Employer-sponsored · Subclass 186 · Permanent
Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa — Employer Sponsored PR in Australia
The Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa offers skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian employer a direct path to permanent residency in Australia. It is the permanent employer-sponsored visa Australia offers. Three streams, one approved nomination, and 186 permanent residency on the day of grant. Visa subclass 186 in Australia has no provisional stage.
What is the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa?
The 186 is Australia's permanent employer sponsored visa. An employer nominates you for a genuine, full-time position and you apply against that nomination. Three streams: Temporary Residence Transition for 482 holders after two years, Direct Entry with a skills assessment, and Labour Agreement. It is the usual 482 visa to PR route.
Key facts
- Permanent on grant. The 186 is a permanent visa. It carries a five-year travel facility from grant. After that you need a Resident Return visa or citizenship to re-enter.
- Three streams, one visa. Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) for 482 and 457 holders. Direct Entry (DE) for workers with a skills assessment. Labour Agreement (LA) for employers with an agreement.
- TRT needs two years, not three. You must have held a 482 or 457 for at least two of the last three years. You must also have worked full-time in Australia for an approved sponsor for two of those years. Unpaid leave does not count.
- Direct Entry needs a skills assessment and three years' experience, unless you are in a Direct Entry exempt class. The assessment must be no more than three years old and must not be a graduate-visa assessment. The occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List for the 186.
- Under 45 at the time of application, with narrow exemptions. The exemption classes are fixed by instrument and are exhaustive. For Direct Entry, only academics, scientists and long-term New Zealand-visa workers are exempt, and those classes are also exempt from the skills assessment and experience test.
- Competent English is mandatory in the TRT and DE streams. IELTS 6.0 in each component, or the equivalent in an approved test. No exemption class exists for the 186; passport holders from five English-speaking countries meet it automatically.
- In the TRT and Direct Entry streams, your visa application must be lodged within six months of the nomination being approved. The Labour Agreement stream has no such window. Onshore applicants must hold a substantive visa, a Bridging A, B or C at the time of application.
- The employer pays the nomination costs. The nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy sit with the employer. Asking for or paying a benefit in return for a nomination is unlawful for both sides.
Which 186 stream applies to you?
The stream is decided by your visa history and the employer's arrangement, not by preference. Every stream shares the common criteria. An approved nomination that names you, and a position that still exists. Licensing where the State requires it. Health, character and no worker-exploitation conduct. What differs is set out below. Each stream has its own page with the detail.
| Criterion | Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) | Direct Entry (DE) | Labour Agreement (LA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Current 482 or 457 holders, or a bridging visa after one, nominated by the sponsor whose nomination they hold | Workers in or outside Australia with a positive skills assessment, including those who never held a 482 | Workers nominated under a labour agreement or DAMA the employer has with the Minister |
| Visa history | Held a 482 or 457 for at least two of the last three years | Any. A 494 or 491 holder must have held that visa for three years first | Any, unless the agreement says otherwise. Same three-year hold for 494 and 491 holders |
| Work experience | Two years full-time in Australia with an approved work sponsor in the occupation your 482 or 457 was granted for, within the last three years | Three years full-time in the occupation at the required skill level | What the agreement specifies |
| Skills assessment | Not required unless the Minister asks you to demonstrate your skills | Required unless you are in a Direct Entry exempt class; no older than three years, not a 485 assessment | Only if the agreement requires one |
| Occupation | The same occupation your current 482 or 457 was granted for | On the Core Skills Occupation List for the 186, with any caveat met | An occupation the agreement names |
| Age | Under 45 at application, or in an exempt class (see below) | Under 45 at application; exempt classes are academic, science and New Zealand-visa workers only, and they are also exempt from the skills test | Under 45, or the age the agreement sets |
| English | Competent English — IELTS 6.0 in each component or equivalent | Competent English — IELTS 6.0 in each component or equivalent | The level the agreement sets |
| Detail | 186 TRT stream | 186 Direct Entry stream | 186 Labour Agreement stream |
What we see in practice
From our Sydney practice, most 186 applications are TRT applications from 482 holders. The two-year clock counts employment with any approved sponsor in the occupation. A change of sponsor does not reset it. The nomination itself, though, must come from the sponsor whose nomination you currently hold. Start planning at the eighteen-month mark, because the age and English tests are measured on the day you apply.
