What people on temporary visas work as
How many people on temporary visas in Australia had their occupation assessed, what the assessed ones were sponsored to do, and what is not recorded for everybody else.
Of the 6 per cent that were assessed
The skilled visa is the only temporary visa that tests occupation. In 2024-25 to 31 March 2025 its most nominated occupation was Chef, at 3,920 grants or 8.1 per cent of the whole program, up 160.5 per cent on the previous year. The second was Resident Medical Officer at 4.9 per cent.
Accommodation and Food Services is the second largest sponsoring industry, at 6,710 grants or 13.9 per cent, up 112.8 per cent year on year.
Top nominated occupations, skilled visa
Primary subclass 482 visas granted, 2024-25 to 31 March 2025. The occupation is the role the sponsoring employer nominates.
| Occupation | Grants | Share of program | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chef | 3,920 | 8.1% | +160.5% |
| Resident Medical Officer | 2,380 | 4.9% | +17.1% |
| Specified in a labour agreement | 1,440 | 3% | +5.8% |
Sponsoring industries, skilled visa
| Industry | Grants | Share | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 8,660 | 17.9% | +48.7% |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 6,710 | 13.9% | +112.8% |
| Other Services | 6,420 | 13.3% | +50.6% |
By occupational group the skilled program is Professionals 43.1 per cent, Technicians and Trades Workers 35.1 per cent, Managers 10.7 per cent. There were 110,740 primary subclass 482 holders in Australia at 31 March 2025, against 1,825,403 people on temporary visas overall.
Of the 94 per cent that were not
Nothing is recorded. Student, Temporary Graduate and Working Holiday Maker visas carry no nominated occupation at any stage, and no agency publishes what their holders work as. For 1,714,663 people in Australia there is no official answer to the question.
The only source that has ever covered them is the Census, which asks people what they do rather than reading it off a visa. The 10 August 2021 Census did so, but it was taken with Australia’s borders closed: net overseas migration was negative that year, students were stranded offshore and working holiday makers had gone home. Net overseas migration then ran 207,910, 538,340, 429,160, 305,570 across the four years that followed. The profile that Census recorded is not an old snapshot of this population. It is a snapshot of a different one, and this page does not use it.
The 11 August 2026 Census has been taken. Occupation and industry are in its second release, due October 2027. This page will be revised then.
What these figures do not show
- Health Care and Social Assistance is the largest single sponsoring industry on the skilled visa, at 17.9 per cent of grants. Clinicians do arrive through this program and these figures do not suggest otherwise.
- Nominated occupation is the role an employer sponsors a person for. It is not a record of what that person does in later years.
- No occupation is recorded at any stage for Student, Temporary Graduate or Working Holiday Maker visas, so there is no official source for what that 94 per cent works as. The 2026 Census will report it in its October 2027 release.
- A grant count is a flow. It is not the number of people currently working in that occupation.
- The 2021 Census occupation profile is not used on this page. It was taken with the borders closed, and the population it described is not the population here now.
Common questions
What is the most common occupation on Australia's skilled visa?
Chef. In 2024-25 to 31 March 2025 there were 3,920 Chef nominations on the subclass 482 skilled visa, 8.1 per cent of the whole program and up 160.5 per cent on the previous year, on Department of Home Affairs figures. The second was Resident Medical Officer at 2,380 grants, or 4.9 per cent.
Do nurses and doctors come to Australia on temporary visas?
Yes. Health Care and Social Assistance is the single largest sponsoring industry on the skilled visa, at 8,660 grants or 17.9 per cent of the program in 2024-25 to 31 March 2025, and Resident Medical Officer is the second most nominated occupation. The second largest sponsoring industry is Accommodation and Food Services at 6,710 grants or 13.9 per cent, up 112.8 per cent year on year.
What do temporary visa holders in Australia actually work as?
For most of them there is no published answer. An occupation is recorded only on the skilled visa, which covers 110,740 people, or 6 per cent of the 1,825,403 on temporary visas at 31 August 2026 excluding New Zealand citizens, visitors and crew. Student, Temporary Graduate and Working Holiday Maker visas carry no nominated occupation at any stage. The 2026 Census will report occupation in its second release, due October 2027.
How many people are on Australia's skilled work visa?
There were 110,740 primary subclass 482 visa holders in Australia at 31 March 2025, on Department of Home Affairs figures. That compares with 1,825,403 people on temporary visas overall at 31 August 2026, excluding New Zealand citizens, visitors and crew.
Is occupation recorded for every temporary visa?
No. An occupation is nominated by the sponsoring employer on the skilled visa only. Student, Temporary Graduate and Working Holiday Maker visas carry no nominated occupation at all, so for 94 per cent of the temporary visa population there is no official record of what the holder works as.
When will Australia next publish what temporary visa holders work as?
The 2026 Census was taken on 11 August 2026. Occupation and industry are in its second data release, due October 2027; the first release in June 2027 covers age, housing, birthplace, language, religion and education only. The previous Census, on 10 August 2021, was taken while Australia's borders were closed, so its occupation profile describes a materially different population and is not used here.
Cite this page
Mindiam (2026). What people on temporary visas work as. Derived from Department of Home Affairs, Temporary resident (skilled) report, 31 March 2025, and BP0019 Temporary visa holders in Australia, 31 August 2026. Retrieved from https://mindiam.com/figures/temporary-visa-occupations
A machine-readable copy is published at mindiam.com/figures/temporary-visa-occupations/data.json as JSON.
Sources
- Department of Home Affairs, Temporary resident (skilled) report, 31 March 2025. Primary visas granted 2024-25 to 31 March 2025.
- Department of Home Affairs, BP0019 Temporary visa holders in Australia. 31 August 2026.
- ABS, 2026 Census release timetable. Occupation and industry due October 2027.
Revision history
- 2026-10-09 The 2021 Census occupation profile was removed. That Census was taken with Australia’s borders closed and describes a materially different population from the one here now. The page no longer states what the unassessed cohort works as, because no current source does; the 2026 Census reports occupation in October 2027.
- 2026-10-08 Page created, with Home Affairs skilled-visa nominations to 31 March 2025.
Related: temporary visa holders, net overseas migration. Mindiam publishes opinion on migration policy in The National Interest. This page is a reference and takes no position. Corrections: mindiam.com/corrections.