Australia 482 Visa Condition 8607 Explained: Occupation, Employer, Licence and Work Start (2026)
Condition 8607 requires a Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) holder to work only in the occupation nominated in the nomination identified in the application for their most recent 482 visa, to work only for the nominating employer (or within that employer's business or an associated entity's business, depending on the stream), and to commence work within 90 days — measured from arrival in Australia if the visa was granted while they were outside Australia, or from the grant date if they were in Australia at grant. If the nominated occupation requires a licence, registration or membership, that authorisation must also be held within the same 90-day window, kept current, and any refusal, expiry, revocation or cancellation must be notified to Immigration in writing. This reflects the text of visa condition 8607 in Schedule 8 to the Migration Regulations 1994, published on the Federal Register of Legislation, as of September 2026.
What does 8607(1) say about the occupation you must work in?
The starting point is narrow: you must work only in the nominated occupation. The nominated occupation is the one nominated by the nomination identified in the application for the most recent 482 visa granted to you, not the occupation in an earlier nomination or an earlier visa.
That "most recent" wording matters in two everyday situations. If you held a 482 in one occupation and were later granted a new 482 tied to a different nomination, the newer nomination sets the occupation you must work in. And if your duties drift away from the nominated occupation — a promoted role with different core tasks, for example — the mismatch is assessed against the occupation named in the nomination, not against the job title on your contract.
Who can you work for under 8607(2)?
Subclause (2) sets the employer or business limit, and the answer depends on the stream of your most recent 482 visa and, for two of the streams, on the status of the nominator.
| Your most recent 482 visa | Where you may work, per 8607(2) |
|---|---|
| Labour Agreement stream | Only for the person who nominated the nominated occupation |
| Specialist Skills or Core Skills stream, where the nominator was an overseas business sponsor at the time the nomination was approved | Only in a position in that person's business |
| Specialist Skills or Core Skills stream, where the nominator was not an overseas business sponsor at the time the nomination was approved | A position in that person's business, or in a business of an associated entity of that person |
The practical difference between the last two rows is scope: an overseas business sponsor limits you to that person's own business, while a nominator that was not an overseas business sponsor also allows a position in the business of an associated entity.
Are there exceptions to the employer limit under 8607(3)?
Yes, two. Subclause (2) does not apply if either of the following is true:
- The nominated occupation is an occupation specified by the Minister in an instrument made under subregulation 2.72(13).
- You are continuing to work for a person for the purpose of fulfilling a requirement under a law relating to industrial relations and relating to the giving of notice.
The second exception is the one most often relevant in practice: it covers the situation where you keep working for the nominator in order to work out a notice period required under industrial relations law. Which occupations fall within the first exception depends on the Minister's instrument, so it has to be checked against the instrument currently in force.
When does the 90-day clock to start work begin?
Subclause (4) gives two different start points, and choosing the wrong one is the most common way to miscalculate the deadline.
| Where you were when the visa was granted | Deadline to commence work |
|---|---|
| Outside Australia | Within 90 days after your arrival in Australia |
| In Australia | Within 90 days after the visa was granted |
Note that subclause (4) is expressly subject to subclause (6), so the licence rules below can affect how the start obligation applies to occupations that require an authorisation.
How long can you stop working before you breach 8607(5)?
You are allowed to cease working in accordance with (1) and (2) for a period, but two ceilings apply:
- Any single period of not working must not exceed 180 consecutive days.
- The total number of days on which you do not work in accordance with (1) and (2) must not exceed 365 days during the visa period for your visa.
These are separate tests. A series of gaps each shorter than 180 days can still add up to more than 365 days across the visa period, and a single long gap can breach the consecutive-day limit well before the total is reached.
What if your occupation needs a licence, registration or membership?
Subclause (6) applies when the holder is required to hold a licence, registration or membership (called an authorisation) that is mandatory to perform the nominated occupation in the location where the position is situated. Where it applies, the holder must:
- Hold the authorisation within 90 days — 90 days after arrival if they were outside Australia at grant, or 90 days after grant if they were in Australia at grant;
- Continue to hold it while performing the occupation;
- Notify Immigration, in writing, as soon as practicable if an application for the authorisation is refused;
- Comply with each condition or requirement to which the authorisation is subject;
- Not engage in work inconsistent with the authorisation, including any of its conditions or requirements; and
- Notify Immigration, in writing, as soon as practicable if the authorisation ceases to be in force, or is revoked or cancelled.
The two notification duties are easy to overlook because they are triggered by events outside your control — a registration body refusing your application, or a licence lapsing or being revoked. The requirement is to notify as soon as practicable, and in writing.
What happens if condition 8607 is breached?
Schedule 8 notes that whether a visa of a particular class may be made subject to a condition depends on the relevant provision in Schedule 2, and that for cancellation for breaches of conditions, see sections 41 and 116 to 119 of the Migration Act 1958. In other words, the consequence framework for a breach sits in the Act, not in condition 8607 itself.
This article is a plain-language reading of the legislative text for general reference only; it is not personalised advice, and individual situations — particularly where a licence refusal or a gap in employment is already in play — should be checked against the official text and the current instrument, or with a qualified professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 90 days start from my visa grant or from my arrival?
It depends on where you were when the visa was granted. If you were outside Australia, the 90 days run from your arrival in Australia; if you were in Australia, they run from the grant date.
Can I change employers while holding a 482 visa?
Condition 8607(2) permits work only for the nominator, or in the nominator's business or an associated entity's business, depending on the stream. Working for an unrelated employer is outside what the condition allows unless the change is reflected in the nomination identified in the application for your most recent 482 visa, or an exception under (3) applies.
Do I need the licence before I start working?
Subclause (6) requires you to hold the authorisation within the same 90-day window that applies to starting work, and to continue holding it while performing the occupation. The 90 days run from arrival if you were outside Australia at grant, and from the grant date if you were in Australia.
What should I do if my licence application is refused?
You must notify Immigration in writing as soon as practicable. The same written notification duty applies if the authorisation later ceases to be in force, or is revoked or cancelled.
How long can I be out of work before I breach the condition?
Any single period without work must not exceed 180 consecutive days, and the total number of days not working in the nominated occupation for the nominator must not exceed 365 days across the visa period.
Does 8607 stop me from working in a second job?
The condition is written as a limit on the occupation you work in and the employer or business you work for — you must work only in the nominated occupation and only for the permitted employer or business. Work outside those limits is not permitted by the condition.