What are the 186 visa requirements?
Two sets of rules apply: the employer's, at nomination, and yours, at the visa application. Every criterion is assessed at the time of decision. The visa cannot be granted unless the nomination has been approved and not withdrawn.
What you must show
- An approved nomination that identifies you. The position is the one nominated and is still available to you. In the TRT and DE streams, the visa is lodged within six months of the approval. In the DE stream, the nominating business must be your employer.
- Age. Under 45 at the time of application, unless you fall inside an exempt class. The classes are listed in the age section below.
- English. Competent English at the time of application for TRT and DE. That is IELTS 6.0 in listening, reading, writing and speaking. Equivalent scores apply in CELPIP, Cambridge C1 Advanced, LANGUAGECERT, MET, OET, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT. The test must be within three years of the application. Citizens holding a passport of the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or New Zealand meet it without a test.
- Experience and skills for your stream. TRT: two years' full-time employment in Australia with an approved work sponsor in the occupation, within the last three years. DE: a current skills assessment plus three years' full-time experience at the required skill level. LA: whatever the agreement specifies.
- Licensing. If the State or Territory requires a licence, registration or professional membership, you hold it, or are eligible to obtain it, when you apply.
- Health, character and integrity. The health criterion, the character criteria, no outstanding Commonwealth debt, and PIC 4020. A bogus document, or false or misleading information, given for this application or for a visa held in the 12 months before it can refuse the visa. A refusal on that ground also counts against any visa applied for in the following three years.
- No worker-exploitation conduct. No conduct in the previous three years involving payment for a sponsorship-related event, unless it is reasonable to disregard it.
What your employer must show at nomination
- All streams: no adverse information known to the Department, and a satisfactory record of compliance with employment law.
- TRT and DE: a business that is actively and lawfully operating in Australia.
- TRT and DE: a genuine need for you in the position, under the employer's direct control. Full-time employment for at least two years, with no term that rules out extension.
- TRT and DE: the capacity to employ you for two years and to pay at least the annual market salary rate. The rate must not be below the Core Skills Income Threshold, which indexes every 1 July.
- Employment conditions no less favourable than an Australian would receive in the same role at the same location.
- TRT: the employer is the sponsor who last nominated you. The occupation is the one your current 482 or 457 was granted for. DE: the occupation is on the 186 Core Skills Occupation List and the tasks match it. LA: the agreement is in effect, names the occupation, any requirements it places on the employer are met, and the yearly nomination cap is not exhausted.
- Payment of the nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy, and no outstanding levy debt.
Labour market testing is a 482 nomination requirement. It is not a 186 nomination criterion, but the genuine-need test still has to be evidenced. The employer side is covered in full on our visa sponsorship options and sponsor obligations pages.
How do you apply for a 186 visa?
A 186 is two applications lodged in order. The visa cannot succeed without an approved nomination. In the TRT and DE streams, the nomination approval expires for visa purposes after six months.
- NominationThe employer lodges the nomination for the stream, naming you, the position and the occupation. It pays the nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy with the application.
- Visa applicationYou lodge against the nomination, declaring the nominated position. In the TRT and DE streams, that must be within six months of the nomination approval. You can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance.
- DecisionAll criteria are checked at decision. A second visa application charge instalment is payable before grant for an adult applicant without functional English. You may be in or outside Australia at grant.
