If you are weighing up where in Australia to look for a sponsored job, the state you pick actually matters. The Department of Home Affairs publishes this data every quarter, and a handful of states account for most of the action.

A quick note on naming first. The subclass 482 visa was officially replaced by the Skills in Demand (SID) visa in December 2024. Home Affairs still reports on this visa stream under the “Temporary resident (skilled)” category, so the numbers below cover both the tail end of the old 482 and its SID successor. Our Skills in Demand Visa guide covers how that transition works if you need the full picture.

The program is growing fast

As of 31 December 2025, 112,640 people held a primary Temporary Skill Shortage or Skills in Demand visa in Australia. That is a 29.2% jump from the same point the year before.

New grants are up too. In the 2025-26 program year to 31 December 2025, 34,360 primary visas were granted, up 9.8% year on year.

Top 3 states by visas granted in 2025/26

Home Affairs reports the top three locations for nominated sponsored positions in this program year, up to 31 December 2025:

  1. New South Wales: 12,680 visas
  2. Victoria: 8,120 visas
  3. Queensland: 5,790 visas

Together these three states account for 26,590 visas, or about 77% of every primary visa granted nationally in this window. If you are applying for a sponsored role, the odds are strongly in favour of the job being based in one of these three states.

Why NSW, Victoria and Queensland dominate

This isn’t random. These three states host most of Australia’s biggest employers, the largest number of open roles across healthcare, construction, hospitality and trades, and the deepest pool of businesses that already hold sponsorship approval. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane between them cover a huge share of the country’s job openings, so it makes sense that sponsorship activity follows the same pattern.

Home Affairs does not break out full figures for the remaining five states and territories in this report, but based on population and industry size, Western Australia and South Australia are the next most likely locations for sponsored roles, particularly in mining, energy and healthcare.

What this means if you are job hunting

If you are open to relocating, focusing your search on NSW, Victoria or Queensland puts you where most of the sponsored jobs actually are. That said, being open to other states can work in your favour too. Employers outside the big three sometimes face less competition for talent, and several regional visa pathways offer extra points or faster processing if you are willing to work outside a major city.

Our guides on regional cities for skilled jobs in Australia and 3 pathways to permanent residency walk through how location can actually work in your favour, not just against you.

FAQ

Which Australian state gets the most 482 employer sponsored visas?
New South Wales, with 12,680 primary visas granted in the 2025-26 program year to 31 December 2025, ahead of Victoria at 8,120 and Queensland at 5,790.

What share of sponsored visas go to the top three states?
NSW, Victoria and Queensland together account for about 77% of all primary visas granted nationally in the current program year.

Is the 482 visa still active in 2026?
The 482 visa was replaced by the Skills in Demand (SID) visa in December 2024. Home Affairs continues to report on this visa category as “Temporary resident (skilled),” which covers both.

Does living outside NSW, Victoria or Queensland hurt my sponsorship chances?
Not necessarily. Several regional visa pathways offer extra benefits for working outside major cities, and less competition in other states can work in your favour.

Sources