Subclass 186 visa: Employer Nomination Scheme

How the 186 works

Home Affairs describes the Employer Nomination Scheme as a permanent visa for skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer, through one of three streams. The occupations listed here are those on the Core Skills Occupation List, which the Direct Entry stream uses.

Streams

Home Affairs lists three streams for the 186.

186 Direct Entry stream

The Direct Entry stream is for workers nominated in an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List. Home Affairs lists these stream requirements:

• Under 45 on the date of application, unless exempt.
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience, unless exempt.
• A positive skills assessment before applying, unless exempt.
• At least Competent English.
• Any licence, registration or membership needed for the job in that state or territory.

186 Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream

The Temporary Residence Transition stream is for subclass 457 and 482 holders whose current sponsor nominates them. Home Affairs lists these stream requirements:

• Hold a subclass 457 or 482 visa as the primary holder, or an eligible bridging visa.
• At least 2 years of full-time eligible sponsored employment in Australia in the 3 years before applying, in the occupation the 457 or 482 was granted for.
• Nomination by the employer who last sponsored the 457 or 482 visa, in the same occupation.
• Under 45 on the date of application, unless exempt.
• At least Competent English (Home Affairs says there is no exemption for this stream).
• The skills needed for the occupation; Home Affairs might ask for a skills assessment.

186 Labour Agreement stream

The Labour Agreement stream is for workers nominated by an employer that is party to a labour agreement. The age, skills and English requirements come from the labour agreement. Unless the agreement says otherwise, the applicant must be under 45.

186 visa requirements

Across the streams, Home Affairs' eligibility tabs include:

• Nomination by an Australian employer whose business is actively and lawfully operating, and applying within 6 months of the nomination being approved.
• Meeting the stream's occupation, work experience, skills and English requirements (see Streams above).
• Being under 45 when applying, unless an exemption applies.
• Health and character requirements, for the applicant and family members who apply.
• Signing the Australian values statement (18 and over).
• No debt to the Australian Government, or an arrangement to repay it.

For Direct Entry and TRT nominations, the employer must pay at least the annual market salary rate when the salary is under AUD 250,000. Home Affairs' salary requirements page says the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) also applies to 186 nominations lodged on or after 7 December 2024. It lists the CSIT as AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027.

Age exemptions

The Direct Entry stream page lists these exemptions from the under-45 rule:

• Academics (Academic Level B, C, D or E) nominated by an Australian university.
• Scientists, researchers or technical (scientific) specialists at ANZSCO skill level 1 or 2 nominated by a government science agency or an Australian university.
• Holders of a subclass 444 or 461 visa who have worked for the nominating employer, in the nominated position, for at least 2 of the last 3 years.

The TRT stream page lists:

• Academics (Academic Level A to E) nominated by an Australian university.
• Scientists, researchers or technical specialists at ANZSCO skill level 1 or 2 nominated by a government scientific agency or an Australian university.
• Medical practitioners who have worked in a designated regional area for at least 2 of the last 3 years on a 457 or 482, where the nominated position is also regional.
• 457 or 482 holders who have worked in eligible sponsored employment for at least 2 of the last 3 years and earned at least the Fair Work High Income Threshold in each year.
• Transitional arrangement: people who held (or had applied for and were later granted) a 457 visa on 18 April 2017 can apply if under 50.

What the visa lets you do

Home Affairs says that with this visa the holder can:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely.
• Work and study in Australia.
• Enrol in Medicare, Australia's public health care scheme.
• Sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia.
• Travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the grant date.
• Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

Home Affairs says it expects the holder to work for the nominating employer for at least 2 years, and to start work within 6 months of arriving (or of the grant date, if already in Australia). After the 5-year travel period, a Resident Return visa is needed to re-enter as a permanent resident.

Family members and cost

Family members who can be included are the applicant's partner, dependent child or stepchild, the partner's dependent child or stepchild, and their dependent children. Home Affairs says family members can be included when applying, or added after applying but before a decision.

Visa application charges, from the Home Affairs stream pages and visa pricing:

Concessions apply in limited circumstances. Other costs can include health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Employer costs listed by Home Affairs:

Levy amounts are from Home Affairs' cost of sponsoring page. Employers must not pass the levy on to the visa applicant.

Step by step

Home Affairs' Step by step tabs on the Direct Entry and TRT pages set out two parts.

What the employer does

1. Checks the applicant is eligible for the stream.
2. Gathers documents: the employment contract (full time, ongoing, at least 2 years), proof the business is operating, proof of genuine need and of the annual market salary rate.
3. Lodges the nomination in ImmiAccount, pays the nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy, and gives the nomination Transaction Reference Number (TRN) to the applicant.
4. Gets a nomination outcome. The applicant must apply within 6 months of approval.

What the applicant does

1. Gets a skills assessment if needed (Direct Entry: before applying) and arranges English tests.
2. Gets the nomination TRN from the employer.
3. Gathers identity, skills, English and character documents, plus documents for family members.
4. Applies online in ImmiAccount and pays the visa charge.
5. Provides health exams and biometrics if Home Affairs asks, and pays any second instalment when invoiced.
6. Receives a decision.

Applying in or outside Australia

Home Affairs says applicants can be in or outside Australia when they apply, but not in immigration clearance. Applicants in Australia must hold a substantive visa or a Bridging visa A, B or C. Applicants can be in or outside Australia when the decision is made.

186 visa processing time

Home Affairs publishes current processing times in its global visa processing times guide.

Compare: 482, 186 and 494