Applying in Australia. An onshore applicant must hold a substantive visa, a Bridging A, B or C when applying. A Bridging E holder cannot lodge a valid 186 application in Australia. If your 482 is about to expire, lodge the 186 before it does. A bridging visa then carries you to the decision.
Common mistakes
- Incorrect employer nomination details — the position, occupation and stream must match the visa application exactly.
- Failure to meet eligibility for work experience — counting unpaid leave, part-time periods or overseas work toward the two years.
- Outdated skills assessments (Direct Entry stream) — an assessment older than three years does not count. Nor does a 485 assessment.
- Missing required documents (health and character) — a decision-ready file carries police certificates and health results on day one.
- Wrong ANZSCO occupation code — the tasks of the position must correspond to the nominated occupation, not just the title.
- Missing the six-month window (TRT and Direct Entry) — a visa lodged later than that fails a criterion that cannot be waived.
How much does the 186 visa cost in Australia?
There are four cost layers. The government visa application charge. A second instalment for an adult applicant without functional English. The employer's nomination fee and Skilling Australians Fund levy. Professional fees. The visa application charge is indexed every 1 July. We confirm it on the Department's pricing page at lodgement rather than printing a figure that goes stale.
The nomination fee and the levy are the employer's costs. It is unlawful for anyone to ask for or receive a benefit in return for a nomination. It is equally unlawful for you to offer or pay one. Our professional fees are quoted after a consultation, in writing, and never include government charges.
186 visa processing time — how long does it take?
The Department publishes processing times monthly and they move with demand, so we do not print a figure here. The number that matters is the one on the day you lodge. It is linked in the sources block below. TRT applications with a clean 482 history generally move faster than Direct Entry files. Skills assessment and experience evidence take longer to verify.
What we see in practice
The nomination and the visa are decided together in most TRT cases. A nomination refusal takes the visa with it. The employer's evidence — payroll, contract, business activity — matters as much as yours. A single request for further information can add months, because the case leaves the queue and re-enters it.
Is there an age limit for the 186 visa?
Yes. You must be under 45 on the day you apply, unless you are in an exempt class. The classes are fixed by a legislative instrument and there is no discretion outside them. They differ by stream.
The instrument lists six classes for the TRT stream. One of them, legacy 457 workers, covered only 186 applications made on or before 30 June 2024, so five remain open.
Temporary Residence Transition stream — the five open exempt classes
- Academic applicants — nominated by an Australian university as a Level A to E academic. Faculty head or university lecturer only.
- Science applicants — researchers, scientists and technical specialists nominated by a government science agency or university. ANZSCO skill level 1 or 2.
- Regional medical practitioners — two of the last three years practising medicine in a designated regional area. The nominated position must also be regional.
- Subclass 457/482 workers on high earnings — two years in nominated positions in the last three. Earnings at or above the Fair Work high income threshold in each of those years.
- Transitional 457 workers under 50 — held, or had applied for, a 457 on 18 April 2017. Under 50 on the day of the 186 application.
Direct Entry stream — exempt classes
Academic applicants and science applicants. Subclass 444 or 461 holders who spent two of the last three years with the nominating employer in the occupation. Nobody else. These three classes are also exempt from the Direct Entry skills assessment and experience test. For a Direct Entry applicant over 45 outside those classes, the 186 is closed on age.
The transitional 457 class is the one most often missed. A person who had only lodged a 457 application by 18 April 2017 is inside it. The visa must later have been granted. The evidence is the 457 lodgement date. The exemption runs until the day before your 50th birthday, so diarise it. A regional employer with a DAMA may hold an age concession in the agreement. The Labour Agreement stream can use it.
482 visa to PR — how do you move from the 482 to the 186?
The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa leads to the 186 through the Temporary Residence Transition stream. Four tests are measured on the day you apply for the 186.
- Visa held. A 482 or 457, or a bridging visa after one, for at least two of the last three years.
- Employment. Two of the last three years working full-time in Australia for an approved sponsor in the occupation. Unpaid leave is excluded. The employment can be with more than one approved sponsor.
