. All Core Skills stream: up to 4 years |
| PR pathway | Short-Term stream had no direct PR pathway via 186 TRT | All streams now have a pathway to PR via ENS 186 |
| Min. work experience | 2 years | 1 year (in the last 5 years) |
| Min. salary (TSMIT) | A$70,000 (then A$73,150 from July 2024) | A$76,515 from July 2025 (Core Skills); A$141,210 Specialist |
| Job-loss buffer | 60 days to find new sponsor | 180 days total (up to 365 days across the visa) |
| Sponsor change and PR time | Clock reset with new sponsor for ENS 186 | Time with ALL approved sponsors counts toward 186 TRT 2-year period |
| English requirement (main applicant) | Vocational English (IELTS 5+ each band) | Same: Vocational English for 482; stricter from Sep 2025 enforcement |
| Processing target (Specialist) | No fast-track | 7-day median processing target for Specialist Skills |
| Labour Market Testing | Required; specific advertising rules | Streamlined; Workforce Australia advertising no longer required |
Why This Matters for Nigerians on a 482
There are thousands of Nigerians in Australia right now holding TSS 482 visas, particularly in nursing, engineering, IT, and construction. The December 2024 transition affected them in three specific ways that often go unnoticed.
First, if you were on the Short-Term stream (most care workers until the route closed, some hospitality roles, certain IT roles on the STSOL), you now have access to a PR pathway you previously did not have. The old Short-Term stream’s core limitation was that you could not transition to permanent residency through the 186 TRT after working two years. That restriction is gone in the new framework.
Second, the 180-day job-loss buffer is a meaningful protection. Under the old 60-day rule, losing your job in Nigeria’s diaspora network or in a restructure often created panic about deportation timelines. 180 days gives you roughly 6 months to find a new employer sponsor, which is a realistic window for a professional job search.
Third, the cumulative PR clock. Under the old TSS, time counted with one employer toward the 186 TRT two-year period would sometimes reset if you changed sponsors. Under the SID framework, all time with any approved sponsor in your nominated occupation counts cumulatively toward the two years needed for ENS 186 TRT.
The New Salary Thresholds Explained
The old TSS had a single income floor: the TSMIT (Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold). The SID has two meaningful thresholds. The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) is A$76,515 from July 2025. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) is A$141,210 from July 2025. Both are indexed annually each July 1.
If your salary is between A$76,515 and A$141,209, your stream is Core Skills (if your occupation is on the CSOL). If your salary is A$141,210 or above and you are in ANZSCO groups 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6, you qualify for Specialist Skills regardless of occupation list. Salary must be guaranteed base pay only.
Table of Truth: Common Conversion Scenarios
| Old TSS Profile | Old Stream | Old Salary Min | New SID Stream | New Salary Min | PR Pathway Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse, A$82,000 | Medium-Term (MLTSSL) | A$73,150 | Core Skills (CSOL) | A$76,515 | Same (186 TRT after 2 yrs) |
| Software Engineer, A$105,000 | Medium-Term (MLTSSL) | A$73,150 | Core Skills (CSOL) | A$76,515 | Same (186 TRT after 2 yrs) |
| Senior IT Manager, A$150,000 | Medium-Term (MLTSSL) | A$73,150 | Specialist Skills | A$141,210 | Improved (faster processing, no occupation list) |
| Chef, A$68,000 (old STSOL) | Short-Term (STSOL) | A$73,150 | Core Skills (if on CSOL) | A$76,515 | Improved (PR pathway now available) |
| Electrician, A$85,000 | Medium-Term or Short-Term | A$73,150 | Core Skills (CSOL) | A$76,515 | Same pathway, longer job-loss buffer |
| Accountant, A$78,000 | Medium-Term (MLTSSL) | A$73,150 | Core Skills (CSOL) | A$76,515 | Salary increase of A$3,365 needed vs old TSMIT |
Realistic Scenarios for Nigerian Applicants
Scenario 1: Nurse on old Short-Term stream (single applicant)
Adaeze came to Australia as a care worker on the Short-Term TSS 482 in 2023. Under the old rules, she had no direct 186 TRT pathway and a 60-day job-loss buffer. Under the SID framework (transitional arrangements), Registered Nurses and allied health workers who qualified for the CSOL now have Core Skills stream access with a full 186 TRT pathway after two years of qualifying employment. Her compliance task is to confirm her current ANZSCO code maps to the CSOL correctly, check her salary meets A$76,515, and ensure her employer is renewing sponsorship under SID terms rather than old TSS terms.
Scenario 2: Software Engineer on Medium-Term stream with spouse
Emeka has been on a Medium-Term TSS 482 since 2022, earning A$98,000. His spouse is on a secondary visa. Under SID, he maps directly to Core Skills stream. His salary is above the CSIT of A$76,515. He already has 2 years with his employer, making him eligible for the ENS 186 TRT. What improved for him: his job-loss buffer increased from 60 to 180 days. What he needs to check: his current employer must renew the nomination under SID terms when the visa comes up for extension or renewal. His spouse’s secondary visa conditions follow the principal visa.
Scenario 3: Senior engineer on Medium-Term stream, salary A$155,000
Chuka is a civil engineering manager earning A$155,000. Under the old TSS, he was on the Medium-Term stream via MLTSSL, with the same processing timelines as everyone else. Under SID, he now qualifies for the Specialist Skills stream because his salary exceeds A$141,210 and he is in ANZSCO group 2 (Professionals). The Specialist Skills stream has a 7-day median processing target and does not require him to be on the CSOL. When he applies for the 186 ENS, there is also no minimum employment period required for the Specialist Skills stream (though standard ENS 186 requirements still apply). His compliance task is to confirm his guaranteed base salary meets A$141,210 every year of the nomination period.
