If you are planning the move from a subclass 482 visa to permanent residence through the subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream, start with your records before choosing a lodgement date.
The second anniversary of a 482 grant does not, by itself, establish that you are ready to apply. Visa history, sponsored employment and the employer nomination need to be checked together.
This guide focuses on organising evidence for the usual TRT pathway. It is not a full eligibility assessment or a guide to the separate Direct Entry and Labour Agreement streams.
Start with two separate checks
The current regulations generally require, within the three years immediately before the visa application:
- At least two years holding qualifying visas. These include specified subclass 457 and 482 visas and certain associated bridging visas.
- At least two years of qualifying employment. The general rule concerns full-time work in Australia for an approved work sponsor, in an occupation for which the relevant 457 or 482 visa was granted. Unpaid leave is excluded.
The two tests appear in clauses 186.226 and 186.227. Special rules can apply to particular occupations or circumstances, so a general checklist should not be used to settle an exception.
Both lookbacks are tied to the visa application date. They are not measured to the nomination date or a hoped-for visa decision date. Older periods can fall outside the three-year window as time passes.
1. Build your visa history first
Collect the grant notices and relevant application records. For each period, record:
- visa subclass and stream, where applicable;
- the dates the visa was held;
- whether you were the primary sponsored visa holder;
- the related application and nomination;
- any change to visa status during that period.
Do not count every bridging visa automatically. The specific bridging category in clause 186.226 requires, among other things, that the last substantive visa was a qualifying 457 or 482 visa and that the bridging visa was granted on the basis of a specified 457, 482, 186 or 187 application. A bridging visa linked to an unrelated application needs separate assessment.
A grant notice proves a visa was granted. It does not prove when you actually started eligible employment. Keep those dates distinct.
2. Add the employment history beside it
For every employer, identify the employing legal entity, role, location, hours and actual start and finish dates. Add the nomination lodgement and approval dates, and the occupation approved for the relevant visa.
Home Affairs requires eligible sponsored employment to have been undertaken while holding a subclass 457, 482 or eligible bridging visa. Work permission alone does not establish that the period counts.
Home Affairs’ TRT guidance allows eligible sponsored employment to be counted across employers. Where several relevant visas were held, employment in occupations approved under those visas may count. Changing employers does not necessarily reset the total.
Where work began before a new nomination was approved, Home Affairs says counting can start from lodgement of the nomination that was subsequently approved. That does not make every day worked for a new employer eligible. Check the actual work start date, the nomination history and the other requirements together.
Use a simple working table:
| Period | Visa held | Employer and role | Nomination dates | Leave or other issues | Supporting records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actual start and end dates | Subclass and relevant grant | Legal entity, occupation, hours and location | Lodged and approved | Gaps, unpaid leave, overseas work or training | Grants, payroll, contracts and leave records |
This is an organising tool, not a government form or an automatic eligibility calculator.
3. Identify gaps before adding up the time
Mark periods without eligible employment, unpaid leave, changes in hours, and work outside Australia. Keep ordinary paid leave separately identified rather than grouping every absence together.
Unpaid leave is expressly excluded from the general employment test. A period might still count towards the visa-holding test while contributing nothing to the employment total. Do not simply copy one total into both columns.
The rule requiring employment by an approved work sponsor applies to visa applications made on or after 29 November 2025. Check older advice carefully rather than assuming any work performed while holding a 482 counts. 2025 amending regulations.
If a period is unclear, label it for review. Do not round partial months upwards or assume extra hours make a shorter calendar period equivalent to two years.
4. Match the timeline to evidence
Home Affairs asks for documents verifying all claimed eligible employment periods, including paid and unpaid leave and overseas work or training trips. Its examples include PAYG payment summaries, employment contracts, payslips and leave records. Official document guidance.
For a clear file:
- Match the employer reference to payroll dates, duties and hours.
- Reconcile the employment start date with nomination and visa records.
- Ask for a leave report that distinguishes paid from unpaid leave.
- Explain changes of employing entity, role or location instead of leaving a gap.
- Name documents so the employer and covered period are obvious.
A contract records agreed terms. Payslips and other employment records help establish what happened. Use them together, and resolve conflicting dates before relying on the total.
A simplified example
Alex has held qualifying visas for 26 months. During that time, Alex completed 12 months of eligible sponsored employment with Employer A, spent two months without eligible employment, then completed 12 months with Employer B.
If all periods remain within the relevant three-year window and satisfy the applicable rules, changing employers does not itself erase the earlier eligible work. The employment total is 24 months, not 26.
If one month of the claimed employment was unpaid leave, the total falls to 23 months. Alex would need further eligible employment and a fresh check of the rolling window before relying on the two-year requirement.
This fictional example illustrates the distinction. It is not a calculation of anyone’s earliest lodgement date.
5. Check the rest of the application before choosing a date
A complete timeline is one part of TRT readiness. Confirm the employer’s nomination, the available position, current visa eligibility, age or a relevant exemption, English, skills and any required licensing, health and character requirements.
Do not assume an employer change means any new business can nominate you immediately, or that an employment shortfall will be cured by waiting after lodgement. Assess the nomination and visa requirements together before submitting.
Book a migration consultation if you would like help reviewing your timeline, the uncertain periods and the next steps with your employer. You can also compare WiseKangaroo’s services.
General information only, checked on 6 November 2026. Requirements and individual circumstances can change. Obtain advice on your proposed application date and evidence before lodging.
Frequently asked questions
Does changing employers restart the two years?
Not necessarily. Eligible sponsored employment across employers may count. Check the relevant visa, occupation, sponsor and nomination dates for each period rather than treating all employment as qualifying.
Does unpaid leave count towards the employment requirement?
Unpaid leave is excluded from the general employment calculation. Keep leave records and assess the separate visa-holding requirement as well.
Does every period on a bridging visa count?
No. The qualifying bridging-visa category has specific requirements, including the last substantive visa held and the application on which the bridging visa was based. Work eligibility must also be checked separately.