- Nominator. The employer nominating you is the sponsor whose approved nomination you currently hold, in the same occupation.
- Age and English. Under 45 or exempt, and competent English. Age is not tested on the 482, and the 186 needs competent English whatever English test you met for the 482, so both can surprise a holder who assumed the PR step was automatic.
A regional employer may use the Subclass 494 instead, which leads to the Subclass 191 after three years. The full comparison is on our employer sponsored PR pathway page.
What happens after the 186 is granted?
You are a permanent resident. You can live, work and study anywhere in Australia and enrol in Medicare. Citizenship follows once you meet the residence requirement. The visa lets you travel to and from Australia for five years from grant. After that, re-entry needs a Resident Return visa or an Australian passport. If you were outside Australia at grant, you must make your first entry by the date the Department specifies.
Leaving the employer after grant. The 186 carries no condition that ties you to the nominating employer, and no condition limits where you work. The nomination, though, was approved on the basis of a genuine position and two years of full-time employment. A resignation soon after grant can raise the question whether that position was genuine at decision. The Department can cancel a visa where the application relied on incorrect information. Get advice before resigning inside the two-year period.
Can my family be included?
Yes. Members of your family unit apply under the secondary criteria and receive permanent residence with you. They are assessed against health, character and PIC 4020 in their own right.
- Spouse or de facto partner.
- Dependent children, including step-children, who meet the family-unit definition.
- Family members who are not applying must still meet the character criteria and, in most cases, the health criterion.
A partner whose relationship with you ends after lodgement can still be granted the visa in limited family violence circumstances. An adult family member without functional English attracts a second visa application charge instalment before grant.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Subclass 186 Visa?
The Subclass 186 Visa is a permanent residency visa for skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian employer. It allows workers to transition directly to permanent residency without the need for a points test. It has three streams: Temporary Residence Transition, Direct Entry and Labour Agreement. All three end in the same visa, permanent on the day it is granted.
Can I apply for Subclass 186 from offshore?
Yes. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply, and in or outside Australia when the visa is granted. The Direct Entry and Labour Agreement streams are the usual offshore routes. The Temporary Residence Transition stream depends on two years of employment in Australia. It is rarely lodged from offshore. If you are outside Australia at grant, you must enter by the date the Department sets.
Can I include family members in the Subclass 186 application?
Yes. You can include your spouse or de facto partner and dependent children in your Subclass 186 application. They receive permanent residence with you. Each family member meets the health and character criteria in their own right. An adult family member without functional English pays a second visa application charge instalment before grant.
How do I transition to PR?
Through the Temporary Residence Transition stream if you hold a 482 or 457. You need two of the last three years on that visa. You also need two years of full-time employment in Australia with an approved sponsor in the occupation. Your current sponsor then nominates you and you apply within six months of the approval. Once granted, you are a permanent resident and can live and work in Australia indefinitely.
After getting PR on the 186, may I switch jobs?
The 186 carries no condition that ties you to the employer or to the occupation. But the nomination was approved on the basis of a genuine, full-time position for at least two years. Leaving soon after grant invites the question whether that was true at decision. A visa can be cancelled where the application relied on incorrect information. Get advice before resigning inside the first two years.
Is there an age limit for the 186 visa?
Yes. You must be under 45 on the day you apply unless you are in an exempt class. The classes are exhaustive. For TRT the open classes cover academics, scientists, regional medical practitioners, high-earning 482 workers and transitional 457 workers under 50; a sixth class, legacy 457 workers, closed to applications made after 30 June 2024. For Direct Entry only academics, scientists and long-term Subclass 444 or 461 workers are exempt, from both the age and the skills requirements. A labour agreement can set its own age.
What English score do I need for a 186 visa?
