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Is the Australian skilled visa working? What new reports mean for Vietnamese workers

News · 2026-08-25 · 4 min read

You may be thinking about a skilled job in Australia. Two new government reports can help you plan. One looks at the Skills in Demand visa, also called Subclass 482. This is a visa that lets an employer sponsor a skilled worker. The other report looks at how migrants are doing in the Australian job market. The news is mostly good, but it also has some warnings. Let us go through it step by step.

The visa is still new

The Skills in Demand visa started in December 2024. It replaced an older visa called the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa. The first report covers about ten months, up to September 2025. The sample is small, so the results are early signs only. They show the visa is working the way the government planned.

Salaries are going up

Employers must offer at least a minimum salary to sponsor a worker. Under the new visa, the salaries employers nominate are higher than under the old one. The minimum is now indexed. This means it rises each year.

What should you do? When you receive a job offer, ask about the salary level for your job. A salary that is enough this year may not be enough next year. It is better to ask early.

Who gets the visa?

The visa has different streams. Here is what the report found:

• The Specialist Skills Stream mostly went to managers and professionals.
• The Core Skills Stream mostly went to professionals, technicians and trades workers.

If you have a trade or technical skill, this is good to know. The visa rewards workers with strong skills. Your job title and your job duties must be described clearly and correctly in your application. Vietnamese vocational certificates and degrees are usually checked again in Australia. Some jobs need a skills assessment and some do not. Please check the rules for your own job.

A second route: Labour Agreements

The report says more employers are now using Labour Agreements. A Labour Agreement is a special deal between an employer and the government. It is used when the normal visas do not fit the job. If your work is not on the usual lists, this route may help. Ask the employer if they have one.

The job market is strong, but not for everyone equally

The second report says the job market is still strong. Some areas are slowing down a little. These areas grew the most over the year:

Professionals had the biggest job gains of any group in the year to February 2026.

Life after the visa

Getting the visa is only one step. The report says results are very different between migrants. Skills, English, work experience and time in the country all matter. Female migrants have higher unemployment than male migrants in most states and territories. People who arrived recently also have a harder time.

Do not feel discouraged. Use this to prepare well.

• Practise your English. Check if you need IELTS or PTE for your visa or employer.
• Prepare certified English translations of your Vietnamese documents when the visa rules ask for them.
• If a police certificate is needed, Vietnamese citizens usually request the Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2).
• Write a clear English CV. List your skills and projects.

A safety reminder

People may use news like this to ask for money. Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers. Never pay an unlicensed broker. Be careful with anyone who wants money upfront to secure a job or visa.

For rules you can trust, visit the Australian Department of Home Affairs website.

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