Competent English for the TRT and Direct Entry streams: IELTS 6.0 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking. PTE Academic is 47, 48, 51 and 54. The test must be within three years of your application. Citizens holding a passport of the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or New Zealand meet it without a test. There is no other exemption for the 186. A labour agreement can set a different level.
Do I need a skills assessment for the 186 visa?
In the Direct Entry stream, yes, unless you are an academic, science or Subclass 444 or 461 applicant. You need a positive assessment from the relevant assessing authority, no more than three years old. A 485 assessment does not count. You also need three years of full-time experience at the required skill level. In the TRT stream no assessment is required, though the Minister can ask you to demonstrate your skills. In the Labour Agreement stream, only if the agreement requires one.
How long do I need to work on my 482 before applying for the 186 TRT stream?
Two years, counted two ways. You must have held a 482 or 457 for at least two of the three years before you apply. And you must have worked full-time in Australia for an approved sponsor in the occupation for two of those years. Unpaid leave does not count toward the two years. The employment can be with more than one approved sponsor.
Can I change employers on a 482 and still get the 186?
Yes. The two years of employment can be with more than one approved work sponsor. It must all be in the nominated occupation. What changes is who nominates you. The 186 TRT nomination must come from the sponsor who last nominated you, in the same occupation. Move only after the new employer's 482 nomination is approved, and keep every payslip.
Can I apply for the 186 from inside Australia on a bridging visa?
Only on a Bridging A, Bridging B or Bridging C. An onshore applicant must hold one of those or a substantive visa at the time of application. A Bridging E holder cannot make a valid 186 application in Australia. For the TRT stream, a bridging visa granted after your 482 also counts toward the two-year visa-held test. The 482 must have been your last substantive visa.
What is the difference between 186 Direct Entry and Temporary Residence Transition?
TRT is for 482 or 457 holders with two years' full-time employment in Australia in the occupation. It needs no skills assessment. Direct Entry needs a current skills assessment and three years of full-time experience, unless an exempt class applies, and a Core Skills Occupation List occupation. Both need competent English and an under-45 applicant, but the age exemptions for Direct Entry are far narrower.
The 186 is decided on the nomination and the timing. Get both right.
A free eligibility check tells you which stream fits your visa history and whether age and English are met. It also tells you what your employer needs to have ready.
Visa Advisor is a MARA-registered visa agent in Sydney, NSW. We work with 186 applicants and nominating employers on employer-sponsored visas Australia-wide and offshore.
Sources and last checked dates
- Migration Regulations 1994 — Schedule 2 Part 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme), Schedule 1 item 1114B and regulation 5.19 (approval of nominated positions), Compilation No. 288, 1 July 2026 (F2026C00667) currency checked 16 September 2026 open ↗
- Migration (Exemptions from Skill, Age and English Language Requirements for Subclass 186, 187 and 494 Visas) Instrument 2019 — LIN 19/216, Compilation No. 4, F2024C01274 currency checked 16 September 2026 open ↗
- Migration (Specification of Occupations and Relevant Assessing Authorities—Subclass 186 Visa) Instrument 2024 — LIN 24/093, Compilation No. 4, 28 March 2026 (F2026C00263) currency checked 16 September 2026 open ↗
- Migration Regulations 1994 — regulation 1.15C (competent English) and the Migration (Specification of Language Tests, Test Scores and Passports) Instrument 2025 (F2025L00905); Migration Act 1958 sections 245AR and 245AS (benefits for sponsorship-related events) and section 109 (cancellation for incorrect information) read 8 September 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) checked 8 September 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — salary requirements to nominate a worker (Core Skills Income Threshold) verified 19 August 2026 · page last updated 1 July 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — visa fees and charges (current visa pricing table and estimator) checked 8 September 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — visa processing times checked 8 September 2026 open ↗
The income threshold, the visa application charge, the Skilling Australians Fund levy, occupation lists and processing times change during a programme year. Confirm the current figure with the source before acting on anything on this page.